Addiction wouldn’t be possible without lying or minimizing the truth. That’s why many alcoholics in denial use the same excuses and repeat patterns of withholding the truth from themselves and their loved ones. If you have ever lived with a person who had a drinking problem, you know their excuses all too well. You also know that dishonesty is part of the addiction, and there is no help until the person is ready to help themselves. With that being said, here are the most common excuses alcoholics in denial tell others to justify their addiction.
About alcohol use disorder
Mayo Clinic describes alcohol use disorder as a pattern of alcohol abuse. It can be mild, moderate, or severe, and not every person who is drinking too much develops alcoholism. Similarly, highly functioning alcoholics may appear to have things under control, but they might have alcoholism. Excessive drinking can leave permanent or semi-permanent damage to your body.
Things you will hear from alcoholics in denial
Avoiding the problem never leads to a solution. It only increases the risks regarding alcohol intake and prolonged abuse of one’s body and mind. Alcohol is a depressant and affects one’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Since alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But, to achieve the same feelings, one needs to increase alcohol intake with time, and this is when excuses come to the scene.
“It’s not that much”
One of the most common phrases you may hear from someone who has a drinking problem is they did not drink “that much.” The problem with this statement is that it is a relative, vague term that one says to avoid facing an issue.
“They drank more than me”
There is an increase in alcohol abuse, so saying that one is drinking less is not much of a comfort. More importantly, it is not a competition, nor should there be comparison. Everyone’s tolerance is different, and for a person involved in heavy drinking, it is hard to assess whether they indeed did not drink as much as their friends.
“I exercise and eat well”
Another common excuse, especially among highly functioning alcoholics, is the fact that they are successful at their careers and they are partly practicing a healthy lifestyle. Even moderate alcohol consumption cancels out healthy eating and exercising. It was widely believed that a glass of wine could benefit the cardiovascular system, but researchers proved it false.
“If I drink so much, how come I never get hangovers?”
The more one drinks, the more tolerance increases, so for a heavy drinker to experience a hangover, they would have to drink way more than a moderate drinker. Hangovers do not determine how much of your health is put at risk. And when it comes to health, alcohol is known to cause high blood pressure, stroke, impaired cognitive function, liver damage, and pancreatitis.
“I had a busy week, I need to relax”
It is not uncommon for people with addictions to use stress to justify their habits. Alcohol can give a sense of relief and escapism from everyday life, but the problem is that building tolerance is easy and that only leads to more drinking. Most people start drinking to take the edge off, but it sneaks up on them, and soon, they develop dependence, so they can’t fall asleep without a drink or a few.
“I only drink (specific drink)”
People believe that one cannot develop alcohol disorder because they only drink beer or wine. Alcoholism is not about what alcoholic drink one drinks but about the need to have it. The lack of control over drinking is the real issue, and it has nothing to do with someone’s drink of choice.
“I can stop whenever”
Another common misconception is that addiction of any kind has something to do with a person’s character or strength. Many people will say they can quit, and some will be successful, but without addressing the underlying issues, they will always be at risk. Sadly, when a person has to say, “I can stop,” it is usually when they can’t, and they are using this line to feel some control over their lives.
“I’m still the same person”
It is no secret that alcohol abuse alters personalities, so people who want to make a point about their drinking often say they are the same as they were before. However, excessive drinking changes one’s perception, so it is impossible to come to these conclusions. If a loved one notices changes, the person has changed, regardless of what they want to believe.
“My life is the same”
Many people, even with severe drinking problems, are so good at hiding their addiction that they have jobs and families and can even appear as anyone else. There are many steps before one becomes so addicted that they no longer function without alcohol. The issue here is that a person in denial will know how to put on a good front, so they might only drink when everyone’s asleep.
“I need to drink because of my work social functions”
We indeed live in a world where drinking is not only acceptable but celebrated. For many, socializing comes with social anxiety, and alcohol gives false confidence. Sadly, this gives an excuse to highly functional alcoholics to drink more, as their loved ones already know.
“I’m not hurting anyone”
Drinking hurts whole families. However, heavy drinkers want to believe they are not harming anyone, and since it is their body, they can do what they want. Their changed perception does not allow them to see the damage they leave on their loved ones.
“Everybody drinks”
People with drinking problems will minimize this by stating that it is so common that everyone drinks. The problem is that this is false, yet it does look like everyone is drinking on TV or social media. It is not hard to challenge this thinking by taking the person who might be a drinker to events that prohibit drinking. It will not solve anything, but might help them open their eyes to the problem.
“I deserve a few drinks”
Alcohol is not a reward. It may seem like a solution to stress and social anxiety, but that makes it appealing in the beginning. People are giving themselves an excuse by saying that they “deserve” drinks. Sadly, no one can say anything to this because a drinker “earned” his right to drink.
“I only drink on weekends”
Even binge drinking one or two nights a week can lead to dire consequences. People think they want to chill out with their friends, but it is a red flag as soon as the night turns into a blur. Alcohol disorder often includes doing risky things you wouldn’t normally do, and that’s what binge drinking nights are for.
Top 3 U.S. States That Almost No One Leaves (And for Good Reason)
Top 3 U.S. States That Almost No One Leaves (And for Good Reason)
Kate Smith, a self-proclaimed word nerd who relishes the power of language to inform, entertain, and inspire. Kate's passion for sharing knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations fuels her every word.