Denial can fuel an alcohol addiction. Are you an alcoholic? Alcoholism is generally a condition that results in the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, despite negative personal and social consequences. Sometimes the consequences are very grave. Only the individual can decide for him or herself whether or not they are an alcoholic. No one else can decide for them. When drinking too much, many people would merely characterize themselves as heavy drinkers. And what constitutes too much or too often is a matter of opinion.
How often do you wake up with a hangover? Do you exhibit behavior under the influence that causes you to do something you regret? Are these regrets piling up? Do you find yourself calling your friends or whoever you happened to be with the night before, to apologize for something you said or did? Are you sullying your reputation or compromising your standards, little by little?
The list of possible questions the alcoholic candidate can ask himself or herself is extensive. In most cases, the problem drinker is an alcoholic long before he or she realizes it. In fact, many times the user is the last to know.
Alcoholics are a resilient bunch. They can take the heat, by ignoring or putting embarrassing behavior behind them and not being too introspect about it, even though their actions were completely out of character. And there is no shortage of intellect in the alcoholic crowd. In fact, according to addiction literature, the brighter the user, the better they are at rationalizing away the disturbing things they have said and done by attributing "last nights binge" to a job situation, or an argument with a significant other for example. With life and its constant challenges, anyone can come up with a veritable grocery list of reasons to drink. The really disturbing aspect of all this is this good, bright, articulate person is losing a battle to alcohol. Given enough time, alcohol will take over every aspect of his or her life.
In the end, the circumstances and pain created by accelerated drinking will bring the drinker/victim of alcoholism to the conclusion that this cannot be ignored any longer, as distressing as can be. Hopefully this will take place before great harm has been done. Alcohol is not a respecter of people. Alcoholism pervades every country, race, social class, and sex without discrimination.
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