Are you a high functional alcoholic

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Are you a High Functional Alcoholic? If you think all alcoholics mess up in their career, academics and relationships, think again. We know alcoholic stereotypes-the ones who lost their jobs, tear their relationships apart and isolate themselves from the society. But, there are those who seem to be leading normal lives while alcoholism takes root. They are called, “high functioning alcoholics”. Channing Tatum is a celebrated model, dancer, film producer and actor. He is known for his outstanding role performances in Hollywood movies like, The Vow and White House Down and he has admitted recently that he is a high functioning alcoholic. Tatum admits drinking heavily but boasts on his ability to take care of his son while doing well in his showbiz career. In a study conducted by Harvard School of Public health, 31 percent of students in college are showing signs of alcoholism under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A staggering six percent of these students are suffering from alcohol dependence. However, they are also considered as high functional alcoholics with their ability to maintain academics and interactive lifestyle.

Smart front High Functioning alcoholics typically excel in their relationships, jobs and obligations and they are cleaver and witty enough to appear perfectly normal to others. But, their families and closest friends know their struggle with alcoholism. An NIH research reveals that 19.5 percent of alcoholics in America are high functional alcoholics. Most of them are denial because they feel that they are able to manage their lives well. Unlike the stereotypical alcoholic who gets help because of the negative consequences of alcohol, high functional alcoholics don’t suffer financially. They work well and they don’t get into trouble with the law. Their denial runs deep because they think that they don’t have a drinking problem. But, they do! People closest to them suffer like any other child, spouse, partner, parent or friend of an alcoholic. People may not understand their struggles because people with HFA put up a good front. They live a double life. While they appear to be respected in their respective fields of interests and they maintain intimate relationships, they may hit rock bottom and suffer substantial losses as a result of drinking.

Drinking patterns of functional alcoholics A functional alcoholic is simply an alcoholic who can manage the social aspects of his (or her) alcohol problems. But, an HFA shows the drinking patterns of a typical alcoholic.


When alcoholics have a drink, they crave for more drinks and cannot foresee how much they can still take. They preoccupy with the next drinking session and they are not themselves while intoxicated. They want to mingle with heavy drinkers and they use alcohol to reward themselves. Though they set limits on their drinking, they always end up not adhering to them. They have black outs or memory lapses due to excessive drinking, and they cannot imagine life without drinking alcohol.

HFA Treatment Whether you are a functioning alcoholic or not you will get worse with time if you don’t get treatment. Denial will only allow the alcoholism to become worse and make recovery more complicated. Remember, your alcoholism is causing just as much damage to your mind and body as any other alcoholic. You may end up with serious psychological and physical conditions over time.

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