Last Updated:

January 29th, 2026

Alcohol addiction: Signs, symptoms and side-effects

In the UK in 2023, there were over 10,000 deaths caused solely by alcohol, and more than a million alcohol-related hospital admissions in England alone. And yet, alcohol is the one drug that many of us still use on a regular basis. Alcohol is legal, cheap, and available everywhere in Britain, and sadly, alcohol addiction has been a huge public health concern for decades. If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, it can be hard to imagine life without drinking. But there are many people just like you who have successfully completed treatment and are now maintaining a sober life after rehab.

business man in alcohol addiction

Defining alcohol addiction

You may think that alcohol addiction is just about how much someone drinks, but this isn’t true. Alcohol addiction is when alcohol becomes something a person feels they cannot control their drinking, no matter the harm caused.

It is this loss of control that sets addiction apart from social or occasional drinking. Many people in the UK drink regularly, and some even drink a lot regularly, but alcohol addiction is when drinking becomes a need. This compulsion feels stronger than willpower alone.

It is hard to know for sure how many people are addicted to alcohol because many people don’t come forward for help. Alcohol addiction statistics show that 94,173 people began treatment in England in the year 2022-2023, but it is estimated that as many as 600,000 people may be alcohol dependent.

The stages of alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction builds over time, moving through stages that gradually take more and more control over a person’s life. Understanding how these stages develop can help you recognise alcohol addiction signs early:

Alcohol abuse
This is when drinking begins to cause harm. It may mean regular binges, risky behaviour while drinking, or using alcohol to cope with stress or emotions. At this point, alcohol is not yet controlling every part of life, but it is already having a negative impact.
Alcohol dependence
With alcohol dependence, the body and mind have started to rely on alcohol on a chemical level. This is when drinking feels necessary to function, and stopping suddenly causes alcohol withdrawal symptoms like cravings, shakes or anxiety. It is also when many people start structuring their lives around drinking, even if they don’t realise it at first.​​
Alcohol addiction
Alcohol addiction is the final stage, when drinking continues despite clear harm. These can be health problems, relationship breakdowns, struggles at work or school, but even as the issues become obvious, stopping feels impossible.

How to spot alcohol addiction signs

You may have a picture in your head of what someone with an alcohol addiction looks like or how they act. But being a “functioning alcoholic” is more common than you may think, with even close friends and family missing the red flags. If you are worried about your own drinking, or that someone you know is in addiction denial, here are some common alcohol addiction signs:

 

  • You plan to only have a couple of drinks or go home early, but end up drinking more or for longer than planned.
  • You crave alcohol at certain times of the day or when life feels overwhelming.
  • Your tolerance has gone up, so it takes more to feel the effects.
  • Without alcohol, you feel shaky, anxious, or unhappy.
  • Drinking gets in the way of your work, studies, or family responsibilities.
  • You drink in secret or lie about how much you’re drinking.
  • Your health is starting to be affected by the amount of alcohol you are drinking.
  • You have spotted these alcohol addiction signs, but still can’t stop.

alcoholic-man-with-addiction

Why is alcohol addictive?

Alcohol addiction is usually the result of a combination of personal struggles, life circumstances, and the way alcohol is used to cope. Not everyone has all these causes, but understanding how they overlap helps show why it can be so hard to quit:

Mental health struggles
There is a strong link between addiction and mental health, with 72% of adults entering alcohol and drug rehab in England also needing mental health treatment. Many people drink to take the edge off anxiety, depression, and painful memories, but sadly, addiction usually makes these problems worse.
Social influences
Heavy drinking among your family, friends, or even working somewhere with a big drinking culture can normalise it and make it harder to see when you have crossed the line into alcohol abuse and addiction.
Stress and trauma
Divorce, grief, abuse, trauma and financial pressures often push people to rely on alcohol to cope, and this can develop into alcohol addiction.
Patterns and habits
Drinking in the same situations, like every evening, with every meal, or every weekend, can get you into a habit that becomes hard to break.
Biological factors
Some people are more sensitive to alcohol’s effects or more prone to developing addiction because of their genetics.

Alcohol side effects and addiction dangers

Alcohol addiction affects almost every system in the body, and the longer it continues, the more severe the damage becomes. Here are just some of the possible dangers:

Alcohol overdose
In very high doses, alcohol can slow breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. This is called alcohol poisoning or alcohol overdose, and it can be fatal without emergency help.
Short-term alcohol side effects
Nausea, dehydration, loss of balance, headaches, and vomiting are all common effects of alcohol abuse. These can occur both during a big drinking session and during a hangover. Alcohol misuse can also cause blackouts, risky behaviours and unsafe decisions, and these can all be very dangerous.
Long-term health dangers
Long-term alcohol misuse can harm almost every organ in the body. The liver incurs enormous damage and can then struggle to process toxins, leading to hepatitis or cirrhosis. The heart weakens, blood pressure rises, and the risk of stroke or heart failure grows. Alcohol also affects the brain, dulling memory and concentration, and can also increase the risk of several cancers.
Emotional and personal impacts
As well as the physical harm, alcohol addiction can make depression and anxiety worse, harm relationships, destroy careers and education, and affect every other part of a person’s life.

Finding help if you have an alcohol addiction

Effective treatment for alcohol addiction should always begin with a medical alcohol detox. Stopping drinking suddenly can be dangerous, but a professionally planned detox can lessen the impacts of serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Alcohol rehab then follows, which helps you put the pieces back together. Rehab provides different types of therapy to make sense of the stress, habits, and personal issues that kept you drinking, so you can make positive changes.

After rehab, ongoing support may include relapse prevention planning, aftercare sessions, alumni services, sober-living arrangements, and local support groups, such as AA meetings.

If you want to know more about alcohol addiction or need help choosing a rehab centre, please contact us today. Recovery.org has helped thousands of people find the right treatment path, and we are here to help you, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is alcohol addiction?
Alcohol addiction is when drinking stops being a choice and becomes something you feel you can’t live without. It involves cravings, loss of control, and drinking even when it causes harm.
How do I know if I or someone I love has a drinking problem?
Look for signs like drinking a lot of alcohol all the time, hiding alcohol or drinking habits, feeling anxious or shaky without it, or missing work or family commitments because of drinking. If alcohol is starting to take priority over everything else, it’s time to reach out for help.
Can alcohol addiction be cured?
There isn’t a simple cure, but recovery is absolutely possible. With detox, rehab therapy, and the right long-term care, many people stop drinking and go on to live full, healthy lives.

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