{"id":947394,"date":"2026-05-09T02:49:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T02:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/947394\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T02:49:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T02:49:17","slug":"eight-signs-someone-is-a-high-functioning-alcoholic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/947394\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight signs someone is a high functioning alcoholic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Warning: This article contains discussion of alcoholism which some readers may find distressing.<\/p>\n

A man who previously struggled with addiction has shared the eight signs of a high functioning alcoholic that he reckons most people overlook.<\/p>\n

According to entrepreneur Ben Lowe, there are several red flags that go unnoticed<\/a> by a lot of folks, because ‘none of them look dramatic enough to take seriously’.<\/p>\n

He suspects that there are tons of people out there whose dependency on booze is flying under the radar because they don’t look like a stereotypical alcoholic.<\/p>\n

“The version most men picture when they hear the word addict, is the man who\u2019s lost everything, can\u2019t hold a job<\/a> or keep a relationship<\/a> together,” Lowe said.<\/p>\n

But he believes loads of people struggling with alcoholism<\/a> have just become experts at masking their reliance on liquor, allowing them to keep up the facade and pretend they don’t have a problem.<\/p>\n

This is what is known as a ‘high functioning alcoholic’, which the Priory<\/a> explains is a term to describe ‘someone who’s dependent on alcohol<\/a> but is still able to function relatively effectively in their daily life’.<\/p>\n

\"BenBen Lowe explained the eight signs he believes points to someone being a high functioning alcoholic (Facebook\/benlowecoaching)<\/p>\n

The provider, which offers assistance to those struggling with addiction, goes on to explain: “They’ll be able to continue doing many of their daily tasks like going to work and looking after family members.<\/p>\n

“Alcohol abuse can sometimes be confusing and difficult to spot, especially if a person appears to be capable of doing everything they need to maintain core aspects of their lives. They may perform well at work, have a pristine appearance and enjoy an active social life. While they may seem OK to the outside world, it\u2019s likely that warning signs and symptoms are appearing elsewhere.”<\/p>\n

Lowe, a men’s leadership coach and the founder of Intochange coaching, said that being labelled a high functioning alcoholic ‘is nothing to be proud of’.<\/p>\n

Although these people somehow manage to keep all the plates spinning, it doesn’t mean that they’re doing good.<\/p>\n

“It just means the consequences haven\u2019t caught up yet,” the content creator said.<\/p>\n

What are the signs of a high functioning alcoholic? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Lowe then went on to explain the ‘signs of a high functioning addict’ that a lot of people ‘miss or minimise because none of them look dramatic enough to take seriously’.<\/p>\n

\"(Getty(Getty Stock Images)Not being honest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lying about how much alcohol you are consuming is a big red flag in Lowe’s eyes, especially if it’s rolling off your tongue ‘automatically’.<\/p>\n

“Not deliberately, just automatically, because the honest number feels like more of an admission than he\u2019s ready to make,” he wrote in a post<\/a> shared to Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Drinking at every occasion<\/strong><\/p>\n

If ‘every situation involves alcohol’, Lowe says this should also set alarm bells ringing.<\/p>\n

“Dinner, stress, time with the kids, after work, celebration, disappointment,” he said. “It\u2019s become the emotional punctuation for every part of his day and he stopped noticing when that happened.”<\/p>\n

Comparison<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thirdly, if you’re concerned someone might be covering up their reliance on alcohol very well, be wary if they are ‘comparing themselves to someone worse as evidence their fine’.<\/p>\n

“That\u2019s not a measurement of health<\/a>,” the coach said. “That\u2019s a measurement of how low the bar has gotten.”<\/p>\n

Defensiveness<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another red flag is getting ‘defensive’ when someone touches on the topic, as well as a person being unable to ‘relax without’ booze as he believes that ‘the exhale after the first drink isn\u2019t enjoyment, it\u2019s relief from the anxiety of not having had one yet.’<\/p>\n

They never stop<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lowe also says you should consider that someone might be a high functioning alcoholic if they insist they ‘can stop anytime’ but ‘just never quite does’.<\/p>\n

Emotionally checked out<\/strong><\/p>\n

The seventh warning sign to look out for, according to the content creator, is if a person is ‘physically in the room, but emotionally somewhere else’.<\/p>\n

Feeling the distance grow<\/strong><\/p>\n

And lastly, if you feel as though you are walking on eggshells around someone and ‘feeling the distance grow’ because of alcohol getting in the way, it might suggest they have a problem with booze.<\/p>\n

“You don\u2019t need to lose your job or your house for this to be a problem,” Lowe added. “High functioning addiction kills trust, respect and leadership at home long before it touches anything external.”<\/p>\n

Other signs of a high functioning alcoholic<\/strong>\"ThereThere are some other red flag signs to look out for (Getty Stock Images)<\/p>\n

The Priory also explains that there are some other common signs of being a high functioning alcoholic, including:<\/p>\n