Alcoholism; Am I An Alcoholic? Do I Have A Drinking Problem?

Thirdly

Be careful if you feel that alcohol is taking over and getting out of hand. This is how you start to suspect drinking problems in yourself and others. We often hear about moderate drinking, and most of us believe we drink alcohol moderately. According to health authorities, moderate drinking is defined as a maximum of 1 drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. But even moderate alcohol intake is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer and accidental injuries. So, it is not as safe as we want to believe.

Particularly, you want to stay away from alcohol if you are underage, if you feel you’re not in control when drinking, if you’re a pregnant woman or suspect you’re now pregnant, if you’re planning on operating machinery, driving, or engaging in activities that require coordination and attention, if you take other medications that interact with alcohol, and if you’re trying to recover from alcoholism.

In short, you know you have drinking problems when it triggers relationship issues, performance problems at school or work, and if you’re starting to experience social, legal, and health consequences. If you believe that you or a family member has alcoholism or alcohol problems, talk about it to your health care provider.