Addiction therapist explains five signs that suggest someone could be a 'future alcoholic'

An addiction therapist has shared five signs which could suggest that you're a future alcoholic.

Now most of us enjoy a drink, but would you be able to tell if your alcohol consumption was leaning away from recreational and into addiction?

According to guidelines from the NHS, an alcoholic is defined as someone who drinks in a way that is 'harmful' or is dependant on alcohol.

Common indicators of alcohol misuse include regularly drinking more than the recommended guidelines of 14 units of alcohol per week and feeling guilty about alcohol consumption.

However, there are also a series of warning signs that you could be at a greater risk of developing a drinking problem.

Taking to TikTok, a US addiction counsellor named Evan shared five traits which could suggest you're at greater risk of developing an alcohol problem.

"What a lot of folks don't understand is that alcohol addiction often takes longer to progress. It's very genetic and people's bodies react differently."

Here are the five things to look out for:

Blackouts

Beginning his list by touching on the topic of blackouts Evan said: "People with the alcoholic predisposition black out at early stages of their life and often, almost every time they drink."

Blackouts occur when someone is unable to remember events which occurred while they were intoxicated, with the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism stating that this happens when someone drinks enough to 'temporarily block the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage, known as memory consolidation'.

Extreme personality changes

Most of us are aware that alcohol can impact how we act and behave, however Evan explained that it's extreme personality changes which you need to be aware of.

"We all know those individuals who, even after a handful of drinks, their eyes glaze over. It's almost as if they're possessed, they're angry, always getting in fights or hyper-sexual," he said.

Withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, sweating, anxiety and insomnia are often associated with an established alcohol addiction - however Evan argued these can show up sooner in an individual who has a predisposition to alcoholism.

"These individuals can experience late stage alcoholism even in their 20s," Evan explained.

"They may have hand shaking and even frequent hangovers is a sigh of withdrawal."

Genetic predisposition

Anybody can be at risk of developing alcoholism, however Evan explained that genetics can also play a role in around 40 to 60% of your addiction risk.

"These individuals almost always have close relatives or even a lineage of severe alcoholism," he explained. Evan was quick to clarify that 'anyone can develop [an] alcohol addiction' but the severest cases often have a 'genetic predisposition in how their body processes and reacts to alcohol'.

Anxiety

The last sign Evan said to watch out for was increased anxiety.

"Alcohol suppresses the central nervous system in the same mechanism as a benzo [benzodiazepine]," he went on to explain that this is the reason the drug is used to treat alcohol detoxification as well as anxiety disorders.

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.