He has not missed a day of work in years, and he shows up to church on Sunday. Then the evening drinking starts, and the house holds its breath until he falls asleep.
People call a man like this a high functioning alcoholic. The phrase fits what his family sees, because from the outside his life looks fine. From the inside, it is getting harder to hold together. The good news is that a man in this place can get help and keep his job, and we help men in Arkansas do that.
What a high functioning alcoholic means
High functioning alcoholic is an everyday phrase. It describes a man whose drinking has become a problem while his work and his public life still look steady. Health care providers assess for alcohol use disorder, the medical condition behind the everyday phrase.
NIAAA describes alcohol use disorder as a medical condition. A person with it has trouble stopping or controlling his drinking, even when it causes problems at home or at work. Health care providers use a set of questions from the DSM-5 to decide whether the disorder is present and how serious it is.
That matters for a high functioning man. A steady paycheck does not rule out the disorder. The questions look at what drinking does to his life, and a man can meet several of them while he still holds a job. These signs of a functioning alcoholic can hide behind a full work week.
Signs of a high functioning alcoholic
These signs come from the questions a health care provider asks. They are not a diagnosis, and only a professional can make one. They are a fair way for a wife or a man to take an honest look. Over the past year, has he:
- Ended up drinking more, or for longer, than he meant to?
- Wanted to cut down or tried to stop, and not managed it?
- Kept drinking even though it caused trouble with his family or his friends?
- Found that drinking, or being sick from it, got in the way of his family or his work?
- Given up activities he used to enjoy so he could drink?
- Needed more alcohol than before to feel the same effect?
- Had trouble sleeping, shakiness, sweating or nausea as the alcohol wore off?
NIAAA says any of these can be cause for concern. The more of them a man has, the more urgent the need for change. A high functioning man may check several boxes and still hold his job, because he has learned to arrange his life around the drinking. If you see him in several of these questions, you do not need proof before you call. Our Arkansas admissions team listens on the first call. We find the right level of care with you.
Why a good job can hide the problem
Work gives a man a reason to believe he is fine. He tells himself that a man with a problem would be late or fired, and he is neither. His family may believe the same thing for years, because the bills get paid and the neighbors see a good man. He may even point to his work record as proof whenever someone raises a concern.
The cost shows up at home first. NIAAA lists drinking despite trouble with family as one of the signs, and a family may know that sign well. The kids learn to read his mood at the door. His wife covers for him and wonders if she is overreacting.
He is a man struggling with addiction who still has a great deal to protect. That is a strong place to start recovery. His job and his family give him every reason to get well.
Treatment for a high functioning alcoholic that fits his job
A man who works full time often fears that treatment means leaving his career. With IOP, it does not have to. Our intensive outpatient program is built for people who need to keep up work or family duties. It gives at least nine hours of treatment a week, with sessions that can run in the evening or on weekends.
In IOP, a man gets counseling in a group and one on one, with relapse prevention therapy built in. He sleeps in his own bed and answers to his own alarm clock. Our team works with him on a flexible schedule, and the program connects him with support groups and continuing care. Before IOP ends, we help him plan the aftercare that helps him stay steady once the sessions stop. If you want more on keeping his job, read our guide to rehab while working before the first call.
Some men need more than IOP can give. NIAAA notes that treatment can be outpatient or inpatient, and that one size does not fit all. If he needs a structured setting with round-the-clock support, our admissions team may talk with you about residential treatment on our Jessieville campus. If he needs medical help to stop safely, we coordinate detox placement with a partner facility and hold his place for the day he finishes.
Whatever the level, our program joins Christian principles and the 12 steps with evidence-based practices. We treat co-occurring disorders like depression or anxiety at the same time as the addiction, and every man gets a personalized treatment plan.
If you are his wife, you do not have to carry this alone. Our guide on help for an alcoholic husband covers how to talk with him and how to set boundaries with love. NIAAA also says that seeking professional help early can prevent a return to drinking, so a call now is a strong step.
Questions families ask about a high functioning alcoholic
What are the traits of a high functioning alcoholic?
He keeps his job and his public life steady while his drinking grows. At home, his family may see him drink more than he planned. They may also see him keep drinking despite the strain it puts on the family. Only a health care provider can assess whether he has alcohol use disorder.
Why does his personality change when he drinks?
Families ask this often, and the honest answer is that a professional assessment is the place to find out. Drinking that causes trouble with family is one of the signs providers look for. Providers also ask whether he keeps drinking even when it makes him feel depressed or anxious. Our admissions team can help you arrange that assessment on the first call.
Can he get treatment and keep working?
Often, yes. Our intensive outpatient program gives at least nine hours of treatment a week, and sessions can run in the evening or on weekends. The admissions team will tell you which level of care fits him.
Does he need detox first?
Some men do. NIAAA says people with severe alcohol use disorder may need medical help to avoid withdrawal when they stop. We do not provide medical detox ourselves. We coordinate detox placement with partner facilities when he needs it.
Take the next step with SOZO
A high functioning man can keep the life he has built and lose the drinking that threatens it. We help men in Arkansas get well with faith and clinical care, side by side with other men who understand. The chair at the table can be his again.
Starting takes one phone call. Call our admissions team at 501-984-5317, or read about admissions at SOZO. The admissions team checks your coverage on the first call and tells you which level of care fits. Our main office is at 505 W Grand Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901. If a man is in danger right now, call 911.