What is a functioning alcoholic?
The functional problem drinker often consumes just as much alcohol as any fully blown alcoholic; they just don’t exhibit the outward symptoms of dependence.
This is because they have developed a tolerance for alcohol to the point that it takes so much more for them to feel the effects.
Consequently, they must drink increasingly larger amounts to get the high they crave.
This slow build-up of alcohol tolerance means the functional alcoholic is drinking at dangerous levels, which can result in alcohol-related organ damage, cognitive impairment and alcohol dependence.
These chronic heavy drinkers can display a functional tolerance to the point that they show few obvious signs of intoxication, even at high blood alcohol concentrations, which in others would be incapacitating.
In the mid 90’s, Steve McFadden, a popular British soap opera actor, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
He had consumed nine double vodkas before getting behind the wheel of his car. While to most people this would be enough to knock them out for the night, he decided to fight the prosecution on the grounds that he had an unusually high tolerance to alcohol.
The courts witnessed the bizarre scene of a man consuming such a vast amount of drink and still appearing to be completely sober.
The judge obviously bought the argument as the actor was banned for just 18 months, a very light sentence for such a large blood alcohol reading.
You need to change what alcoholic means to you, it doesn’t mean you must accept being a social outcast or that the condition is permanent.
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