What are some signs a friend may be using alcohol to cope with stress?

• A. Regularly exercising and sleeping well.
• B. Mood changes only.
• C. Using alcohol to handle stress, hiding drinking, mood changes, withdrawal when not drinking.
• D. Withdrawal when drinking regularly.

Answer: (C)

Signs that someone may be using alcohol to cope with stress show up as a pattern of drinking tied to stress, secrecy, and emotional or physical withdrawal. When a person uses alcohol to handle stress, they’re more likely to turn to it specifically in stressful moments rather than just enjoying a drink socially. Hiding drinking points to secrecy and a lack of openness about the problem, which often accompanies using alcohol as a coping tool. Mood changes linked to drinking reflect how alcohol affects emotions—some people become irritable, anxious, or low when drinking or when they haven’t had a drink. Withdrawal when not drinking indicates the body’s dependence, showing that alcohol has become a regulated, expected part of feeling “normal.” Put together, these signs form a coherent pattern of using alcohol to manage stress, rather than just engaging in healthy coping.

Regular exercise and good sleep are signs of healthy coping, not indicators of using alcohol to cope. Mood changes by themselves can occur for many reasons and don’t necessarily point to using alcohol to deal with stress, though they can be part of the picture when combined with secrecy and withdrawal.