Can I get fired for my drinking problem?

No, by law you cannot get fired from work solely for having a drinking program. Employers are not allowed to fire an employee for his or her drinking habits. What a person does outside of work is their own personal business, as long as they can continue with their work duties as usual. However, it can become an issue if their alcohol consumption affects a person’s work productivity or causes danger to others.

With severe addiction, people may have trouble functioning and completing tasks because their focus is on using the addictive substance. Some may turn to drink alcohol at work, which can cause more issues. Alcohol can affect a person’s attitude, mood, personality that can impact their work and the people around them. If you are worried your drinking is getting out of hand and is interfering with work, it can be time to make a change and quit. Continuing on this path, and with the situation worsening, can lead to disciplinary actions like suspension or getting fired.

How do I know if I have a problem with alcohol?

With addiction, it is not always so clear to know if someone has a problem. Some people may not realize they issue or think the amount of alcohol they drink is a normal amount. To help with this, experts have updated the DSM-5’s criteria to include alcohol use disorder. This manual is used to better diagnose mental disorders and help you figure out if you show some of these symptoms. People who display at least two out of the 11 symptoms in the time frame of 12 months, may have a problem with alcohol use.

YOU MAY HAVE AN ALCOHOL USE DISORDER IF YOU:

• Consume more of a substance, like alcohol or drugs, than originally planned.
• Worry about having to stop your substance use and when attempting to end up failing.
• Spend a large amount of time, effort, or anything to obtain or use the substance.
• Fail at fulfilling important responsibilities or duties at work, home, or school, because of substance use.
• Crave the substance.
• Continue using the substance even when it worsens or causes health risks. These can include issues to mental health, physical health, or both. (Alcohol and substance use can increase anxiety, depressed mood, sleep problems, or cause blacking out.)
• Continue using the substance even when it negatively affects your relationship. (Continuing to use substances while others object may lead to having fights with them.)
• Repeatedly use the substance in dangerous situations such as driving or operating heavy machinery.
• Reduce or give up activities in your life in order to use the substance.
• Build a tolerance to the substance and need to use or drink a larger amount to get the same effects as before.
• Experience withdrawal symptoms after stopping the use of the substance, even just for a few hours. Withdrawal symptoms for alcohol can include hand tremors, anxiety, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, irritability, and seizures.

Can I stop drinking “cold turkey?”

For some people, it can be possible to stop drinking cold turkey. However, those who have used alcohol for many years and have health issues may need professional help to quit safely. Before quitting, you can have a check-up with your doctor to see if you are at high risk for withdrawal complications. After getting advice from your doctor, you can then decide if you want to participate in a treatment program. When abruptly stopping the use of alcohol, you can start to experience withdrawal symptoms within a few hours after your last drink.

MILD WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS AFTER 6 HOURS FROM YOUR LAST DRINK INCLUDE:

• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Shaky hands

SEVERE SYMPTOMS AFTER 12 TO 24 HOURS FROM THE LAST DRINK INCLUDE:

• Seizures
• Hallucinations

RARE SYMPTOMS AFTER 48 TO 72 HOURS (ONLY OCCUR TO 5% OF PEOPLE) INCLUDE:

• Vivid hallucination and delusions
• Delirium tremens
• Racing heart
• Fever
• High blood pressure
• Heavy sweating
• Confusion

Can you have fun and enjoy life with our alcohol?

Yes, you can have fun and enjoy your life without needing to use alcohol or other substances. Being sober can come with many advantages to you and your health. You can eliminate any unnecessary risks caused by alcohol, along with freeing yourself from a possible dependency.

BENEFITS OF NOT DRINKING ALCOHOL

• SKIN IMPROVEMENT

  • Heavily drinking alcohol is linked to psoriasis, which is an inflammatory skin disease. After quitting, you will gradually notice a great improvement on your skin.
  • Since alcohol dehydrates your skin, when you quit drinking your skin will be able to restore its elasticity.
  • The yellowing and redness on your skin and around your eyes from heavy drinking will also start to disappear.

• IMPROVED SLEEP

  • When you stop drinking alcohol you can expect to see an improvement in your sleep. Drinking alcohol can lead to sleeping poorly since it affects your sleep-wake cycles. This means it can make Ir difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
  • Drinking alcohol can cause your throat muscles to relax which can increase your chances of snoring or having sleep apnea.
  • While sleep will not immediately improve, the longer you continue your sobriety the better your sleep quality can get.

• HEALTHY WEIGHT

  • When people drink alcohol excessively and continue eating their usual calorie intake or even more, they will most likely gain weight.
  • Because alcohol is filled with carbohydrates and has no nutrients, it is considered an empty calorie beverage.
  • Remove the extra calories from drinking alcohol can help you lose weight and get back to a healthy weight.

• ENHANCED NUTRITION

  • With the empty calories from alcohol use, your body is depleted if essential nutrients.
  • People who abuse alcohol and have an addiction may only drink alcohol and no real food. This can make the person malnourished and not allow them to get enough protein, carbs, fats, minerals, and vitamins.
  • When you quit drinking, you can properly feed your body and let it be healthy again.

• IMPROVED IMMUNITY

  • Drinking alcohol can make it difficult to ward off illnesses, so when you quit you may notice you get fewer colds and flu. Your body will feel the difference.

• REDUCED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

  • Stopping the consumption of alcohol can make your heart and other organs safe while improving your overall health.
  • Drinking heavily can cause damage to your heart, which can to high blood pressure, stroke, and other health risks.
  • Alcohol drinkers are more likely to have a cardiovascular event than non-drinkers.

What is the recovery rate for people with alcoholism?

An AA membership survey found that about 22 percent of their members stayed sober for more than 20 years. About 14 percent of members continued their sobriety for 10 to 20 years and 13 percent for 5 to 10 years. 24 percent of the member’s stayed sober for 1 to 4 years, with 27 percent keeping their sobriety for the year after completing their treatment. The survey looked at one group of AA members, so the numbers might vary in other places but it can give you an idea of a possible recovery rate. However, do not focus on the numbers and let them tell you whether you will do bad or not. While you may be worried to be in the groups with the lowest sobriety rates, you can also strive to be in the 22 percent that stays sobers for 20 years or longer. You have control over your own recovery rate.