What is a High Functioning Alcoholic? Traits, Signs & Symptoms

Low platelet
counts affect the body’s ability to make clots to stop bleeding. Dr. Kevin Wandler of Advanced Recovery Systems describes how tolerance and withdrawal symptoms are indicators of alcohol
dependence. Keep reading to learn more about alcohol intoxication, including its causes, symptoms, and treatments. Severe alcohol intoxication — or alcohol poisoning — is a dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention.

‘Alcoholic face’ or ‘puffy face’ is a result of the dehydrating effects of alcohol. People who are addicted to alcohol may also show a deteriorating physical appearance from poor nutrition and personal neglect. In fact, an estimated 40 million adults in America drink
too much, and most — 90 percent — are not alcoholics. The Department of Health and Human Services classifies alcohol as a carcinogen, a substance that plays a role in causing cancer.

Alcoholic skin sores

Either way, fluctuations in a person’s appetite, as a result of alcohol consumption, can lead to changes in their weight. Severe alcohol consumption can impair the immune system, which can leave a person at greater risk of infections and skin sores (abscesses). As alcohol dries the skin, our natural defence against pathogens, this can also lead to repeated skin infections.

That said, regular heavy drinking is an important warning sign for alcohol addiction, according to addiction experts at the
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Heavy drinking in conjunction with other behaviors can also signal
a problem. While
alcoholism is a complex disease and diagnosing it isn’t an exact science, several signs and symptoms can physical appearance of an alcoholic indicate
when your drinking has crossed the line into addiction. Alcohol intoxication occurs when a person drinks an excess of alcohol in a short period. Learn more about the short- and long-term effects of alcohol consumption here. People may feel euphoric while drinking alcohol because ethanol stimulates the release of dopamine, a feel-good chemical in the brain.

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How alcohol addiction physically affects different parts of your body. Cirrhosis occurs when the liver suffers extensive and severe scarring. Normally, the liver tissue is soft and flexible, but when scarring occurs, that soft tissue is replaced with hard, inflexible scar tissue. It can occur when the liver can no longer filter out a yellow-orange substance in the blood, causing it to show up in the skin, according to WebMD. In darker-skinned people, it may be more noticeable in the whites of the eye.

Recognizing the difference between non-harmful alcohol consumption and alcohol addiction can be difficult. However, certain physical and behavioral traits may indicate that alcohol adversely affects someone’s health. If you feel that you sometimes drink too much alcohol, or your drinking is causing problems, or if your family is concerned about your drinking, talk with your health care provider.

How Does Alcoholism Progress?

Jaundice is one of the more obvious signs of the liver problems that commonly accompany alcoholism. Jaundice occurs when the body fails to metabolize bilirubin, which is yellowish brown in color. Bilirubin forms as the liver breaks down old blood cells, but fails to metabolize and process those bilirubin particles. In a healthy person, the liver breaks down bilirubin, which is then excreted when the person has a bowel movement. But in a person with liver disease or another condition that impacts liver function, the bilirubin levels rise to abnormally high levels, giving the skin a yellow color.

• Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking.
• Many people who suffer from alcohol addiction may have an unkempt appearance or have problems maintaining their weight due to not eating enough food or consuming mostly sugary alcoholic beverages.
• Unlike alcoholics, binge drinkers may drink heavily on the weekends but can get through the week without a drink.

Not only does alcoholism claim lives, but it also destroys marriages, alienates family and friends, ruins careers, and destroys your body. While there’s no specific blood test that can diagnose an alcohol use disorder, certain lab results can point to chronic
alcohol abuse and possible alcohol addiction. Binge drinking is when a person consumes a large amount of alcohol in one sitting.

Physical Effects of Alcohol and Risk of Disease

In 2014, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 5th Edition developed a multi-dimensional model to diagnose many mental health problems, including alcoholism. The new dimensional models view mental health illness and alcoholism as continually progressing and changing. Based on the Diagnostic Statistical Manual changes, if mental illness and substance use are left untreated, the disorder can become increasingly more harmful and can demand more intensive treatments. The DSM-5 mentioned above is the current diagnostic tool used by all therapists, psychiatrists, and healthcare providers. Plus, regularly drinking heavily or having alcohol use disorder, which can lead to obesity, can leave you at risk for developing other health conditions that can perpetuate an unhealthy weight.