SUMMERTIME DRINKING: WHEN IS IT A PROBLEM?

SUMMERTIME DRINKING—WHEN IS IT A PROBLEM?

What do you get more in the summertime than any other time of the year? Besides mosquitoes and sunburns. If you guessed more drinking, you’re right. Except for the holidays, no other time of the year sees an increase in drinking as much as summertime. There are more leisure-time activities—ballgames, outings to the beach or lake or river. More barbecues, picnics and other social gatherings where alcohol is common as hot dog on the grill.
Just like the temperature, drinking taboos are lifted a few degrees in the summer. Drinking in the daytime seems to be more acceptable. You might lounge around the pool drinking tall, cool ones, or attend patio parties featuring exotic drinks and tiki torches. And since it stays lighter later, the cocktail hour is extended a few hours.
So, it’s often during the summer that drinking problems may arise. It’s not true that increased drinking causes alcoholism—alcoholism is a disease with many “causes.”
But, there are warning signs that drinking may be a problem, for example:
Starting to drink earlier during the day.
Continuing to drink when you’ve “had enough.”
Denying you’ve “had enough.”
Urging others to “have one more,” when they’ve said no thanks.
Including alcohol in every activity.
Refusing to talk to others who voice concerns.
The most common symptom of alcoholism is denial that there’s a problem; the first step in recovery, is to admit there might be a problem.