The Personal Experience of a Functioning Alcoholic

How can I be an alcoholic? That is what I said to my girlfriend when a woman I knew from my teens died of liver disease. She was the same age as me – 33 at the time. “Don’t tar me with the same brush as her” I said. “I never drink alcohol before 8.30p.m., I get up every morning to start work at 7a.m. I never miss a day’s work. The work is stressful and strenuous. I have a healthy diet, exercise at the gym., and swim at my local pool a couple of times a week. I don’t spend all my money on booze like alcoholics who buy white cider.” I was a functioning alcoholic.

Well, in all truth and honesty, I did drink a lot more than the Government recommended – 21 units a week. When I went into the local off licence the assistant was getting a bottle of whisky off the shelf as soon as I went through the door.

Question My Own Behaviour – Functioning alcoholic

I began to question my own behaviour.  My girlfriend bet me I could not go a week without a drink. She was right, I couldn’t, I lasted 4 days. I was constantly thinking of the amount I was drinking every day. I didn’t bother cutting down, I started going to different off licences several times a week so I could make out I was moderating my drinking. Although I was still working I was sucking a lot of mints in the morning, even after brushing my teeth to take away the smell of the alcohol.

Drinking Earlier and Earlier

I began to feel more hung over in the morning as I started drinking earlier in the evening and consuming more. I was starting to miss work on Monday mornings as I was too hung over to function after consuming too much booze over the weekend.

However, I finally had to admit that despite exercising and having a healthy diet I was drinking too much alcohol every day. I was a functioning alcoholic and I couldn’t live without it. In the end I could not stop and had to go into treatment for help with my drinking.

Now I do not drink at all. My life is so much simpler, healthier and happier and I am now so grateful to be a recovering alcoholic rather than a functioning one.

Call the Haynes Clinic on 01462 851414