A question about alcoholism?

Question

My dad was an alcoholic so I know what it is and what it isn't. Alcoholism is when alcohol ruins your life and damages your relationships. But is it a problem when someone:

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

This person is not an alcoholic. There is no dependancy and no negative effects on their life so far. But I am worried about the habit. What do you think?

Answer 1

There are two types of diagnoses one can be given in regards to alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse and Alcohol dependance. The first, more often than not, leads to the other. You can look up the official guidlines in a book called the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for psychiatric disorders) which includes Alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Just in case "this person" is you, keep in mind that family history plays a significant role and that if your Father is an alcoholic then you have a much greater chance of becoming an alcoholic as well.

Answer 2

I think there are such things as drinking problems that aren't necessarily addiction problems.

Alcoholism isn't defined by negative effects on a person's life. Generally speaking, alcoholics DO have negative effects over time, but someone who has a drinking problem and is not addicted can still have negative effects from drinking. That doesn't make them alcoholic.

If this person were to have a beer or two after work several times a week, I don't think that's a problem...and I don't think having a drink while they're alone and say...working on a project or cleaning the house is an issue either. If that person sits down with a hard drink, all alone on a regular basis...that could be a problem.

If this person drinks too much when they're out with friends, it could be that they aren't mature enough to handle that, and they still think going to a bar means you HAVE to get hammered. That person may not be an alcoholic, but they have a drinking problem. Some people think they can't have fun unless they're drinking.

Answer 3

You said this person :

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

These are some of the warning signs of an alcoholic. This person DOES have a drinking problem, and needs to face that fact and get some help Irecomend that you seek professional help

Answer 4

You said this person :

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

These are some of the RED FLAGS of an alcoholic. This person DOES have a drinking problem, and needs to face that fact and get some help.

Answer 5

My dad was a functional alcoholic, meaning he was able to keep his job for over 30 years without getting in trouble with it at work. When I am with someone and there is alcohol being consumed, I will count the number of drinks a person has. Especially if it is a drink that has a lot of alcohol in it like Rum or Whiskey or Vodka. No one knows that I am keeping track of what they are doing. But I keep track of how often a person drinks, rather or not they get drunk even if it doesn't show easily, how often they get drunk and if they get drunk I watch what kind of drunk do they become. Any of those signs to me will have me questioning rather or not the person has a drinking problem. Also, I look at rather or not the person has to have a drink in the morning "to get the day started". Anyone who has to have a drink to get the day started is the biggest red flag I look for.

Answer 6

The problem with continually drinking is that it will become a problem sooner or later. Alcohol is addicting. Alcoholism is the disease caused by continually drinking. It takes brain cells and kills them. Drinking several times a week is still alcoholism. Just not to the extreme that most people picture. It is best to keep away from it. Or only have an occasional one here and there.

Answer 7

Alcoholism can be in varying degrees, and can be displayed in various forms. And it could be that your friend is not an alcoholic (yet) but DOES have a drinking problem.

I have known several alcoholics in my life...and each one is very different from the other, yet the same. I knew one person who could go several weeks without a drop of alcohol, and then go out one evening and drink incredible amounts of booze. This person was what I refer to as a binge drinker.

In my opinion (and it only an opinion) anytime a person uses alcohol as a crutch for any reason: to be liked, to calm nerves, to relax, etc it is a red flag to step back and really look at the issue.

Answer 8

Back in college my boyfriend and now husband, accused me of being an alcoholic because his father is. I put down my drink and told him I would not have another for 1 year and I didn't.

That was 27 years ago and I still haven't had another drink. But every now and then I become worried about him. He likes his beer and in the winter his Bourbon. When I become concerned I say something to him and he stops for months and months. He never gets hammered but it still concerns me at times.

If I were you I would sit this person down and have a talk with them. If they become agitated and angry about your concerns then they may have a problem. If they say o.k. I'll stop drinking for a while, then chances are they don't have a problem.

My father in law never seemed drunk and no one ever knew he was drunk. My husband was totally shocked when his dad checked himself in to a detox center. He never had a D.U.I. or anything. He ran a very successfully business.

And no, when my husband says he isn't drinking for months I know he is telling the truth, because if you never drink and someone around you does, you can smell it a mile away.

Answer 9

I'm sorry to disagree, but I think your friend is an alcoholic. This person does not know when to stop, they go beyond social drinking. they drink alone and drink often....these are classic symptoms of alcoholism. And you say there are no negative effects so far. So far! All it takes is one time driving drunk to kill an innocent person. Now is the time for them to seek knowledge and help, before they ruin their future and the futures of others.

Answer 10

Sorry honey but this person is an alcoholic, they sound very depended on it here educate yourself:

Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in American society. It acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, affecting the areas of the brain that control speech, intellectual function, mood and emotion, and muscular coordination. Small quantities cause feeling of well-being and relaxation. Larger quantities, however, can cause intoxication, sedation, unconsciousness, and even death with very large doses.

Alcohol has a number of side effects, even in low to moderate levels. It reduces sensitivity to pain, taste, and odor; it impairs vision, decreases attention and memory, interferes with REM sleep, and reduces sexual performance (although the drinker may feel less inhibited or anxious in sexual situations). Long term physical effects include: damage to vital organs (such as liver, heart, pancreas and brain), cancer, gastrointestinal irritation, malnutrition, sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure, and lowered resistance to disease.

In addition to the direct physical effects, many serious indirect dangers - often worse than the direct physical effects -- result from use of alcohol. Alcohol is a factor in about 40% of the fatal automobile accidents in the U.S. every year. It also contributes to risky sexual behavior (including chance of getting AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases) by interfering with the drinker's judgment, loosening inhibitions, and reducing ability to communicate clearly. For pregnant women, alcohol can severely damage the unborn fetus, resulting in stillbirth, premature birth, miscarriage, or children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (Currently, no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women has been determined.) Alcohol also plays a major role in many types of violent crime. One congressional report states that alcohol is a major factor in 68% of manslaughters, 62% of assaults, 54% of murders and attempted murders, 48% or robberies, and 44% of burglaries.

Alcohol is addictive, although the rate at which people become addicted can vary greatly. Some people lose control over their drinking very soon after getting started. Others become dependent only gradually - sometimes so gradually that they don't realize it's happening. The factors that cause addiction are not completely understood. Addiction seems to occur more quickly, however, among certain groups of people, including young people and women.