There’s a big difference between casual drinking and alcoholism, and it’s important that you’re able to recognize the signs of an addiction, either for yourself or a loved one.
Signs of Alcoholism:
- Blackouts or memory loss
- Mood swings
- Dealing with stress or sadness by consuming alcohol
- Neglecting responsibilities to drink
- Neglecting spending time with family and friends to drink
- Drinking by yourself or in secret
- Constantly feeling hungover when you’re not drinking
How to Recognize Alcohol Abuse
CAGE is a questionnaire that experts use to measure the severity of an individual’s alcohol problem. It’s recommended that one seeks professional help if they answer “yes” to two or more questions.
- Have you ever wanted to cut down on your drinking?
- Has anyone ever criticized how often or much you drink?
- Do you feel guilty about your drinking?
- Have you ever drank right after waking up to get over a hangover or relax?
Professionals also use questions from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders to inquire about someone’s alcohol use of the past year:
- Have you continued drinking despite the fact that it’s causing physical and/or mental health problems?
- Have you ever drank more than you intended to?
- Have you lost interest in your activities and hobbies since drinking?
- Do you experience withdrawal when you’re not drinking?
- Do you often crave drinking or have the urge to drink?
- Have you put yourself in harmful situations due to drinking?
- Have you had legal troubles since drinking?
If you believe your older loved one is abusing alcohol, consider hiring a caregiver from Cypress HomeCare. Our expert home care providers are dedicated to keeping your loved one healthy and safe.
