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There are several organizations that do surveys every year to get an idea about everything from employment to substance use. One such group is SAMHSA, or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is a department within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSA is dedicated to educating and learning more about substance use and mental health. In one of their recent surveys, it was revealed that Oregon ranked above the national average when it came to the number of people with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Approximately 7.7% of Oregonians ages 12 and older reported having an AUD in the past year. The national average for this is 5.3%.
Surveys are only as good as the honesty of the people taking them, however. It’s not uncommon for people to hide their alcohol habits, or to not understand the true impact that alcohol has on their life. Other times, a person may be a “high-functioning alcoholic” which is how someone is described when they’re hiding their alcohol use and otherwise functioning normally.r. Another common phrase for this is “closet alcoholic.”
What exactly does that mean, though? Why is the term “high-functioning” misleading? Here at Serenity Lane, we’ve helped to treat and assist many people who were managing an AUD. Just like life as a whole, there’s no one way for someone to have an alcohol use disorder. Every client who walks through our doors is as unique as the circumstances that brought them to us. Let’s talk more about what a “closet alcoholic” is and what that means for the person and their loved ones.
The term “closeted” normally refers to someone who is hiding a part of themselves. In the case of a closet alcoholic, this refers specifically to someone who most likely has an alcohol use disorder but is doing their best to make it seem like they don’t. Whether they’re doing this fully consciously or not doesn’t change what it is.
Despite alcohol being socially accepted, there is still a lot of negativity surrounding alcoholism as a whole. While not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic, this doesn’t mean people aren’t aware of the social connotations around drinking frequently or in high quantities. Because of this, it’s common for people to feel shame or guilt regarding their alcohol consumption, which can influence their decision to try and hide it from the people who care about them.
Both “closet alcoholics” and “high-functioning alcoholics” refer to the same thing – a person who might seem to be upholding their life well or not giving many stereotypical indicators that they are managing an alcohol use disorder.
The term “high-functioning” can be both misleading and dangerous. Not everyone manages AUDs the same, but that doesn’t suddenly negate the risks that can come from long-term and/or heavy alcohol consumption. If anything, their ability to mask their alcohol consumption can lead to loved ones, and even themselves, not seeing any danger to their health until it’s too late.
Generally, someone who is “closeted” tries to hide or mask the thing they want to keep private, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t signs you can look out for. Not only that, but no one is perfect, and sometimes they’re not as careful in hiding as they would like to be.
There are many signs of alcoholism that you can look for in a loved one. Some of them impact their body, while others are behavioral and personality indicators. The National Institute of Health gives a good list of questions that can help indicate if someone might have an AUD.
You might not be able to answer all of these fully, especially if they’ve been drastically hiding their alcohol consumption. These are still good questions to keep in mind as you observe, however.
With long-term or heavy alcohol use comes side effects to both the body and mind. While not all of these are as noticeable as others, there are still side effects you can be aware of to help you better notice if your loved one is trying to hide an alcohol use disorder.
Some of the common side effects of alcohol and AUDs include:
Despite not being able to always notice every symptom of long-term alcohol use, the signs of alcohol withdrawal are a bit more prominent. If your loved one is indeed hiding an AUD, they will likely experience withdrawal at some point.
Alcohol withdrawal occurs when the body becomes accustomed to having alcohol within its system. When you then remove that alcohol, the body has to adjust to it not being there. The process of your body reacting to this is known as withdrawal.
People can start to experience withdrawal from alcohol in as little as a few hours after their last drink. This start time, however, can vary per person depending on their history of alcohol consumption.
Here are some of the most common indicators of alcohol withdrawal:
Thinking that your loved one might be hiding something from you, especially something big like an alcohol use disorder, can always feel a bit frightening or even angering. Most people don’t want to have an alcohol use disorder. Many times AUDs stem from loneliness, untreated mental illnesses, or outward stressors that they didn’t feel equipped to handle on their own.
If you think your loved one might be hiding an AUD from you, it’s important to keep in mind that approaching them with anything but understanding could potentially backfire. Oftentimes, people are already hiding it because they worry about judgment or are ashamed of it. You care about your loved one and want to see them do well, so make sure you don’t add to their fears and come at them with harsh or judgemental words.
If this article is ringing true for you, you might think it’s time to talk with your loved one about your concerns. Make sure you’re ready to listen and be supportive before you decide to start the conversation. If you need time to think about it and process it first before you speak with them, that’s totally okay. When you do speak with them, remind them that you love them and want to be there for them if they want help and support.
AUDs are a treatable and manageable condition. If you or your loved one is wanting to start the journey toward recovery, our team here at Serenity Lane is ready to help you out.. Our staff is licensed and medically trained to help those who want to get their life back on the track they choose.
Treatment for an AUD often starts with detox. This is the process of getting a substance out of the body. With alcohol withdrawal, some of the symptoms can be very unpleasant and even harmful, but with our team at your side, we will help reduce or negate symptoms and ensure your well-being so you can focus solely on recovery.
From there, most clients move to inpatient or outpatient treatment. This is where you can learn the skills you need to properly manage triggers and take hold of your recovery journey.
If you have any questions about our treatment programs for alcohol use disorder, our team here at Serenity Lane is happy to help. You can give us a call anytime at (800) 543-9905.
Is my loved one a closet alcoholic?
If you notice changes in behavior, missed activities that they used to enjoy, them trying to hide things from you, or symptoms like depression, confusion, tremors, and irritability – your loved one might be a closet alcoholic.
What is a closet alcoholic?
A closet alcoholic is someone who is hiding alcohol use and is normally fairly successful at hiding it.
What are warning signs of a closet alcoholic?
If you notice changes in your loved one's behavior, like irritability, insomnia, depression, or even hallucinations or paranoia – these are all common symptoms of an alcohol use disorder.
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