In her first interview since her stint in rehab this past fall, Latina newsanchor Elizabeth Vargas told fellow anchor George Stephanopoulos that for years, she couldn't admit that she was an alcoholic. It never occurred to her that her nightly glass of wine could be a problem, even when her young son began calling it "mommy's juice." Vargas further explained that she would set limits for herself and make justifications, such as only drinking on weekends or never drinking on nights when she had to work on Good Morning America the next morning, but that those stipulations never really worked out.
Read more ¿Qué más?: Elizabeth Vargas, ABC anchor checks into rehab for alcoholism
The 51-year-old journalist believes her problem stems from the severe anxiety and panic attacks she's struggled with since childhood, which led to her self-medicating with alcohol in addition to beta blockers. Eventually, Vargas' husband confronted her and told her that she was an alcoholic, to which she responded with anger. It wasn't until her addiction began to interfere with her work that she was able to admit that she needed help.
"I felt like I had to be, you know, perfect, which is ridiculous," she told Stephanopoulos. "Nobody's perfect."
The thing is, symptoms of a disease such as alcoholism can truly be difficult to catch. For one thing, drinking is socially acceptable and for the most part considered normal adult behavior. And if you're living your life and meeting your responsibilities you may miss the signs altogether. "Denial is huge for any alcoholic, especially for a functioning alcoholic, because I, you know, I'm not living under a bridge. I haven't been arrested," Vargas said expressing an attitude that many, many people have towards their drinking habits. But, it's a disease that can slowly sneak up on you, until one day you realize your habits are out of control. So how do you know if you truly have a problem? Well, having to wonder about it at all may be your first sign, but according to Alcoholics Anonymous, these are the red flags you should be looking out for:
Empty promises. If you've ever made a promise to yourself, a friend or a family member about your drinking, but fail to keep it for more than a few days, you may very well have an addiction.
Skipping out. If you find yourself calling out of work or skipping school because you are hungover or still drunk, then alcohol consumption is getting in the way of your responsibilities and has likely become a problem.
Starting your day with a drink. If you ever feel like you need to start your day with a drink in order to get going, your body is likely addicted to alcohol. Especially if you often have the shakes and alcohol calms them down.
Anger towards loved ones. If you feel angry, resentful or bitter towards loved ones who've confronted you about your drinking, you may be in denial about your problem.
You envy others. If you ever feel jealous that other people can drink without getting into trouble or can stop whenever they want to, than your use of alcohol may have already become abnormal, and you may need help getting back on track.
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