Some of the most common signs of alcoholism include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Increased temper and irritability
• Inability to focus or concentrate
• Paranoia
• Defensiveness
• Agitation
• Memory problems
• Diminished self-esteem and self-worth
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Finding that you depend on alcohol in order to function on a daily basis
• Regularly drinking to relieve stress; this can often be the starting point for many people who go on to become addicted to alcohol
• Intense cravings for alcohol
• Exacerbation of any existing mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety or stress

• Secretive or dishonest behaviour
• Drinking heavily alone
• Drinking to the point of passing out
• Drinking at inappropriate times such as first thing in the morning
• Finding that you only tend to socialise with people who drink alcohol
• Avoiding contact with loved ones
• Withdrawing from responsibility
• Prioritising alcohol over other activities
• Continuing to drink despite the negative effects that this has had on your home, work or social life
• Poor performance and/or attendance at work
• Losing interest in activities, hobbies or events that were once important to you

• Finding that you have built a tolerance to alcohol, meaning that you need to drink increasingly higher amounts of alcohol in order to feel ‘drunk’
• Lethargy
• Headaches caused by dehydration, which is another side effect of excessive alcohol consumption
• Excessive sweating in the absence of physical exertion
• Weight loss or gain as a result of changes in appetite
• Lack of concern over physical appearance/personal hygiene
• Disrupted sleep patterns, including insomnia
• Appearance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms if you haven’t consumed alcohol for a certain amount of time

Alcohol addiction can result in a whole host of long-term problems, and can take over your life, health and wellbeing. The following are among the many long-term negative consequences can that can result from an addiction to alcohol:

• Job loss
• Chronic unemployment
• Financial problems
• Homelessness
• Legal problems, including arrest and imprisonment
• Family breakdowns
• Strained or ruined relationships
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours

In addition, alcohol addiction is also associated with a wide range of long-term physical health problems, which can even be fatal. Long term physical health consequences that are related to alcohol addiction include:

• Liver damage
• Pancreatitis
• Gout
• Ulcers
• Kidney failure
• Increased risk of numerous types of cancer
• High blood pressure, stroke and other heart problems
• Weakened immune system
• Problems in brain functioning
• Sexual dysfunction

Below are some tips that you can use to help you to manage and cope with the initial stages of alcohol addiction:

• Admit that you have a problem with the amount and frequency of the alcohol that you consume
• Make a commitment to either reduce your drinking habits or stop drinking completely
• Set daily goals for yourself, i.e. decide how many drinks you will limit yourself to and stick to it
• If your goal is to completely stop drinking alcohol, set yourself a  realistic date for when you will stop drinking alcohol completely
• Be honest with friends and family about your problem with alcohol
• Avoid temptations and negative influences
• Accept that the process of achieving abstinence from alcohol will be challenging, and prepare yourself to make some significant changes in your life