So, you are out there, being young and having a blast. So what if you come up short at the end of the month, right? Alcohol is good fun and everyone thinks you are cool, but do they? Or, are they hanging out to get drunk? Seems to me , a real friend would be more concerned that you didn’t get your bills paid than on getting drunk and crashing at your house.
Look, if you are drinking and coming up short on your bills or obligations then you may have a problem. That is not to hurt any feelings. It is better to accept and face it now rather than later. There are great anonymous groups out there that can help you get it back on track. If your drinking is getting out of control it can end very badly with one poor decision. We are not talking about regretful decisions but those with life altering consequences. The worst thing you can ever say is that it won’t happen to you because it can.
Signs you may have a drinking problem include not being able to pay your bills, blackouts, getting into fights, making poor decisions like unprotected sex or drinking and driving. If you don’t feel you have a drinking problem then maybe it is a budget problem. Either way, money spent on alcohol is not money well spent by any means.
Still, if you think money spent on alcohol is money well spent you my want to keep reading.
Knowing when someone’s drinking has crossed the line is not always easy especially if you are that person. However, if you have to have alcohol to have fun or to not feel bad then it is close to, if not already in, the problem zone. If you are left feeling guilt or shame after drinking, you are lying to others about your drinking or if others are mentioning your drinking you should take heed to these warnings. If you are blacking out that is a huge red flag. Another is when you can’t stop or usually drink more than you set out to drink.
If you are repeatedly neglecting home or work/school responsibilities due to your drinking then it is likely that you have a real problem, maybe even a dependency. This is when the alcohol abuse turns into alcoholism. This is the most severe level of problem drinking and the most deadly. If you are drinking even though it is causing problems and causing you to come up short it is a really big deal.
Unfortunately denial is also a huge obstacle for most people suffering from alcoholism on any level. If someone you know is dealing with these issues then gently urging them into treatment is so important. Whatever you do don’t bribe, preach or push. This will only make it worse. Do not cover for or enable them, and make them face their own responsibilities. Join an Al-Anon group as soon as possible to learn to help them and yourself.
Look, one of the major warning signs of alcoholism in full blow from is ignored finances and responsibilities. If you are minimizing the debts piling up and choosing to drink rather than put the booze down and take care of what you have to take care of then you really need to do some self examination. Don’t let it get too far gone, because many never make it back from the other side of addiction. One call to a hotline in your area could be the first step into a whole new life.
