By The European Times | Created at 2026-10-02 08:22:10 | Updated at 2026-10-02 09:15:22
1 hour ago
To identify alcoholism, the first step is to look for the reasons for drinking. The first thing to look out for is the tendency to make excuses—such as holidays, the end of the work week, social gatherings, stress, or life challenges—that lead to drinking. Even while the person continues to work and remain socially active, their range of interests and hobbies gradually narrows as alcohol displaces other pastimes.
Another warning sign, according to the doctor, is when a person refuses to consider themselves an alcoholic and reacts defensively to comments from loved ones; they justify their dependency by claiming they could quit at any moment, or by citing circumstances—saying ‘everyone drinks, including me’—or by insisting they need alcohol to improve their mood, sleep better, or relieve stress.
You can also tell if alcohol has become a habit by a person’s physical appearance: their skin becomes coarser, redness and puffiness appear, and their eyes often become bloodshot. They also tend to become less neat and tidy in their dress, and more irritable, quick-tempered, and anxious, addiction specialists note.
Doctors remind us that there is no safe amount of alcohol, and by the time the first signs appear, valuable time may already have been lost. There are people who drink every weekend yet are genuinely able to stop for six months or more. Beyond that lies the terminal stage of alcoholism, when a person literally needs… 100 grams of vodka a day, every day, to maintain a constant state of intoxication.
Illustrative photo: pexels-pavel-danilyuk-8057051
