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Signs of Alcoholism

Written by: Cypress HomeCare Solutions

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.

  1. Have you ever wanted to cut down on your drinking?
  2. Has anyone ever criticized how often or much you drink?
  3. Do you feel guilty about your drinking?
  4. 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:

  1. Have you continued drinking despite the fact that it’s causing physical and/or mental health problems?
  2. Have you ever drank more than you intended to?
  3. Have you lost interest in your activities and hobbies since drinking?
  4. Do you experience withdrawal when you’re not drinking?
  5. Do you often crave drinking or have the urge to drink?
  6. Have you put yourself in harmful situations due to drinking?
  7. 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.

We’re here to help.

Call (602) 264-8009 or contact us to learn more about home care services.

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