What would be the difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic?

Question

Just a few weeks ago my family and I had dinner and a visitor that came over drank quite alot.. he drinks at least everyday quite heavily but he would still be sober. I was just wondering what would be the difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic. Do heavy drinkers drink for pleasure and for alcoholics drink because they depend on it? just wondering what your thoughts are =D

ohh I'm not worried about fixing his 'issue', he was just a friend of a friend and i'll never see him again.. he was on an overseas holiday.. it just got me curious on how you could define the difference between an alchoholic and a heavy drinker

Answer 1

Alcoholics drink to alter their moods. There is a fine line between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic. The person you describe as "sober" may in fact not be . . . he may always have a slight buzz on and drinks to maintain that mood. Quite possibly you may never have seen him sober. Alcoholics cannot stop ... they absolutely cannot stop ... they either drink continuously, or the binge drink ..."only on weekends", they have escalating consequences in their lives ...DWI's, divorce, etc., and need more and more alcohol to maintain their "buzz." Eventually they begin to suffer physical consequences . . . fatty liver, gastritis, etc.

Answer 2

You may start out as a drinker then for what ever reason you pick up the pace and next minute you already are a heavy drinker and then because you have been doing that everyday I'm sorry but I know that's an alcoholic. It may be pleasurable to start with or a crutch to lean on when you feel down and depressed and then you are alcoholic.

Because they are almost immune to it by this stage they can consume heaps but I have to wonder are they sober at any time during the 24hrs I think not?

My ex boyfriend drinks and ends up just passing out every night before tea and the evening begins or a bath
He lives and depends on it he said he was happy but a happy man doesn't drink like that I couldn't cope and he would never call himself an alcoholic or allow any one else to call him one.

Answer 3

A heavy drinker knows when to stop. Alcoholics don't. In fact alcoholics will almost always drink alone first thing in the morning whereas heavy drinkers will usually drink socially with their friends.

Answer 4

well i think an alcoholic person drinks because he or she depends on it.... its sort like a drug addict
and a heavy drinker drinks a lot and if continues to do so can eventually be an alcoholic later

Answer 5

a heavy drinker is someone who drinks a lot but is not dependant......an alcoholic however is dependant and needs to drink on a regular basis wether its one or ten or fifty drinks

Answer 6

Eat a plastic spoonful of organic honey instead of having a drink. Any excess alcohol can be destructive.
Take kelp tablets and add bee pollen to the organic honey, these will supply all the vitamins, minerals & amino acids to satisfy the mind and body. Instead of craving alcohol.

Answer 7

Yes, you've basically got it right. Alcoholics drink to escape from the reality of their problems and feel that they depend on it.

Answer 8

pretty fine line.

drink for pleasure? people drink for million reasons

alcoholic are addicted tho. heavy drinkers should be able to be soiber for long time without going nuts, sometimes hd become alcohilics. my dad was close

Answer 9

the difference is a heavy drinker is one who don't need it
and a alcoholic is some one who can't do with out it.

Answer 10

I think either would be hard on the organs that have to process the toxins involved. The organs have to last along time, I wish I hadn't shorten the lifespans of my organs.