There’s a broad spectrum when it comes to drinking. Casual drinkers, or social drinkers, occasionally consume alcohol, usually at a social event. They can control how much they drink and have no issues going for long periods without any alcohol. You may be wondering if your relationship to drinking can be defined as casual drinking or alcoholism. If you’ve been diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, you may have questions around whether you can ever return to casual drinking after addiction treatment. To discuss your condition, please contact Serenity House Detox & Recovery Florida today at 866.294.5306.
What Is Casual Drinking?
Casual drinkers typically don’t experience any fallout from consuming alcohol. They’re capable of having alcohol in different settings without becoming overly disruptive. Those who only drink alcohol occasionally usually don’t experience any physical or psychological side effects.
Social drinkers usually don’t end up becoming alcoholics. However, life changes that bring on added stress might cause a casual drinker to consume more alcohol. At that point, the lines may become blurred to where a person might become a problem drinker.
What Is Problem Drinking?
Problem drinkers have developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. You don’t have to consume alcohol every day to be considered a problem drinker. While you may experience negative fallout from your drinking, problem drinkers don’t necessarily have an alcohol addiction.
Ongoing problem drinking may lead to a DUI or other problematic behavior. You may find yourself consuming multiple alcoholic drinks in one setting after vowing to have only one. Even if you don’t drink every day, you may be someone who indulges in binge drinking on the weekends. Frequent consumption of too much alcohol could lead to full-blown alcohol-use disorder.
What Is Alcoholism?
Someone with an alcohol addiction constantly engages in problem drinking. Individuals have no control over how much they drink or the way they behave while under the influence. People with an alcohol use disorder look for any reason to drink. They may develop constant excuses about why they need a drink or lie about how much alcohol they consume.
Signs that you may have an issue with alcohol abuse include:
- Feeling like you need to cut back on your drinking
- Having feelings of guilt after consuming alcohol
- Indulging in heavy alcohol use
- Seeing your drinking affect your performance at work or the quality of your home life
- Getting criticism from family and friends about how much you drink
- Feeling compelled to hide how much you drink
Problem drinkers have a heightened risk of developing alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction recovery may be necessary to help you gain control of the problem.
Can I Ever Drink Again After Alcohol Addiction Treatment?
Alcohol use disorder changes how your brain functions. It gets used to you providing it with large amounts of alcohol. When you try to cut back, you can experience withdrawal symptoms as your body tries to get you to give it what it craves.
Once you develop an addiction to alcohol, you must spend the rest of your life managing a chronic illness. While returning to casual drinking can seem harmless, the disease typically wins out and causes individuals to slide back into their heavy drinking ways.
Alcohol addiction treatment can educate you about your disease and the importance of remaining in recovery. Once you leave rehab, moving into a sober living environment can help you stay alcohol-free as you learn to live a life free of drinking.
Find Help at Serenity House Detox & Recovery Florida
If you’re having trouble overcoming your alcohol issues, Serenity House Detox & Recovery Florida can be vital in helping you get sober and healthy. Our facility also provides treatment for other addiction issues.
You don’t have to continue feeling chained to your alcohol dependency. Start your journey toward recovery by calling Serenity House Detox & Recovery Florida at 866.294.5306, or contact us online.
