What is normal drinking and when is it a problem?
If you have ever wondered if you or your loved one are drinking too much, you are not alone! In a world where alcohol seems to be everywhere we look, it can be difficult to determine what is normal and when to seek help.
While we have data regarding average alcohol consumption, and specific criteria used to diagnose an Alcohol Use Disorder, what we view as normal can still vary widely depending on the way we grew up, the people we are surrounded by, and the environment in which we live and work. Additionally, due to our unique genetic makeup and body composition, the positive and negative effects of alcohol can vary greatly from one person to the next.
Jessica Cracolice, LISW-S, LICDC (Counselor at Columbus Behavioral Health) shares that alcohol consumption occurs on a continuum and that identification of alcohol use as a problem is a personal decision that requires consideration of each person’s unique circumstances, history, and values. The decision of when and how to go about making a change can be even more challenging, and often requires the help of a mental health professional.
If there’s no clear answer to what’s normal, how can you determine when alcohol has become a problem for you and when to seek help? Here are a few key areas to consider when examining your own drinking habits.
Self-Medicating
While it may be perfectly normal to occasionally use alcohol as a social elixir at happy hour, to soothe the pains of a breakup, or to get to sleep with a night cap, using alcohol to numb or change emotions is often a short-term solution that causes more problems than it solves.
If you find yourself using alcohol to relieve symptoms arising from anxiety, depression, insomnia, ADHD, trauma, physical or emotional abuse, a mood disorder, or intense emotional experiences, a mental health professional with expertise in dual-diagnosis treatment can help you address the real issues and provide more effective and longer-lasting relief from symptoms.
You Want to Change
There are many reasons people decide to change their drinking habits. You may have identified that alcohol has caused problems in your relationships or at work, you’ve noticed a negative impact on your health or weight, or you simply don’t feel your alcohol use is in line with your values.
Whatever the reason, if you’ve decided you want to make a change and are struggling to do so on your own, seeking help is the next step. There are a variety of therapeutic interventions designed to help you increase motivation for change and remove roadblocks that hold you back.
You Are Unsure
If someone in your life has told you they think you have a problem, but you feel like your drinking is “normal”, or if you find yourself feeling guilty or unsure about your drinking habits and wonder if alcohol is contributing to difficulties in your life, a professional can help.
It can be difficult to accurately assess our own patterns of use and understand the impact in our lives, and loved ones may have skewed perspectives as well. A professional with expertise in alcohol use disorders can help you analyze your drinking, including the positive and negative effects in your life, and determine next steps.
Feeling Different Without It
Regular alcohol use can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms. If you have noticed that when you don’t drink you experience mood changes such as irritability or anxiety, or if you have experienced physical withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, rapid heart rate, shaking, increased sweating, or confusion, you may have developed dependency.
Alcohol withdrawal can be life threatening and require medical assistance. If you have experienced signs of physical withdrawal and want to decrease or stop your use, talk to your primary care doctor about how to do so safely.
Getting Help
Regardless of what your goals are, if you are considering making a change, a great place to start is by reaching out to a mental health professional with expertise in both mental health and substance use disorders. Through a psychosocial assessment they can help you identify and prioritize areas to focus on and offer treatment options and recommendations.
What’s holding you back?
Jessica Cracolice, LISW-S, LICDC shares that clients often say they have been contemplating seeking help for years or even decades before coming in and that in almost all cases, their symptoms and consequences have worsened over that period. The unfortunate truth is that substance use disorders are progressive, meaning that while use may have ups and downs, over time the symptoms and severity increase and changes in the brain become more difficult to reverse.
The important thing to remember when considering seeking assessment and treatment is that you are in the driver’s seat. While your counselor may provide a diagnosis and recommendations for treatment, you get to decide what you want to do with that information.
If you are ready to take the first step, please visit our provider directory to find a counselor.
