How to Tell if You're Dating an Alcoholic

It's your first or second date with someone you're interested in. You have a drink, you enjoy yourselves, and you keep drinking. You both get really drunk; you laugh, you dance, you act silly, you tell old stories, you feel like you've known one another for ages, and hey, maybe you even sleep together.

It's okay to get tipsy or even very drunk once in a while, as long as it's only that often. But what if the person you're dating keeps wanting to drink, so often that it makes you feel uncomfortable? If you suspect that the person you're dating is an alcoholic, don't just go on your suspicions and assume he or she is addicted to alcohol. Think it through, and consider the following signs of alcoholism.

Does your date smell of alcohol when you meet? She might be drinking before you meet. If this is a habit, it means she's probably drinking alone. Smelling like booze all the time isn't just unattractive, it's a sure sign of alcoholism.

Does your date suffer from mood swings? These could be related to alcoholism, as they're a sign of addiction in general. When they have their drug, addicted people are usually their pleasant, happy, fun selves, but when they don't have it they can become tense, distant and preoccupied. When an addict doesn't have his substance, he will easily grow obsessed with obtaining more. Pay attention to the timing of your date's mood swings relative to alcohol consumption if you can.

Does your date make excuses to drink? Does he take any personal news, good or bad, as an excuse to drink? Does she drink to celebrate unimportant anniversaries or famous people's birthdays? Is drinking something to do to celebrate being happy and to cheer himself up when he's not happy? Making excuses to drink is a sign of alcoholism.

How well does your date respond when people question her drinking habits? Alcoholics are usually defensive about their drinking. If your date gets ornery, verbally aggressive, or physically aggressive in response to questions about alcoholism, she might be an alcoholic.

Does your date only want to partake in activities that would allow her to drink? Parties, bars, friends' houses and at home are okay for an alcoholic, but exercise, long walks and the movies are avoided by alcoholics.

Does your date have a high alcohol tolerance? The more we drink alcohol, the more tolerant we are of it -- that is, the more we drink, the more it takes to get drunk. Take his size and fitness into consideration when gauging his tolerance, since people with more muscle can also handle more alcohol. If your date can drink a lot of alcohol and barely get drunk, he might be an alcoholic.

Use the above criteria to decide whether the person you're dating is an alcoholic. He or she should fit at least three or four of the criteria in order to be considered a probable alcoholic.

If you've just begun dating an alcoholic, it's a good idea to end the relationship before you get too close. Dating an alcoholic, just like dating any addict, means you're always going to be the second priority while the substance is the top priority. Until the addict decides to drop the habit and carries through with the change -- which can be unbelievably difficult for some -- you will stay in second-place. This is guaranteed to hurt you emotionally.