For some, drinking is done in a social situation occasionally. For others, drinking becomes a crucial part of their daily lives. As a family member or friend of a recovering alcoholic, you must know how to tell if someone has been drinking.
It can be the first step in helping your loved one get back on the road to recovery. Below we are going to give you an in-depth explanation about the signs of someone that has been drinking and is intoxicated.
How to Tell If Someone Has Been Drinking?
For some people, the change once they’ve been drinking alcohol is immediate. And for others, the change that they experience goes through several phases, but if you know what to look for, it can become easier to spot if someone has been drinking or not.
Staggering
If someone has been drinking, their ability to do things like walk or react quickly is affected. Alcohol impairs essential function, and when a person thinks they are walking in a straight line, they aren’t.
When someone has been drinking, you may notice that they have difficulty standing up or standing still. They may grab things around them to help them balance, and they may continuously sway without realizing that they are doing so.
They may also lean against other objects or people as a means of supporting their body weight.
Lack of Judgement
Drinking alcohol lowers a person’s inhabitations and may cause them to act without thinking and make decisions based on impulse rather than reason. If you’re living with a recovering alcoholic and aren’t sure that they’ve been drinking, you may notice sudden changes in their mood.
They may seem very talkative one moment, and then the next moment, they’ve become quiet and withdrawn from everything around them. They may also begin to speak loudly as if those that are around them can’t hear.
Dilated Pupils
When someone has been drinking, their eyes may appear to be glassy, and their pupils dilated. Their eyes may also become bloodshot, and for some, the increase in alcohol intake may cause their eyes to water.
Double vision is a sign that someone has been drinking. Similar to what you see in the movies, when someone tries shaking their head or covering their eyes to fix the double vision is what will happen. The person drinking may close their eyes repeatedly to improve their vision, but find that nothing helps.
The Wrap-Up
When it comes to how to tell if someone has been drinking, it can be beneficial, especially if someone is in recovery. Those that are in recovery need support from everyone around them to continue recovering and maintain their health and sobriety.
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