By: Jack Owens

Not scientifically reviewed by Dr. Eeks

Alcohol doesn’t have to be a bad thing. When enjoyed in moderation, it can be a great way to unwind, and many people find it tastes good too. There’s a lot of choice, so it’s likely you’ll find something you like, whether that’s wine, beer, spirits, or perhaps even cocktails.

However, alcohol can be addictive, and it can be dangerous for your health when you drink too much of it. This is why you need to be aware of the signs of an alcohol problem so you can make the necessary changes and get the necessary help to get better. With that in mind, read on to find out what signs you need to look out for. 

Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay

You Get Drunk Every Day

A lot of people will choose to have a glass of wine with dinner or a tumbler of scotch while watching TV in the evening, for example. That, as we’ve said, can be a good way to chill out after a hard day, and it is often a pleasant way to unwind. The issue is when you not only have a drink every day, but when you deliberately get drunk every day. There is a difference, and the latter is much more of a problem than the former.

If you choose to drink so much that you are drunk, and if this happens every day, you are going to be doing some serious damage to your body. For one thing, you’ll be dehydrated a lot of the time, and that will lead to the symptoms of a hangover. When you’re feeling bad like this, you might find it hard to work or carry out your daily responsibilities. Secondly, that much alcohol on a regular basis can cause problems with your liver and heart, not to mention your hair and skin. 

You Need A Drink

It’s fine to want a drink, but there is a big difference between wanting to drink a glass of wine and needing to. If you find you need to drink and you can’t think of anything else, it might be that your habit has turned into an addiction, and at this point, you’ll need to seek extra help. This might be in the form of a rehab that offers evidence-based therapies to help those with addictions like yours, for example. 

It’s easy to dismiss this feeling at first; you might just think you’ve had a rough day and a drink would help you. However, it’s wise to pay attention to this feeling and to notice when it starts to become something you can’t ignore or that interferes with your day. This can happen gradually so it’s hard to know it’s happening at all, but staying aware will help you. 

You’re Ill All The Time 

Being ill all the time doesn’t necessarily have to be linked to drinking too much, but if you are already concerned about your drinking habits, this could be a good sign that you need to take things in hand. 

Too much alcohol can affect your immune system and make it much less robust. This means that any bug or illness going around can much more easily attack your body and cause problems; the immune system is unable to keep it out. This is why you’ll find a lot of heavy drinkers develop illnesses such as pneumonia and tuberculosis; their immune systems can no longer keep them safe.