Are You A Social Drinker Or Has Your Drinking Become Abusive?

When it comes to drinking and having a good time, most guys like to think that they can hang with the best of them. Channeling our inner “Frank the Tank” from Old School, we turn into the life of the party, taking shot after shot until we can barely hold ourselves up.

In most cases, we’re either trying to show the fellas that we “still got it” or we’re trying to impress a lady that just entered the bar. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with partying and having a good time, when your partying turns into an everyday event (with or without an audience around), you might want to slow things down a bit. I’m not trying to be the fun police here but.. there’s a real possibility that your desire to drink has gone from a means to unwind and impress those around you to a real problem.

When Drinking Goes Too Far

Having a drink or two every now and again is perfectly fine. Some of us have a drink after a hard day of work or a few beers while we’re watching the game, which again, isn’t necessarily an issue. However, there is a line that can be crossed, and your drinking habit can easily go from “a few drinks” to an alcohol abuse or dependency issue.

So what is this fine line? How do you know for sure you should put the bottle down and get back on track? Here are some signs that your drinking has crossed over into abuse:

“One More For The Road”

You tell yourself you’re going to happy hour to have a drink with your coworkers. However, when you give yourself a limit of one drink and it turns into two or three, chances are you’re drinking more than you should.

“What Time Is It?”

After a night of drinking, you find yourself nursing a hangover. The next day, you’re supposed to get up for work, but you find that you woke up several hours late. If drinking interferes with your daily routine, I hate to tell you this, but you’re drinking way too much.

“What Happened Last Night?”

If you drink to the point that you’re blacking out or have no recollection of what happened the night before (you know, when you started a bar fight, or threw up on a woman’s dress), you’re abusing alcohol. Studies have shown that memory loss can often occur when you’ve consumed too much alcohol.

“Let Me Have A Drink To Calm My Nerves”

If it’s reached a point that you have a drink every time you’re experiencing periods of stress or anxiety, this is not an effective solution. Alcohol might make you feel “normal” or “calm” in that moment, but at the end of the day, you’re still left with your emotions to deal with. That being said, you should never use alcohol as a means to cope.

“When Doesn’t An Occasion Call For A Drink?”

You wake up in the morning and drink a mimosa, in the afternoon before you head out you have a shot of scotch, you go out with the fellas that night and have a few more drinks. You drink at weddings, celebrations, parties, christenings, funerals, and wherever else you think you should pour a drink…. If you drink all the time for every occasion (even in small portions), you’re drinking too much. The US Centers for Disease Control states that you shouldn’t drink anymore than two drinks per day.

“Dude, We Need To Talk”

Let’s face it, most men hate the phrase, “we need to talk”. So if your friends approach you about your alcohol use, chances are you’ve taken it too far and need to reevaluate things.

Get Help If Necessary

Depending on how deep you are into drinking, you can probably make some lifestyle adjustments and stop the abuse before it becomes an addiction. However, in instances where you’ve tried to “cut back” or “go cold turkey” but can’t, then you need to get professional help. Checking yourself into a rehab facility for men might be the best thing for you. There you can get therapeutic and professional help for your alcohol addiction before it really starts to affect your health long term. There you’ll find an abundance of guidance and support to live a sober life.

If any of these above statements sounded like you or a close friend, it is really time to reconsider how much alcohol you’re consuming. Prolonged alcohol abuse can not only lead to addiction and alcoholism, but it can really be detrimental to your overall health and quality of life.

Sure, there’s nothing wrong with a few drinks here and there, but it is vitally important to know yourself, know your limits, and most importantly, drink responsibly.