How Does Alcoholism Look Different in Extroverts?

Researchers are frequently looking for trends caused by personality types. Many people can be categorized into two basic groups. There are introverts and extroverts. Introverts are people prone to keeping to themselves, or shy. Extroverts are characterized as outgoing, sort of what we refer to as “people-people”.

Of course, there are dozens of contributing factors to both personality types. Trauma can turn an extrovert personality into an introvert. There isn’t a perfect one-size-fits-all mold to pigeonhole people into these two basic personality types.

They offer a glimpse of an intricate personality in general terms. When we think of shy and withdrawn people, they can become wildly extroverted with a few drinks in their system. But how does alcoholism look different in extroverts? Let’s look at some factors.

Positive Becomes Negative

One thing that often happens when an extroverted person begins to drink is a change in their common outlook about life. Most extroverts are considered positive people. However, after passing their drink threshold into intoxication, they become oddly cynical.

When a normally upbeat socially flamboyant person becomes anti-social while drinking, this can be an indication of an alcohol problem. Extroverts, on the other hand may still be generally upbeat and happy.

But they will begin to display a more guarded level of enthusiasm, even full-blown negativity, when they become alcoholics. As an extrovert with alcoholism becomes more cynical, this a once positive outlook can turn darkly negative.

Recoil to an Introvert

If you’re an extrovert, as your alcoholism metastasizes, you can actually drive yourself into introvert-like behaviors. Extroverted alcoholics when their drinking habits are questioned, can be prone to recoiling into introverted behavior.

When your efforts to drink alcoholically are challenged, you will just choose to drink alone. This is something common among extroverted alcoholics. It may not happen immediately. However, over time many share stories of regressing to drinking alone in solitude in fear of reprisal.

Your Kind of People

Another common characteristic of an extroverted alcoholic is the types of people they gravitate towards. Alcoholics in general would prefer to be around other people who drink. This really ignites when someone is questioned about their abusive drinking habits.

An alcoholic, who enjoys drinking to oblivious levels of intoxication, will often seek out people who party like they do. While there is a common attraction between alcoholics, it also helps perpetuate the disease.

Tendency to Binge

There is data that indicates introverts and extroverts differ in their opinion of alcohol. A common feeling from extroverts, who are not alcoholic, is a somewhat mild disdain for heavy drinking. However, when you combine an extrovert personality with alcoholism it creates another problem.

Extroverts who drink excessively are prone to binge drinking. Binge drinking brings with an entirely separate degree of danger. Most deaths attributed to alcohol poisoning happened to people considered to be occasional drinkers.

The problem arises when the extrovert personality, filled with other obsessive tendencies, triggers the need for massive amounts of alcohol. This dangerous combination of an outgoing personality seeking a maximum level of intoxication can have dangerous, even deadly consequences.

Drinking Becomes a Habit

While any tendency to drink to oblivion should be considered dangerous, extroverts seem to have a proclivity for their drinking to develop into an unhealthy habit. There is no pinpoint reason extroverts push faster into alcoholism.

Part of the reason could be the tendency to binge drink. Nonetheless, extroverts are considered to be at higher risk for their drinking to become a habit. When excessive drinking becomes habitual, alcoholism becomes an unwelcome consequence.

Extroverts are statistically far more prone for gravitating from moderate drinking patterns to heavy alcohol usage. Conversely, people who were considered to have an introverted personality had a better chance of stopping drinking altogether, even after some level of alcohol abuse.

Regardless of whether you consider yourself an outgoing person or an introvert, if you think you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, you need to find out for sure. Reaching out to speak with a trained addiction specialist doesn’t mean you’re anything but smart.

However, if you find out you have a problem, you could be saving your life. However, if you are truly an extroverted person, you should watch out for signs you’re stepping into dangerous territory. Reach out for help today at 833-820-2922, because tomorrow might be too late.