Signs That Your Co-Worker Is an Alcoholic

When you're in the workplace, you might expect that everyone be professional, kind, and pleasant. However, there are many circumstances in a person's life that can carry over into the workplace. For example, if a person is an alcoholic, the challenges of struggling with an addiction might reveal themselves at work. This article will provide a list of signs that may indicate whether or not a coworker is struggling with alcoholism

Obviously, one of the expectations of an employee is that he or she is able to perform their work in a timely manner while providing relatively high quality. And if a person is conscientious, then he or she will have those expectations of themselves. However, when someone is struggling with a drinking problem, those expectations go out the window. Instead, a person might begin to arrive late or be absent to work. An alcoholic might come to work with a hangover or drunk. He or she might drink during their lunch hour. The following are signs to look for in someone you suspect is struggling with alcoholism:

• Hangovers - a person may come to work with red eyes and look as though they don't feel well. 
• Disheveled appearance - a person may have lost interest in dressing well or taking care of themselves physically.
• Obsession with alcohol - someone who has an addiction to alcohol may tend to focus on drinking often. He or she may enjoy talking about drinking and may not have seem to have many other interests 
• Reduced productivity - a person who is struggling with drinking at home may come to the office unprepared to work. He or she may not feel well enough to work at the best performance. They may have problems with focusing and completing tasks. 
• Increased negativity - an alcoholic may have symptoms of depression and can have a general negative attitude 
• Dishonesty - it's common for alcoholics to deny that there is a problem when asked about it. A person may try to hide any evidence of drinking or being hung over. For example, a person might eat mints to hide the smell of alcohol on the breath or wear sunglasses inside to hide their hung-over red eyes. 
• Angry outbursts - an alcoholic might have a hard time controlling their emotions. A person might easily become angry and not have the capacity to handle the stress of working, as they once did. 

These are some indications that a person you're working with might be an alcoholic. Of course, if you care about this person you may decide to tell someone about your concerns. On the other hand, you might feel that it's best to stay out of another person's affairs. Your decision will likely depend upon the relationship you have with your co-worker. You might also be able to anonymously report  your co-worker to a supervisor or someone in the human resources department. More and more organizations have confidential sober mentoring programs that can assist an employee with addiction treatment and recovery.