Former ‘functioning alcoholic’ reveals subtle signs of alcohol addiction that a lot of people miss

Warning: This article contains discussion of alcoholism which some readers may find distressing.

With Christmas less than a month away, everyone's feeling the festive spirit, decorating their homes and making loads of plans ahead of the big day.

However, with more meals out and celebrations, this also means that alcohol is something that's often quite central to this time of year.

From a mulled wine at the Christmas markets to a mimosa on the morning of the 25th, booze is somewhat synonymous with the Yuletide season for a lot of people.

But, this also means that people who are struggling with alcoholism are more likely to have a hard time, or go undetected because drinking a lot is so normalised.

To help family members and friends pick up on the signs, a woman who says she ruined many Christmases as a 'functioning alcoholic' has opened up on the warning sings.

Mother-of-two Rachael Shephard, 43, from Hampshire, told The Sun that this will be her fourth year sober.

Drinking a lot of booze around Christmas is extremely normalised (Getty Stock Image)

She said: “Unlike some previous ones, I won’t be waking up hungover and vomiting, I won’t burn the dinner or start an argument and storm off to bed in a huff at 7pm.

“I used to think I was smashing life. But in truth, I felt like I was wading through treacle every day."

Rachael, who wrote the book Sober Mama, has listed some of the key signs of alcoholism to look out for at Christmas time.

She said: "I never did hit the rock bottom level of drinking in the morning, but Christmas was a delightful exception. Everyone drinks on Christmas morning, and so I didn’t have a problem – obviously."

Other signs were that she was 'irritable all the time and quick to anger'.

As per the publication, the warning signs include not being able to remember the last evening you spent without alcohol, getting injured, drinking alone, or being secretive about it.

You might even get defensive about your drinking habits if someone close to you asks about it or expresses concern.

Experts say to look out for a dampened mood as people struggling with alcoholism can become 'withdrawn'.

Dr Luke Powles, associate clinical director at Bupa Health Clinics, told The Sun: “When someone is struggling with alcohol dependence, it can take over every part of their mind.

There are some telltale signs to look out for that you or someone else might be struggling (Getty Stock Image)

"They can become withdrawn, perhaps they have become uncharacteristically forgetful. It could also mean they become more erratic, short-tempered and even aggressive – both when they are drinking and not."

Additionally, your boundaries around drinking might begin to blur, your weight might fluctuate, you may experience poor sleep and brain fog, and you might struggle to imagine having fun without booze.

Dr Richard Piper, CEO at Alcohol Change UK told the publication: "More subtle signs include shifts in boundaries, such as drinking earlier in the day e.g. 5pm when it used to be 7pm, or on days we had planned not to drink at all."

He added: "We may struggle with poor sleep or general feelings of tiredness that we explain away as ‘age’ or something else."

It can also show up in your skin and 'persistent redness, broken capillaries, spider veins, rosacea, dry, wrinkled, prematurely aged skin due to dehydration can be a sign someone has been drinking a lot'.

The doctor also cited other health issues like elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and an increased heart rate as 'signs we might be drinking too much'.

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.