If you are a high-functioning alcoholic, you may be able to juggle your drinking and still be a dynamic professional. You may still have a rewarding family life and seem outwardly fine in most respects.
Others might have no clue about your battle with the bottle. Maybe even you do not realize you cannot control your drinking. Sometimes, a high-functioning alcoholic’s relationship with liquor comes to light only when something unfortunate happens, such as a charge for driving while intoxicated (DWI).
What are the typical earmarks of high-functioning alcoholic behavior?
There is no set-in-stone pattern of behavior. However, these actions often point to underlying problems.
- Downplaying your drinking habit by saying it hasn’t disrupted your life
- Having a dual existence – a sober one and an inebriated one
- Always secretly planning when you can consume your next drink
- Favoring social relationships with people who like to drink
- Feeling embarrassed by your dependence on alcohol
Dealing with it is better than denying it
The best thing to do is to get a handle on your drinking before anything happens. Yet it is clearly not easy. Otherwise, you probably would not have the issue in the first place.
What if the police charge me?
If you face a DUI charge, a judge is unlikely to dismiss the charge just because you struggle with alcohol. However, there are many other defenses available that you are just as entitled to use as someone who only drinks once a year.
Getting help to choose one could help you escape the charge, allowing you to focus on getting help for your drinking problem rather than dealing with the further issues a conviction will bring.