Alcohol, what is an alcholoic? Is it if you only drink one beer a night or is 6 a night?

Question

Just wanting to know if there is a limit when you might be considered an alcholic.

What is considered an alcoholic?

Well, I'm not so sure if being an alcoholic is someone that only drinks one a night. That can be a habit of course. But, drinking in excess and not aware of your surroundings is a bigger problem. I want to know what is the degree people between one beer to drinking in excess needs to seek help.

Answer 1

a doctor friend told me he considers 4 or more drinks on a regular basis to be alcoholic behavior. he said 2-3 drinks spaced out is o.k. but if you must drink everyday limit yourself to 1-2 drinks. obviously, bodyweight and gender can raise or lower your body's ability to detoxify itself so adjust accordingly.

Answer 2

I would say that one beer a night is not, because it is advised that, at least some people, should drink one drink a night, preferably beer, wine, or a mixed drink. I doubt that doctors would ever tell someone to become an alcoholic and a couple family members of mine were told to drink one drink a day by doctors. Six every night could be a problem, but it depends on the person. The actual amount isn't important, it is if they don't think they can survive without the drink, not how much they drink. That is more along the lines of alcohol abuse, such as binge drinking, which often leads to alcoholism. There isn't a single number that you can say is the cutoff between normal drinking and alcoholism, and you don't have to drink every day to be an alcoholic.

Between those two, I would say one beer a night is fine, six a night is probably not.

Answer 3

I'm not sure there's a certain number of drinks at which one is suddenly assigned the title "alcoholic". According to the Mayo clinic page below, it's more about "a preoccupation with alcohol and impaired control over alcohol intake"

The signs and symptoms and symptoms they list include drinking alone or in secret, being unable to limit the amount one drinks, feeling a need or compulsion to drink, keeping alcohol in unlikely places (so it's ready to go, so to speak), and a variety of problems.

They also differentiate between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence and include a set of questions people can ask themselves if they're concerned about their drinking crossing the line. It's good stuff, and worth a look.

Answer 4

I think that limit is different for every person. Its when a person can not think of anything but drinking because they think it makes them better or its fun or whatever. If you drink once a week but it defines who you are and how you feel then that's like being an alcoholic. Although most alcoholics drink a lot because they give into the temptation, and their lives soon revolve around drinking.

Answer 5

Feeling the desire to have a drink after a tough day at work is understandable. Getting plastered at a party? So many of us have already done that, with no lasting (permanent) side-effects. It's when you feel you have to have a drink or two or three just to get through the day. It's called dependence. Waking up to a shot instead of a cup of coffee. Drowning your sorrows with the aid of a bottle. Drinking alone through the evening. Feeling depressed and clinging to an empty glass.
Everyone's "tolerance" is different- it's affected by many things. The quantity of drink is not the issue. It's the level of dependence upon it.

Answer 6

It doesn't matter if you drink one or 50. Either way you could be an alcoholic. I found out I am an alcoholic cause I thought that drinking with your friends everynight was a normal thing and I also come from an alcoholic family background

Answer 7

Alcoholism is a disease, so that the quantity that you drink is immaterial. This disease can take many forms, as occassional alcoholics, which are people that only drink on Saturdays (you can specify any day), those that can drink and still function (functional alcoholics) Those that get falling down drunk, and can only stay that way. There are all different dgrees in between. The basic idea is that the first drink is the dangerous one for an alcoholic.

Answer 8

Alcoholism has nothing to do with the quantity you drink -- it refers to a dependence on alcohol. If you can't get through the day without a drink, you have a problem with alcohol. Check out the Alcoholics Anonymous group for more information on the definition.

Answer 9

It you need or can handle your alcohol then you have a problem.
People that can not handle themselves don't Really have a problem because they most likely won't drink as much!
But if you need to have a drink every day than that is a problems. Anyways it goes it's all bad for you!! !

Answer 10

It's when you indulge in your craving and can't give yourself the freedom to make any other choice. The need is greater than your will and you don't care at the moment you put the glass to your lips.............one drink is not enough and you can't control it. Day after day............night after night.....remorse, pleading, highs & lows....guilt, pain.....apathy, rage and despair.
Been there, done that after years of depression and beating myself up for being so weak....ruined relationships......so much wasted time & money. It took a terrible toll on my looks, health and family...........I had a genetic predisposition (on my Dad's side), I even married an alcoholic (I tried to rehab him and forgot to take care of ME) but of course that didn't work out either. A year and a half ago I had a real heart-to-heart with God and I was able to heal myself and give new meaning to my life. I am grateful every day for the miracle of sobriety!