7 Signs You're Drinking Too Much Alcohol
There’s nothing wrong with a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve or a beer while watching the big game. Sometimes, having a second glass of wine with dinner or an extra drink isn’t the end of the world.
But how do you know when it’s too much? Should you put a limit on your drinking? When should you know it’s time to change or even start looking for help?
Skin Inflammation
If you notice your skin is constantly red and inflamed, it may be another sign you’re drinking too much alcohol. You’re more likely to notice these issues if you’re consuming hard alcohol on a regular basis.
Inflammation can lead to other skin issues, such as loss of color, enlarged pores, and even dullness.
Drinking is Always Your Out
Part of being an adult is having to endure plenty of tough days. It’s part of the unwritten contract we all signed as adults.
You didn’t make the sale you thought you had in the bag, your mom’s cancer came back, or it’s just been one of those days with your kids.
If your “me” time always means having a drink in your hand, then you know you have an issue. Using drinking as a coping mechanism is a slippery slope and you might be conditioned to thinking drinking as a reward.
Frequent Sleeping Issues
While it may seem like alcohol can help get you to sleep, it’s quite harmful to deep sleep. Consuming too much alcohol can block your REM sleep.
REM sleep is important because it helps stimulate your brain, it’s when you dream after all and it helps with memory retention. Constantly blocking your body from achieving REM is bad for your health and memory.
Others Make Comments
Have you noticed concerned looks from friends? Are you known for your drinking abilities? Do you often hear “wow, you’ve had a lot to drink tonight” on a regular basis?
Sometimes it can be hard to see our own issues or faults and others have to recognize them for us. If your friends are concerned about you or making plenty of comments, then it’s time to take them seriously.
You’re Becoming a Bit Too Tolerant
When you first started drinking, you may have felt a buzz after a sip of alcohol. As you grow older, though, you may have found your limit to be around two beers before you started to feel a buzz.
If you’re noticing your tolerance grow and grow, that’s a huge red flag for your drinking habits. Not having or knowing a limit is an early sign of addiction, as you continue to drink in order to try and feel a buzz.
Your Cravings are Stronger
When people think about “craving” alcohol, they may often think of someone pushing everything else aside to make an 11 P.M. run to the liquor store on a Tuesday.
Craving can actually look much different, like a constant need to drink during your lunch hour just to survive that afternoon’s meetings or checking your watch every 10 minutes for Happy Hour.
You’re Worried About You
You know yourself better than anyone else, and if you’re thinking you have a problem, then you likely have a problem.
There’s no shame in admitting something is wrong and it’s the first step to recovery. Take the time to take care of you.
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