When Can I Drink Normally After Rehab?
You are here:Wondering when you can return to normal drinking is a common question. Many people enter rehab looking forward to the return of drinking like a lady or a gentleman. The truth is an alcoholic can never return to normal drinking. Alcoholic bodies are physiologically incapable of processing alcohol normally. A return to normal drinking is not possible for an alcoholic.
If you are not sure if you are an alcoholic here are some signs to look for that indicate you’ve crossed the line from heavy drinker to alcoholic:
- Craving. A strong need, or urge, to drink.
- Loss of control. Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
- Dependence. Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and negative emotional states such as anxiety, after stopping drinking.
- Tolerance. The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to achieve a greater or similar effect of intoxication.
If you are unsure if you are an alcoholic, here are some questions you may ask yourself:
- Do you try to avoid family or close friends while you are drinking?
- Do you drink heavily when you are disappointed, under pressure or have had a quarrel with someone?·
- Can you handle more alcohol now than when you first started to drink?
- Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening, even though your friends say you didn’t pass out?
- When drinking with other people, do you try to have a few extra drinks when others won’t know about it?
- Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available?
- Are you more in a hurry to get your first drink of the day than you used to be?
- Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your drinking?
- When you’re sober, do you sometimes regret things you did or said while drinking?
- Have you tried switching brands or drinks, or following different plans to control your drinking?
- Have you sometimes failed to keep promises you made to yourself about controlling or cutting down on your drinking?
- Have you ever had a DWI driving while intoxicated or DUI driving under the influence of alcohol violation, or any other legal problem related to your drinking?
- Are you having more financial, work, school, and/or family problems as a result of your drinking?
- Do you ever feel depressed or anxious before, during or after periods of heavy drinking?
- Have any of your blood relatives ever had a problem with alcohol?
If you have answered yes to several of these questions, you likely have a problem with alcohol. A life free from the obsession of alcohol is possible. Call today to get help.
One step at a time, one day at a time, you can recover. At Design For Change, we offer refuge to those seeking to win against addiction because there is freedom in recovery. There is hope. Call us today to learn more about our long-term treatment programs and recovery services creating change, one step at a time. (877) 267-3646
