Featured Image Credit: TikTok/hannahcross690
Topics: Mental Health, Alcohol, Health, TikTok
Joshua Nair
Topics: Mental Health, Alcohol, Health, TikTok
A woman who admitted she was a 'high-functioning alcoholic' has revealed what her life was like before she quit, and how she decided to stop.
If you're wondering what a high-functioning alcoholic is and how it differs to a regular alcoholic, the main difference is that most people wouldn't be able to tell if they had an issue.
As explained by the Priory Group, high-functioning alcoholics are 'able to continue doing many of their daily tasks like going to work and looking after family members'.
Medically, the term isn't an official one, but there have been people who have come out and admitted that they have struggled with the form of alcoholism.
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The NHS describes alcohol misuse as drinking in a way that's harmful, or when someone is dependent on alcohol.
Social media star Hospice Nurse Julie has admitted to being one in the past, describing someone who is one as a person who is reliant on alcohol yet ' is still able to function relatively effectively in their daily life'.
TikToker Hannah Stocking has posted a video of a former high-functioning alcoholic that she knows fairly well - her own mum.
In the caption of the video, she described her mother as 'my rock' and added: "She has helped me through some of the toughest times," adding that she hopes her admission can help someone with the issue.
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Text in the video read that her mum is now 10 years sober, as she recalled: "I wouldn’t drink and then I’d go to bed and get up the next morning and think I can have a glass of wine this afternoon, yay!"
But she was aware of the habit, revealing the moment everything changed: "And I thought I’ll reward myself tonight, I had a drink and I had a glass of wine but then I got up to like 5pm and I was like, 'do you know what? I'm just gonna wait until tomorrow.'
"Then (I'd) wait until tomorrow. I can get through till tomorrow and I just kept doing that day after day, and I'd even drive past the booze shop and pull up outside and think you know what, why don't I just do one more day and if tomorrow I feel like another drink, I will have it that day."
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But that day never came, and the mum extended her abstinence from drink until she hit the six-month milestone, where she recalled feeling 'so good' as she didn't want to have anymore alcohol.
The story clearly inspired viewers, with one saying in the comments: "I needed this today," with another describing her as 'amazing'.
A third admitted: "This is how I quit smoking."
Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.