When do you consider a person an alcoholic?

Question

Is it a problem when you're drinking everynight? Or just on weekends? Or go through a half a thing of brandy in two days?

Answer 1

Girl, I am so glad u asked this question because I've been dealing w/one of those for the majority of my life!! I don't drink just to say I've seen all types of people consume alcohol & I see them w/clear eyes; since I'm not in the moment.

For me to consider a person an alcholic its when that person have to have that drank regardless. They can't be without that drank despite; they'd go throught withdrawls sometimes by acting out (being mean, nasty, attidutee) because they are aigatated.
And, u asked if a person have to have a drink every night or go through a half thing of brandy in a couple days -yes, that person has a problem. Now just to drink every now & then may be more acceptable & responsible. You know? It shouldn't be apart of your regiment in life (to drank). It should be an occasionaly thing.

Answer 2

The amount you drink does not determine if you an alcoholic.
If you "use" alcohol as a crutch or you are always finding excuses to have a drink or even if you think you might be an alcoholic - you might very well be an alcoholic.
Try going with out alcohol for a month and see how often you think about alcohol. Go to an AA meeting to hear other people's stories.

http://ezinearticles.com/?You-Dont-Find-All-Drunks-in-the-Gutter:-The-Story-of-a-Functional-Alcoholic!&id=62697
You Don't Find All Drunks in the Gutter:
The Story of a Functional Alcoholic!
... When I first started to attend AA meetings I remember thinking that the stories these people were telling about their lives aren’t even close to the life I live. I only drink a little and I am very careful to monitor it so I can maintain my image in the community and the church I attend. These men and women are talking about horror stories in which they lost their jobs, families, savings and literally their self-respect. I would question my sponsor about the possibility that maybe I really wasn’t a drunk. Maybe it is just in my head, that perhaps I could drink. He would just laugh and say the mere fact that you have to think about is evidence enough. ...
As a functional alcoholic it wasn’t so much about how much I drank, I would do my best to control when I would take a drink or how much I thought I could safely drink and not get tagged as a drunk. ...
Eight years into recovery I don’t believe a day goes by that my head doesn’t try to tell me it is OK to have a drink, you probably weren’t an alcoholic anyway, it is not like they found you lying in the gutter. ...

Answer 3

I am soooo sad for you having to deal with this problem! Alcoholics can't have just one or two drinks, even if it is only once every six months. They will continue to drink until they are drunk, and not stop even then, and how their personality changes. There are happy drunks, but you know it is really serious when they become a totally different person. Argumentative, angry, bitter, abusive and just not what you know them to be when they are sober. There is nothing you can do to "save" them from themselves. Threatening to leave them only creates more heartache and fights, fighting back by hiding or emptying the bottles and preventing their access to the booze does no good. It is an addiciton, and you would be amazed at the lengths they will go to just to get it. Even the most lazy, non productive and non proactive person will find the most ingenious ways of getting to the booze. Tons of manipulation and lies. You become the enemy because you are coming between them and their greatest love. It is the only friend they have, one that is always there and can ease whatever issue they are trying to escape from in ways that only the booze can. There is no substitute. Fortunatly there is support for the rest of us who for whatever reason are voluntarily / involuntarily connected to an alcoholic. I would contact Alcoholics anonymous / alanon for different meetings in your area. Call your local hospital too, there are support programs in nearly every county across the US. My heart truely goes out to you, and whatever you do DONT BLAME YOURSELF! This person has made their choice to drink, and they are responsible for their own actions, not you.

Answer 4

When they not only drink often, but they NEED to drink. When it becomes an addiction. Alcoholism is a disease and the person is not able to control it. Alcoholics often will hide their drinking from their family and friends or lie about how much they drank.

Answer 5

Signs you're an alcoholic:

Miss work because you're too hungover.

You can't just have "a" drink, you drink til you're drunk.

Loss of memory due to excess drinking

Needing alcohol to function on a daily basis

Answer 6

when they NEED to drink not just want to. When they hide to some extent how much they drink... so many things really, it all comes down to an addiction, just lke any other addiction.

I was married to an alcaholic for many years....it sucks

Answer 7

I think it's a problem when a person doesn't carry on day to day gracefully. Also, if it seems as though you are always in the state of a hangover.

Answer 8

If your drinking starts to hurt yourself and others around you, then you've got a problem. If not, then cheers, I'll join you for an ice cold martini!

Answer 9

Drinking every night qualifies you! But when you got to have alcolhol is an alkkie!!

Answer 10

When it becomes a dependancy but in my personal opinion I say when they have theyre first black out