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AGENCY REFERRAL

Is Alcohol a
Problem For Me?

Signs that your drinking might be a problem or that you have an alcohol addiction include:

  • You often think about drinking or crave alcohol
  • You’ve been drinking in secret
  • Friends have expressed concerns about your drinking
  • You have alcohol stashed at home or at work
  • You’ve been ‘missing in action’ after a night out with friends
  • You’re struggling at work or uni
  • Your tolerance to alcohol has increased (you need more to feel the effects)
  • You’ve withdrawn from people around you or changed who you hang out with
  • You don’t enjoy the things you used to enjoy, and instead prefer to spend time drinking
  • You’ve blacked out or can’t remember things due to drinking
  • You’re spending more money on alcohol than you can afford
  • When you stop drinking you feel unwell (nausea, headaches, dizziness, agitation).

Cutting back excessive drinking is difficult for anyone. If you drink excessively, you will have built up a psychological or physical dependence on alcohol; this means that even when you try really hard to cut back, your brain and body can work against those efforts. It can often take several attempts to succeed in cutting back or stopping. You can read more about alcohol dependence here.

It’s important to know and remember this: change is possible, especially with help. Recognising that your life might improve if you cut back on drinking is a great first step.

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Information Sheet 1: Understanding Alcohol Dependence

People who drink alcohol regularly can develop a dependence on the drug, as alcohol changes the brain’s neurochemistry. To function normally, the brain needs to maintain a balance of chemicals called neurotransmitters. Drinking alcohol can affect this balance, leading to drowsiness, loss of coordination, as well as feelings of happiness or euphoria (feeling drunk).

When alcohol is present in the brain for long periods (i.e. regular excessive drinking), the brain tries to compensate for the effects of alcohol, attempting to restore balance to allow it to perform as close to normal as possible in the presence of alcohol. Over time, as a result of these neurochemical changes, the brain can become tolerant (or less sensitive) to alcohol’s effects, meaning you need more alcohol than before to get drunk. This is known as alcohol dependence.

These changes in the brain can influence our thoughts, moods and behaviour. People may start to feel as though they can’t function or cope without alcohol. They may believe they need a drink to engage in everyday activities such as work, family life, studying or to simply make it through the day. For some, drinking starts to take priority over other obligations. Those with a dependence will often continue to consume alcohol despite negative consequences.

People who’ve developed a dependence on alcohol will exhibit some or all of the following characteristics and behaviours:

  • Experiencing cravings for alcohol
  • Tolerance to alcohol – needing to drink increasing amounts to achieve previous effects
  • Withdrawal symptoms when they don’t drink, such as headaches, nausea, agitation, dizziness
  • Drinking to avoid or alleviate these withdrawal symptoms
  • Unsuccessful attempts to reduce how much they drink.

When you realise that alcohol dependence is a result of chemical changes in your brain, it’s easier to understand why cutting back can be so hard. Your brain wants alcohol to restore its ‘normal’ balance, hence the cravings.

With help and the right strategies, you can retrain your brain. With the brain returned to its natural equilibrium, withdrawal symptoms and cravings will ease up, then stop altogether.

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