High Functioning Alcohol Use Disorder and THE CLIFFS by J Courtney Sullivan
- Marisa Gelfand
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
Jane came from a long line of women who struggled with alcohol. She swore off drinking, determined not to follow their path. But a bad day & a friend’s offer of a drink changed everything.
That drink turned into many. Jane’s drinking spiraled into blackouts & regret. Yet from the outside, she looked like she had it all: a prestigious job as an archivist, a vibrant social life, & a loving marriage. She was a high-functioning alcoholic.
Then her mother died, & Jane unraveled. Rock bottom was when she got drunk at a work event, made out with a colleague in public, & blacked out. In one night, she lost her job & marriage.
A high-functioning alcoholic, on the surface, appears to manage daily life—maintaining a job & relationships—without showing typical signs of alcohol impairment. But the problem is still serious, & their struggles are harder to recognize.
Tolerance contributes to masking the problem. Over time, as drinking escalates, the body adapts, allowing a person to appear sober when they’re not. They may work or socialize under the influence, unnoticed but still impaired.
Recognizing high-functioning alcohol use disorder is difficult. Warning signs include: blackouts, defensiveness around drinking, drinking despite negative consequences, drinking early in the day, hiding alcohol use, drinking heavily without seeming drunk, using alcohol to cope with emotions, feeling guilt or shame, & struggling to stop.
Here are recovery-oriented tools for people with high-functioning alcohol use disorder:
Intervene Early: If you're concerned about your own or a loved one's drinking, speak up. The earlier you address it, the less time alcohol has to cause physical, emotional, or relational harm.
Build a Support Team: Recovery isn’t a solo mission. Explore support systems like AA, individual or group therapy, & residential treatment programs. Having the right people in your corner makes a huge difference.
Redefine Fun: Recovery involves new ways of coping with stress & rebuilding connections. Boredom, loneliness, & anger can trigger relapse. Seek out new sources of fun through enjoyable activities that aren’t tied to alcohol.
