Tell Tale Signs that Someone You Know May Be a High-Functioning Alcoholic

Understanding the tell-tale signs of a high-functioning alcoholic could help people reach out to them and help them to seek treatment, according to a July report published on Psych Central. 

“Recognizing a high-functioning alcoholic isn’t difficult if you know what to watch for. No matter how well they might function, drug or alcohol use affects everyone in some way,” the report noted.

The report revealed that “anomalies” in the high-functioning alcoholic’s attitude or social interactions can signify an underlying alcohol problem.

It stated that if a person starts skipping social gatherings “uncharacteristically,” miss work and work deadlines, seemed not in his or her element, or exhibit symptoms of insomnia, paranoia and tremors, then the person could be an alcoholic and may need to seek help.

It also said that loved ones should be sensitive about encouraging the alcoholic to address his or her problems.

“Realize that to them, these signs are not symptoms of a problem, but something they can handle and don’t need to worry about. It will be difficult to convince them otherwise, so be prepared for a challenge,” the report noted.

The report added that when talking with the alcoholic, the alcoholic should be sober and clear-headed.  

The report noted that it is wise to give the alcoholic a perspective of how his or her worsening drinking habit is affecting their relationships with family and friends, and that loved ones find it painful to watch him or her go on a downward spiral.

Should the alcoholic make an excuse for his or her drinking, it is best not to accept the excuse, the report advised.

“Getting a high functioning alcoholic to address their problem is extremely difficult. They feel that they have their drinking in check and to them, it’s not a problem,” said Brady Granier, COO of BioCorRx Inc.

Sarah Allen Benton, a Connecticut-based licensed mental health counselor and therapist, said in a separate report that allowing alcoholics to “experience the negative consequences of their addiction” can help hasten their attempt to reach out for help. However, the story may be different for high-functioning alcoholics.

“In the case of the high-functioning alcoholic (HFAs), there may not be as much tangible evidence of the negative consequences, and therefore, there is more of a need for loved ones to address how their drinking effects them, to set limits and to offer resources,” said Benton in her article on the Psychology Today.

Indeed, subjecting high-functioning alcoholics to treatment is not without challenge. But a good alcohol rehabilitation program is what’s going to make all the difference in the alcoholic’s decision to commit to put an end to his or her alcohol addiction once and for all.

The Start Fresh Program is a highly effective alcohol addiction treatment program developed by Santa Ana-based company BioCorRx, Inc. BICX. The program combines the use of a biodegradable naltrexone implant to curb the alcoholic’s physical cravings to alcohol, and psycho-social life coaching to prepare the alcoholic for living a life free of substance abuse.

The naltrexone implant is inserted under the alcoholic’s skin by a doctor through an outpatient procedure that lasts under thirty minutes. It releases naltrexone, an antagonistic drug that prevents the alcoholic from feeling alcohol cravings and taking pleasure from drinking alcohol. The effects of the naltrexone implant lasts for several months.

Several clinics licensed to distribute the Start Fresh Program nationwide have found tremendous success with the program. This has resulted in a series of deals for BioCorRx, Inc. this year to grant more clinics licensing and distribution rights to the program in other areas of the country.