When someone starts to become addicted to a substance, they may not initially realize that they are becoming reliant on the substance. Moving into addiction can be slow and less debilitating for some people, which we often refer to as high-functioning addiction. While those with high-functioning addiction will still struggle with different aspects of life, their addiction may be a little easier to hide from friends or family members. These addicts may take longer to seek help or may compensate in other areas of their lives, such as in their careers or schooling. These are some of the signs to look for if you suspect someone is dealing with high-functioning addiction.
Isolation And Secrecy
Lying and hiding the addiction is common for those abusing substances or alcohol. The first sign of high-functioning addiction is the person doing their best to hide the problem or putting on the appearance of normalcy. You or a loved one may lie to others about how much you are drinking, putting alcohol or drugs in concealed hiding places, lying about location or activities, or using mouthwash or makeup to cover signs of use. Isolating and hiding the activities or evidence of addiction makes the person look more normal, which may make it difficult for those around them to notice the effects of a substance.
Persistent Financial Issues
Reliance on substances can cause a person to avoid other responsibilities in order to get their fix. Getting alcohol or substances can often take precedence over work, school, family responsibilities, etc. This often leads to persistent financial problems, leading to other risky behaviors. If someone is skipping out on work or spending all of their savings on drugs and alcohol, they will struggle to pay rent, buy food, or make car payments. A sign of addiction or lack of responsibility is often constant money struggles, even if they seem to have a well-paying and reliable job.
Denial
High-functioning addiction often comes with denial and rationalization of addictive habits. Denial keeps us from seeing the whole picture and may stop you from self-reflection and procrastinating behavior improvements. Those in denial will put off thoughts of their substance abuse and may refuse to see signs of how it is negatively affecting their lives.
Another aspect of denial is putting the blame or the consequences on anything other than the addiction. High-functioning addicts may blame anxiety, other people, or work stress for the negative consequences of their addiction.
Setting Extremely High Standards
High-functioning addicts often prioritize success over being healthy or resisting alcohol. Hiding their addiction by moving up in their career, being hyper-productive, or focusing on perfectionism is common with high-functioning addiction. Setting high expectations for themselves and constantly being on the move is a way to appear healthy to others. However, the pressure of a demanding job or schedule may worsen your addiction and lead to more use to cope with the stress.
Higher Tolerance
Increased tolerance to alcohol or drugs is a clear sign of high-functioning addiction. Increased tolerance looks like using the substance repeatedly and increasing the amount because you are no longer getting the same effect as before. Tolerance to a substance becomes increasingly risky as a user increases the amount and frequency because they also increase the risky behaviors they partake in. Overdose, related health effects, and death are also more of a risk with higher substance use.
Spending More Time With Other Users
Those who are struggling with addiction may be influenced by others who are also using substances or drinking consistently. Surrounding yourself with people who also drink or use drugs could lead to high-functioning addiction because of the lack of support or knowledge about being sober.
Peer pressure and social pressure are common for high-functioning addicts, often enabling them to think that this frequent use is ok because they see the success of friends or family using. Other high-functioning addicts who hide the negative effects of their addiction can make it hard for another person to want to seek help or stop their bad behavior.
Addiction Help From Red Willow
Red Willow Counseling and Recovery offers therapy and rehabilitation for clients of all backgrounds and struggles. With locations in Salt Lake and Park City, UT, we are able to provide community members with resources, support, and the professional help they need to live a well-balanced life. We offer individual counseling, family therapy, outpatient programs, alcohol assessment, addiction intervention, and more. Our programs are unlike other rehab programs, helping you live a normal life while managing your addiction. If you or a loved one is looking to limit risky behaviors, have a better relationship with substances, and improve your personal relationships, reach out to Red Willow today!
