I mean for someone like me it was pretty obvious. At some point you don't drink for a day and you get the shakes, or you realize that you're getting blackout drunk every weekend, or friends make comments about how much you drink, or a whole host of other things. I spent a few years living in denial, but I knew years before I stopped that I had a problem.
I don't know of a great way to answer the question "am I an addict?" that doesn't require some serious introspection. That being said, one thing I often tell people is that if they're honestly, seriously concerned that they're drinking too much and if they're asking me whether they're an alcoholic, it's something worth looking in to.
Before I abused alcohol, I abused prescription stimulants. Sometimes I'd take them and then spend hours browsing wikipedia reading about their addictive potential, or reading about how abuse of stimulants was spreading across America. It was a pretty obvious warning sign.
The reason I know I'm an addict is because once I start drinking/popping pills, I really can't stop myself. I keep drinking until I pass out, or keep binging on pills until I'm out and I haven't slept in days. AA has the saying "one [drink] is too many, and a thousand is never enough", and it certainly applies to me. Most addicts I've talked to feel the same way.
You have problems at work or school because of your drinking, such as being late or not going at all.
You drink in risky situations, such as before or while driving a car.
After drinking, you can't remember what happened while you were drinking (blackouts).
You have legal problems because of your drinking, such as being arrested for harming someone or driving while drunk (intoxicated).
You get hurt or you hurt someone else when you are drinking.
You keep drinking even though you have health problems that are caused or made worse by alcohol use, such as liver disease (cirrhosis).
Your friends or family members are worried about your drinking.
Signs of alcohol dependence or addiction
You cannot quit drinking or control how much you drink.
You need to drink more to get the same effect.
You have withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. These include feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.
You spend a lot of time drinking and recovering.
You have given up other activities so you can drink.
You keep drinking even though it harms your relationships and causes health problems.
Other signs include:
You drink in the morning, are often drunk for long periods of time, or drink alone.
You change what you drink, such as switching from beer to wine because you think that doing this will help you drink less or keep you from getting drunk.
You feel guilty after drinking.
You make excuses for your drinking or do things to hide your drinking, such as buying alcohol at different stores.
You worry that you won't get enough alcohol for an evening or weekend.
You have physical signs of alcohol dependence, such as weight loss, a sore or upset stomach (gastritis), or redness of the nose and cheeks.
>but you are not doing drugs - you can quit easily
1) Alcohol is a drug.
2) Even if it wasn't, non drugs can be very addicting and harmful - gambling, shopping, porn, etc.
