Lots of people can regularly consume alcohol but feel confident quitting at any time with no ill effects. For others, the idea of quitting can seem daunting and even unpleasant. For such individuals, getting professional help from a treatment center can be valuable for being able to stay away from drinking for good. If you're a drinker and you've sometimes wondered if your drinking is a problem, it's worthwhile to evaluate the true reasons that you pick up a drink. Sometimes, the reason can suggest that you have a problem with alcohol and could benefit from treatment.

To Manage Stress

Some drinkers turn to alcohol as a means to manage stress. Whether they've had a fight with a spouse or friend, a difficult day at work, or are even depressed about something in the news, it can be tempting for such individuals to reach for a drink. The issue with drinking to manage stress or feelings of upset is that alcohol is a depressant. This means that it won't actually cheer you up and make you feel better, even if you believe that this might be the effect that drinking has on you. In many cases, drinking can worsen your stress, thus compounding the problem that you're trying to fix.

As An Escape

Another less-than-ideal reason that some people drink is to escape from their daily lives. Perhaps you aren't happy in your relationship or maybe you're miserable because you're single. Maybe you don't like your job or perhaps you're upset about getting old and not feeling fulfilled. Whatever the case, alcohol can be an escape—when you're intoxicated, you may easily forget about whatever it is you're trying to escape from. However, when you sober up, the original feelings come right back.

To Fit In

Drinking alcohol to fit in is something that many teenagers do, but teens aren't the only ones to take this approach. Even adults can drink as a way to fit in. Perhaps your spouse or partner is a daily drinker, and while you don't really enjoy drinking, you do it to feel accepted. The same can be true if your circle of friends enjoys drinking. Drinking to fit in isn't ideal because it's not being true to yourself. If you can identify the true reason that you drink and you aren't honestly happy with it, getting help from an outpatient substance abuse treatment center is a good idea.