Everyone has their problems, but some are more serious than others. When you meet up with a guy for the first time, having a drink or two might relieve a bit of tension and serve as conversational lube, but how can you tell if your date loves alcohol a little TOO much? If you notice any of these signs, you might be sitting across from a bona fide alcoholic:
- You can smell alcohol on his breath before you’ve even ordered drinks. You could hand the boy a mint, but it wouldn’t do a whole lot. That wretched stench is burned into his mouth because the amount of alcohol he consumes is actually burning those taste buds away. Listen to your nose and if you smell any hit of alcohol on his breath when he picks you up, watch out.
- He makes drinking the main date activity. He’s pushing drinks on you so that the amount he drinks doesn’t seem so bad. He wants to get you drunk so you don’t notice when he is. He pushes drinks, yells for more shots and will even suggest a drinking game because if alcohol isn’t involved, he’s just not interested. Yikes!
- He insists pre-meetup that you’re the designated driver. Well, at least that’s better than him trying to drive himself or worse, you. You don’t ever want to get into a car with a drunk. There’s no reason to risk your life just for the chance to no longer be single. At least he’s being safe, but if alcohol is really so important to him that he plans a whole evening around it, there’s a serious problem.
- He chooses where you go based on which restaurant offers the best drink specials. Having a drink on the first date might take the edge off, but drinking shouldn’t be more important than the date itself. If he won’t let you pick the restaurant because he’s too concerned with the bar, run away quickly. Alcohol is fun, but it isn’t everything — just make sure that sentiment’s true for your date…
- He brings alcohol to a non-drinking activity. You go to a movie and the guy brings his own flask along. You drive to the restaurant and he takes a road beer in the car. No matter what you’re doing (and how inappropriate it may be), he just can’t handle life without pouring a drink down his throat. If he struggles with being sober in everyday situations, he needs rehab, not a girlfriend.
- He admits he’s had a DUI… And even worse, he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. In fact, he still drinks and drives. He might even give you some lame excuse that he “only had two beers” or that he “wasn’t even that wasted,” which is beyond stupid. If he doesn’t realize the seriousness of putting not only his own life but everyone else’s on the road in danger when he gets behind the wheel, he needs a serious wakeup call.
- The waitress questions serving him or cuts him off halfway throught he date. SMaybe you didn’t want to presume that your date is a drunk, but a waitress will be able to tell. Whether he’s cut off when you arrive or just before you leave, no guy should be getting that drunk on a first date… or any date. It might be awkward for you to suggest that maybe he’s had enough, if your server’s saying it, you might want to exit stage left.
- He keeps Listerine in his car. Alcoholics use mouthwash to mask the smell of their permanent alcoholic bad breath. He takes a swig of that minty fresh if he wants to impress someone or if a cop pulls him over. Sure, some people are just hygiene freaks, but combined with all these other warnings, you probably should steer clear of him.
- He gets anxious, sweaty or shaky when he’s sober for too long. He clearly does not have it together. In fact, he couldn’t even get his act together for your date. It’s just a few hours, but if even that long is a serious struggle that has very real physical symptoms, yikes. He can’t make a coherent thought, but you can — get out before it’s too late.
