The classic picture of someone with alcohol use disorder is someone who always drinks too much and whose life is falling apart because of it. But that’s not always the reality.
Some people seem to be just fine even though they abuse alcohol. You may hear them called “functional” or “high-functioning” alcoholics.
You can still be one even though you have a great “outside life,” with a job that pays well, home, family, friendships, and social bonds, says Sarah Allen Benton, a licensed mental health counselor and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic.
Learn more about the signs of a high-functioning alcoholic.
Although it’s now officially called “alcohol use disorder,” you’ll still hear a lot of people talking about “alcoholism” or “alcohol abuse.” It’s a condition that ranges from mild to moderate to severe. And it’s all still problem drinking, even if you think it’s “mild.”
People with alcohol use disorder can appear responsible and productive.They might even be a high achiever or in a position of power. And their success may lead people to overlook their drinking.
This person could also be in denial. They might think, “I have a great job, pay my bills, and have lots of friends; therefore I am not an alcoholic,” Benton says. Or they might make excuses like, “I only drink expensive wine” or “I haven’t lost everything or suffered setbacks because of drinking.”
But the reality is, they aren’t doing fine, says Robert Huebner, PhD, of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. No one, he warns, “can drink heavily and maintain major responsibilities over long periods of time. If someone drinks heavily, it is going to catch up with them.”
What is heavy drinking? For women, it’s having more than three drinks a day or seven a week. For men, it’s four or more per day or 14 a week. If you drink more than the daily or weekly limit, you’re at risk.
That’s not the only way to tell if you or someone you care about needs help. There are some other red flags. You might:
- Say you have a drinking problem or joke about your alcohol use.
- Not keep up with major responsibilities at home, work, or school.
- Lose friendships or have relationship problems due to drinking, but you don’t quit alcohol .
- Have legal problems related to drinking, such as a DUI arrest.
- Need alcohol to relax or feel confident.
- Drink in the morning or when you’re alone.
- Get drunk when you don’t intend to.
- Forget what you did while drinking.
- Deny drinking, hide alcohol, or get angry when confronted about drinking.
- Cause loved ones to worry about or make excuses for your drinking.
Functional alcoholics may seem to be in control, Benton says, but they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out.
Heavy drinking has many other risks. It can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, some forms of cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and high blood pressure. It also makes someone more likely to die in a car wreck or from murder or suicide. And any alcohol abuse raises the odds of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
The treatment for a high-functioning alcoholic is the same as for any other type of addict, Benton says. Ask your doctor about getting help — whether it’s from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist. Organizations like the American Society of Addiction Medicine can guide you to help, too.
In “case management,” a professional may work with you one-on-one. Outpatient programs make it possible for you to get treatment during the day and still live at home.
The most in-depth care allows you to live full time at a treatment facility. These setups can also work along with 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Relating to other people with substance abuse issues may help someone break through denial and begin to recover.