Signs of Alcoholism in Men

Alcoholism, alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction, these are three more or less synonymous terms used to describe a person who is alcohol dependent. The person will continue to consume alcohol, even if it affects his health, family life and social standing. An alcoholic will drink away all his finances, and still won't stop consuming alcohol. If you are worried someone you know too is on the verge of becoming alcoholic, then it is important to watch out the early signs of alcoholism. This will help you help the vulnerable man and save his life. The following paragraphs will cover some information that will help you spot the warning signs of alcoholism in men.

Early Signs of Alcoholism in Men
It has been found that men are five times more prone to become an alcoholic that women. Alcoholism is a medical condition that may be inherited according to research. It has been found that people who have had relatives like parents or siblings dependent on alcohol, may be prone to becoming alcoholics themselves. The inheritance factor is discussed in is alcoholism hereditary that you can refer for further answers. Others who may have psychiatric condition, have personality complex, anxiety, social isolation or suffer from poverty are more likely to become alcohol dependent.

There are different stages of alcoholism. Alcohol tends to help make people feel happy about themselves. It kind of affects the 'reward mechanism' in the brain. They continue consuming alcohol as it helps them forget their issues. But, they do not realize they are wasting away their life as well as health on alcohol. They continue drinking so much that they develop a tolerance level to alcohol. Thus, giving rise to warning signs of alcoholism in men. Some of the early symptoms of alcoholism in men is as follows:

• The person begins to develop tolerance to alcohol. He may drink one or two drinks initially, but gradually starts increasing the consuming more number of drinks or bottles.
• The person is always on a watch for a new opportunity to drink. If the person is happy he will drink, if he is sad will want to drink and even if there is nothing significant happening in his life, he will still want to drink more alcohol.
• The person will boast a lot around his friends and family. He will have a huge ego and behave as a 'big shot'.
• The person will gulp down an entire bottle of alcohol without showing any significant physical or psychological impairment.
• The person is drunk for several days at a stretch.
• The person continues to drink even when other drinkers around him have stopped drinking.
• The person has an increased tolerance for liquor. However, he will deny he is having alcohol problems.
• The person tends to drink before visiting an event, even if he knows free drinks are available.
• Shows significant changes in mood as well as behavior

Physical Signs of Alcoholism in Men
If you are not around the person to observe his drinking style, it will be a wise idea to read the physical signs of alcoholism in men. These alcoholism signs and symptoms can differ in their frequency as well as quantity. This depends on the amount of alcohol the person consumes daily. The physical sign of alcoholism in men are as follows:

• The person will constantly have a slurred speech
• He has an unstable gait
• His physical coordination is very poor
• The person suffers from frequent black outs after each drinking spree
• The person has a red face, especially a red nose is a sign of a drinker.
• He feels numbness in his hands or feet
• The person begins to keep alcohol in his office drawer or at home.
• He tends to lose all social contacts and becomes kind of loner.
• The person becomes irritated if he is not able to drink alcohol at his stipulated drinking time or does not get alcohol.
• The person begins to feel nauseated, vomits and even shakes if he does not get to drink alcohol.
• The person tends to neglect his physical hygiene. He is more likely to turn up in office with a bad breath, body odor, unclean clothes, dressed in a haphazard manner, etc.
• The person becomes extremely short-tempered and aggressive. He can be easily provoked without any apparent reason, if he does not have his drinks.
• Lack of appetite is a major physical sign of alcoholism. The person starts eating less and begins to lose weight and look abnormally pale. In some cases, the person begins to gain weight abnormally and develops bags under his eyes.
• Frequent loss of memory is a sign of alcoholic. Chronic and frequent hangovers also indicate signs of alcoholism in men.

Warning Signs of Alcohol
If you are confused and unsure if a person is suffering from alcohol problems, then the following 10 warning signs of alcoholism will help you out all doubts to rest.

1. The person prefers to drink alone, away from a social setting or a group of friends.
2. When asked, the person will lie through his nose regarding the amount of alcohol he has consumed.
3. The level of tolerance for the amount of alcohol increases manifold.
4. The person will be in huge debts as he will borrow money to satisfy his dependency on alcohol. He will suffer from financial loses as he no longer concentrates on his flow of money.
5. The person continues to drink more alcohol than his friends can consume.
6. The person suffers from blackouts due to his inability to stop consuming alcohol.
7. The person will drink alcohol after a fight with wife/girlfriend, a tiff with friend or an argument with boss. It becomes his way of solving his life problems by drinking alcohol.
8. The cure for hangover is drinking more alcohol the first thing in the morning.
9. The person is neck-deep in financial as well as legal problems due to his alcoholism. The person may be served DUI's, court cases filed against him for car accidents, frequent fist fights, hospital bills related to his own treatment due to accidents he may get into.
10. The person's family life is dwindling due to his habit of drinking alcohol. He may have strained relationship with his wife, kids and even parents as it is not easy living with an alcoholic. He may become more verbally and physically abusive towards his family as well as friends.

These are some of the signs of alcoholism in men. Most men think drinking alcohol is a sign of masculinity. However, this is not the case as consuming alcohol more than the prescribed limit of 2 drinks per day, will lead to many health complications (1 drink per day, in case of women). There are many psychological, mental, physical as well as relationship problems one may have to face due to their drinking problems. If you are wondering am I an alcoholic, then the first thing to do is accept the fact, that you are alcohol dependent. Speak to a doctor about your case as there are different treatments for alcoholism. You can try to get registered with an alcoholics anonymous group ore rehab center. Save yourself and your family from the evils of chronic alcoholism. You may lose more than you ever bargained for in the long run.