Individuals often hide their drinking or deny they have a problem. How can you tell if you or someone you know is in trouble? Signs of a possible problem include having friends or relatives express concern, being annoyed when people criticize your drinking, feeling guilty about your drinking and thinking that you should cut down but finding yourself unable to do so, and/or needing a morning drink to steady your nerves or relieve a hangover.

Some people with drinking problems work hard to resolve them, and often, with the support of family members and/or friends, these individuals are able to recover on their own. However, those with alcohol dependence usually can’t stop drinking through willpower alone. Many need outside help. They may need medically supervised detoxification to avoid potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms such as seizures. Once people are stabilized, they may need help resolving psychological issues associated with problem drinking.

There are several approaches available for treating alcohol problems. No one approach is best for all individuals.

Reprinted from apa.org. The American Psychological Association Practice Directorate and the APA Practice Organization College of Professional Psychology gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Peter E. Nathan, Ph.D.; John Wallace, Ph.D.; Joan Zweben, Ph.D.; and A. Thomas Horvath, Ph.D., in developing this fact sheet.