Denial is often used as a form of self-protection by people who engage in heavy drinking. While you might know that you drink more than you should on regular occasions, you might also just not feel like you fit into your image of an alcoholic. Wondering if you are in denial about being an alcoholic is often a sign that you need to look a little deeper at your current habits.
While it is perfectly possible that you might not have a problem, it is also a definite possibility that you might need professional support to quit drinking. Taking a look at the characteristics of people who are in denial about their substance misuse can help you start exploring whether you might have a problem with alcohol.
Understand Why People Go Into Denial
People don’t typically choose to be in denial just to make everyone’s life harder. Instead, you might be using your denial as self-defense against having to address the reasons why you drink so much. Alcohol can also have an impact on your brain’s functioning, which can make it harder to face reality. Some people are also more prone to denial, especially if they have other mental health disorders that impact their reasoning.
Taking the time to understand that denial is a natural response to excessive drinking can help you to eliminate the guilt that could hold you back from seeking treatment. Once you understand why you might be in denial, you can also start addressing the reasons. For example, acknowledging that you have people in your life who won’t judge you can help you start feeling more comfortable with being honest about your struggles to quit drinking.
Look for the Signs of Being in Denial
Despite your potential efforts to hide that you have a problem, you might be leaving a few telltale clues behind. These behaviors and thought patterns are all common among people who are in denial and recognizing that any of these ring true for you could be a sign that you aren’t being fully honest about your drinking.
- Blaming your drinking on other people or situations
- Defending your right to drink as much as you want
- Concealing how much you are drinking from others
- Dismissing other people’s concerns
- Making false claims that you’ll change
- Comparing your drinking habits to someone else’s
- Rationalizing having a drink
Each of these behaviors only helps to push you further into denial, and they could have an impact on your relationships. One of the more subtle signs of being in denial is simply feeling like you are doing something wrong every time you drink too much. If you are hiding your drinking or making excuses for your behavior, then it is possible that you are trying to cover up your inability to control yourself around alcohol.
Get a Neutral Perspective
By now, you might have an inkling that you are truly in denial, but you might still want to have confirmation that you are before you proceed with getting sober. Often, family and friends of alcoholics engage in enabling behaviors, which means that you might even find that they won’t tell you the truth about their concerns with your drinking.
Or, you might be so far into denial that you no longer trust their opinions or are afraid to tell them that you suspect their concerns are right. One way to find out if you are truly in denial about your drinking habits is to reach out to a professional addiction treatment team. Professional counselors take a neutral approach to making a diagnosis of substance misuse, and their findings are based upon data and information that you provide about your drinking habits.
After an alcohol addiction assessment, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether or not you have a problem along with the best strategies to start getting sober. Are you curious about whether you might be in denial about an alcohol addiction? Reach out to our team to find out the truth and start living your most authentic life today. We’re available around the clock at 772-266-5320.
