The road to alcoholism begins when the drinking is no longer social
but becomes a means of psychological release from tensions, and problems. Although the
eventual alcoholic drinker is still in reasonable control, their behaviors begin to fall
into a definite pattern:
Gross Drinking Behavior
Drinkers begin to drink more heavily and more often than their
friends and getting "wasted" becomes the more usual state of affairs. When
drunk, they may develop in grandiose, more aggressive and / or reckless
behaviors.
Blackouts
A "blackout", temporary loss of memory, is not to be
confused with "passing out" or loss of consciousness. The drinker suffering
from a blackout cannot remember things they said, things they did, or places they visited
while out drinking the night before, or even for longer periods of time. While social
drinkers can have blackouts, they are generally considered to be a "warning
sign" that the drinker's relationship with alcohol could become problematic.
With prospective alcoholics, the blackouts are more frequent and are more likely to
developing into a pattern.
Gulping and Sneaking Drinks
Anxious to maintain the euphoria or "buzz" from the
alcohol, drinkers begin to pass on drinks at parties and instead sneak extra drinks when
they think no one is looking. They may also "kick-start" their buzz before a
party by having several drinks before they arrive with the added benefit that no one sees
them drink "too much" . They may feel self-conscious of this behavior and will
avoid any discussion about drinks or drinking.
Chronic Hangovers
As they grow more and more reliant on alcohol as a shock absorber to
daily living, "morning after" hangovers become more frequent and increasingly
painful.
