It's perfectly fine to have a good time and enjoy alcohol as long as you're of age and drinking responsibly. However, if you find yourself abusing alcohol, it becomes an issue and it's time to seek help. But when 20% of college students meet the criteria to be considered alcoholics, how are you supposed to know if you or someone you know has become addicted to alcohol and what to do if that’s the case? Here are some signs you might be developing a drinking problem.
1. Mood differences
Your emotional regulation or your ability to control your emotions lessens leading to bursts of anger, even during periods of being sober. Heavy drinking can lead to depression and vice versa, affecting your emotions and mood.
2. Feeling the need to drink
You may feel the need throughout the day to drink, whether to calm yourself down or relax, you may start incorporating alcohol into your daily routine.
3. Pushing the limits of how much you should drink or not being able to limit how much you drink
When you drink you may struggle to limit the amount you’re drinking. Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking 5 or more drinks every day for men and four or more drinks for women. This amount of drinking and blacking out can cause physical damage such as kidney damage and even brain damage.
4. Purposely causing blackouts
A blackout is when you’re unable to transfer short-term memories to long-term memories, this can be caused due to alcohol. Drinking in social settings is acceptable, but deliberately drinking to the point of blackout can be very harmful and lead to brain damage.
How to avoid becoming dependent on alcohol
While avoiding a drinking problem is more complicated than simply stopping yourself from drinking, several strategies can be used to be more mindful. In college, moderating your drinking can be especially challenging due to increased exposure to alcohol and peer pressure.
1. Avoid using alcohol as a coping mechanism
You may notice you’ll start using alcohol as a way to deal with any intense emotions you might be struggling with, whether that’s the stress from school or interpersonal conflict among peers, using alcohol to numb these feelings instead of dealing with them will only make things worse. Contact your school for counseling options or find a therapist near you.
Lifecare Wellness Counseling in Tuscaloosa Alabama provides counseling for students struggling with substance abuse problems, anxiety, trauma, stress, or depression with expert professionals that can lead you to a recovery journey.
2. Try to lessen the amount of alcohol in your routine
While some people may only have social interactions in settings that are focused on drinking, try to seek out social events that don’t include alcohol or that aren’t centered on drinking. Look into clubs at your school or local events focusing on bonding with different hobbies and exploring your interests.
3. Write down your goals
Neuroscience has proven that writing down goals activates a different part of your brain, which may help strengthen your commitment. And a visual reminder is always a helpful reminder to stay on track. These goals can be a variety of reasons whether it’s for your health, your grades, to avoid losing control, etc.
4. Emotional Support
You may need to contact your friends or family to help keep you accountable. This support network can be there for you when you feel like drinking or as a shoulder to lean on if you're feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed.
Stopping a drinking problem early on will help you avoid the difficulty of breaking the cycle many college students fall into. With a combination of hobbies, support, and therapy you can enjoy your college career without being reliant on alcohol. Remember if you recognize these signs in yourself reach out for help, people are waiting to help you on your journey to recovery and give you back control over your life.
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