Alcoholism and Young Professionals: Is it Really Happy Hour?
There has been plenty of publicity about a binge drinking culture; after work happy hour, the weekend starting on Thursday night and if you are young, have money and few responsibilities where is the harm in that? Figures show that health problems related to alcohol such as high blood pressure and liver disease are revealing themselves in younger age groups and there is a steady increase in alcohol addiction among young professionals, particularly women, due some say, to cultural shifts.
I don’t have a problem!
If you are holding down a job and maintaining friendships you may not feel as though you need alcohol addiction treatment, but there is an increase in the number of high functioning alcoholics. Several factors can indicate that you may be misusing alcohol. These include, memory loss or blacking out when drinking, obsessive thinking about alcohol, revolving your routines around it, being unable to have just a couple of drinks and then stop, frequent or daily drinking, hanging out with others who drink excessively and behaving in dangerous ways while drunk, which you later regret or which put you in personal danger.
There are factors unique to you which will also make you vulnerable to alcohol use disorder. Your genetics and family background may predispose you to use alcohol excessively; your work environment may be one which is stressful or involves networking or social events which include alcohol. Heavy drinking may be normalized in these circumstances and lead to dependence. Your individual mental health could also be a factor; you may have a predisposition towards depression, bipolar disorder, or other anxiety issues and may be self-medicating with alcohol.
As a highly functioning alcoholic, it may take some time to notice the negative impact of alcohol in your life. Health issues, risky behavior, unstable relationships, upset, guilt, shame, and denial can at some point or another bring it to your attention that you have lost control. A shocking number of young professionals report that they often don’t remember how they got home after a night out! You are putting yourself in harm’s way and it’s time for a change.
Consider Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Southern California
At Casa Recovery in San Juan Capistrano, CA, we understand that it is difficult to quit alcohol, particularly as drinking alcohol tends to be seen as a cultural norm. It is only a matter of time before something trips you up and you risk losing your job, friends or leaving yourself vulnerable to harm. Don’t wait any longer. Our expert staff of therapists, counselors, and psychologists can help you address your addiction and provide you with techniques to help you control impulses and live a balanced, healthy, fulfilled life reaching your potential.