It is very surprising how drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis catches up with people. What begins as a couple of weekly visits to the local, or a drink once or twice a week at home gradually turns into a ritual to be relied upon.

Here are 5 signs that drinking could well be developing into a problem that should not be ignored.

Thoughts of alcohol:

Anyone who finds their thoughts constantly increasing in terms of needing a drink or where their next drink is coming from needs to address the situation. It is a similar case if you begin planning where, and for how long the next session will be.

If ignored these thoughts will continue to snowball until they are a constant.

This very often leads to:

Earlier starts / later finishes:

This is an easy trap to slip into. Because alcohol is becoming ever-more important it is very easy to solve the problem by starting to drink an hour or so before your ‘normal’ start time.

If this ritual continues, many find that they are drinking first thing in the morning simply to have a ‘livener’.

Of course the first drink is just opening the floodgates to the next and next. Many of those whose drinking is increasing on an all too regular basis also find that later finishes come into the equation.

This could be by staying longer at a watering hole, or when returning home and already well lubricated they head for the drinks cabinet or fridge instead of the bedroom.

Absence from work:

A common trait for those who are over-imbibing is to wake up feeling very shabby. The last thing on their mind is attending work. This is a dangerous pattern because once they phone in sick the whole day is theirs and alcohol will be readily found.

Constant ‘sickness’ does little for your job prospects or self-esteem.

Good intentions, but…

When a person realises they are drinking too much many will make a conscious effort to do something about it. They will determine that today they are not going to drink.

If these good intentions are kept then there is hope, but often the spirit starts to waver before the first spirit is thrown down the hatch!

Yes, those good intentions have fallen by the wayside and before they know it there is a drink in their hand.

Once started, unable to stop:

This is a sure sign that alcohol is getting the better of a person. Many with a growing dependence will begin drinking with the intention to have a few before returning home.

The reality is that most cannot remember exactly how they got home or how much alcohol they have consumed.

Don’t ignore the signs:

In terms of a slide into alcohol dependence there are many more signs than those mentioned above. It may appear easier to ignore the signs, but that is not the way to go.

Dependence upon alcohol will not go away on its own, and until a person makes a determined effort to tackle their problems, dependence is only going to deepen.

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