When Does Drinking Beer Become an Addiction?

Alcohol is a big part of the culture and tradition in the US, along with many other areas of the world. Because drinking is such a common and social activity, it is one of the easiest addictions to develop without even realizing it. Even drinking an alcoholic beverage as mild as beer can spiral out of control and become an addiction.

Keep reading to find out when enjoying a couple of beers can become a problem and why beer addiction is so prevalent.

Is an Addiction to Beer Common?

As far as alcohol addiction goes, this type of addiction isn’t usually classified by the type of alcohol you choose to drink. This is because alcohol of any kind has a high risk of becoming addictive, depending on the circumstances around your drinking habits.

Even though beer is one of the milder types of alcoholic beverages, it still contains more than enough alcohol to become addictive. In fact, many people have unhealthy drinking habits regarding beer without even realizing it. For instance, many people think that drinking multiple beers a night is perfectly okay, but this is often a sign of addiction.

Beer also has a milder impact on how you behave and feel since you aren’t getting a significant amount of alcohol in just one drink. This makes it easier to drink beer excessively and still feel like it is a reasonable amount.

What is Risky Drinking?

A term often used regarding alcohol is risky drinking. This is used to describe people who drink socially or casually since alcohol has such a high risk of becoming an addictive substance.

Even though a large majority of people can enjoy a drink or two without it becoming an issue, it is still playing around with fire. Alcohol addiction can develop due to your personality, family history, how much you drink, or even what you are going through in your life at the moment. Because of this, there are so many different factors that could lead to you abusing alcohol without even realizing it.

Risky drinking is often categorized as people who drink between two and four alcoholic beverages on a daily basis. In many ways, this is just as bad as binge drinking.

How Do You Know If You’re Addicted to Beer?

Even though alcoholism is a broad term that encompasses all kinds of alcoholic beverages, there are some signs of addiction specific to beer. Beer is one of the most commonly chosen alcoholic beverages and is also one of the most socially acceptable options. It is very easy for a beer addiction to fly under the radar, especially if you have always had a slightly unhealthy relationship with alcohol. 

Here are some signs of beer addiction that you will want to watch out for.

It’s Hard to Stop

Most people are aware of their limits when it comes to drinking beer. This is important because it may take a little while before you start to feel the impact of the alcohol since it is not one of the stronger types of alcohol. But you may get to where you aren’t able to stop yourself when you know you are reaching your limit.

You may sit down with a single beer only to end up drinking a whole pack in the evening. Or you may go out with friends and intend on drinking a few beers only to end up getting blackout drunk.

Others Are Noticing

Even though alcohol is very socially acceptable, many people are still able to recognize the signs of a developing addiction. Your friends and family may start to notice your drinking and point it out to you as a possible problem. This may result in you feeling defensive or agitated if you already suspect that it has started to escalate.

You may also notice that friends and family don’t want to be around you when you are drinking beer if it changes your personality or brings out your worst side.

You Are Drinking More

One of the more significant issues with beer is that it has a delayed effect since it has a lower alcohol content. While this may seem like a good thing, it can actually result in excessive drinking since you don’t feel the effects as quickly.

Drinking more and more is a very common sign of addiction since you require more alcohol to feel a buzz as you develop a tolerance. This is also a sign of reduced impulse control, which is another big part of addiction.

You Can’t Control it

Even if you enjoy a beer or two here and there, you should still be able to completely cut this habit out if you choose to. If you find that you aren’t able to control your drinking even if you want to stop, this could indicate a more significant problem.

You may start to feel ill if you do not drink a certain amount each day or if you are dealing with severe cravings. You may be choosing to drink even though you know it is becoming a problem and it is negatively impacting your life.

It’s Causing Regret

Do you drink enough beer to become blackout drunk? Or do you wake up the following day regretting how you behaved or what you said after you had several beers? 

Anytime you start to feel regret after drinking, this is a clear indicator that something isn’t quite right. This is especially true if you continue to drink despite these regrets because it is too difficult to stop.

Conclusion

Beer is one of the most common alcoholic beverages people drink, and even though it is a milder alcoholic beverage, it still has a high risk of becoming addictive. People who regularly drink beer tend to drink a large amount of it and may not realize that it is becoming a problem.

If you relate to any of the signs mentioned above, you may be dealing with a beer addiction. If that is the case, you should reach out and get help as soon as possible so you can begin your recovery.