The Effects of Alcohol Abuse in Social & Work Behavior

Consuming alcoholic beverages can become problematic when a person does it to feel good or to avoid feeling negative feelings. Alcohol can relieve stress from work responsibilities; but as tolerance builds, the person must consume more alcohol to achieve the same effect. If warning signs are ignored, problem drinking worsens and what started as a mild crutch can become a full-blown addiction. Alcohol abuse affects everyone involved with an alcoholic, including his family and others he resides with, his co-workers as well as friends and acquaintances.

Work Issues

• Was your coworking drinking excessively at the last few "happy hours?"

  People who abuse alcohol may deny they have a problem because they are holding down a job and providing for their families. While this may be true, alcohol abusers can develop interpersonal problems with people at work, may be tardy or may have a higher rate of absence due to heavy drinking. If the person does not seek help, the drinking may worsen over time, making the possibility of losing employment a reality. Depending on the nature of the job, alcohol abusers can present a risk to their place of employment due to increased accidents and injuries.

Job Evaluations

• Alcohol abusers may make frequent mistakes at work.

  Bosses and coworkers may sense the problem for quite a while before approaching the alcohol abuser, if they do at all. If the person does not drink on the job, it is hard to discipline the person at work. A boss or coworker can speculate and ask questions, but unless there is concrete evidence or the person admits there is a problem, it can be very difficult to help the alcohol abuser at work. Perhaps the alcohol abuser was drunk at the last "happy hour" or work function. If her drinking was excessive, an employer could start a conversation based on that. Often people who abuse alcohol have a difficult time focusing and concentrating. This leads to incomplete assignments, an increase in errors, poor evaluations and potential job loss. These behaviors, coupled with a decreasing job performance evaluation, can spell trouble for the alcohol abuser.

Dwindling Social Skills

• Alcohol abusers may find themselves alone if their behavior is out of control.

  Alcohol abusers suffer low self-esteem as well as anger, anxiety, depression and possibly mental disorders such as bipolar disorder. To heal, the drinker must admit he has a problem and work to find out the core issues for his drinking. Without that, he will return to his crutch or develop another unhealthy behavior to keep ill feelings at bay. When people abuse alcohol, they may start more arguments or be unable to walk away from someone who starts an argument with them or annoys them in any way. Alcohol abusers display inappropriate and out-of-control behavior. They are often irritable and take it out on those closest to them. They are at risk of losing close friendships. Alcohol abusers may also drink and drive, putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.

Family

• Alcohol abuse can tear families apart.

  Alcohol abusers take heavy tolls on their families. They often hide their drinking behind walls of shame. Families may break up due to domestic violence, increased risk of child abuse, or divorce. Some family members develop codependency, and the alcohol abuser's behavior becomes the norm that the rest of the family must work their lives around. Children growing up in such families often have emotional scars when they reach adulthood. Family members may walk on eggshells when the alcohol abuser is drunk to avoid verbal or physical attacks. If the person drinking does not get the help she needs to stop drinking, over time the person's health will deteriorate, leaving the family caring for an aging, sick alcoholic, or the family may be faced with the fact that their loved one may be headed for a premature death.