SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — More than one in four California drinkers said they could identify with at least one sign of alcoholism, a new survey says. The study, conducted by Alcohol.org, surveyed 4,957 drinkers to find out how many could identify with some of the warning signs and symptoms of alcoholism.
According to the study, that means the number of Californians who identify with at least one sign of alcoholism is high at 26% — more than double the national average of 13%. At 15%, men were also more likely to identify with a sign of alcoholism than women, at just 11%.
Nationally, Delaware residents were the most likely to identify with a sign of alcoholism at 38%, while North Carolina drinkers were the least likely, at just 6%.
The most common sign of alcoholism California drinkers could identify with — 38%– was constantly monitoring their alcohol situation, defined by behavior like making sure they always have a full glass or keeping an eye on the bartender. Many California drinkers surveyed identified with the worry they’d be judged for pouring another glass of wine from a shared bottle placed on the table.
The next most common sign California drinkers could relate to — 26% — was continuing to drink alcohol once they started. This is defined by feeling like one drink leads to another and eventually, it becomes a habit that continues and worsens over time.
Another 12% identified with drinking when they didn’t want to and 9% of those surveyed said their drinking leads to negative consequences.