We say the alcoholic is someone whose drinking causes a continuing problem in any department of his or her life. The assumption is that the person who drinks too much on occasions, if it develops into a problem, will not want the problem and will, therefore, take action about it because of the problem. They either cut down their drinking, or they will cut it out for a while. The alcoholic would like to do the same thing, but the alcoholic is totally unable; This is the nature of alcoholism.
I like this definition the best so far instead of how much we drank, how often, etc. The part of that I don't agree with is "it is impossible for the alcoholic to cut down on his or her drinking."
That statement should be changed to read "on his or her drinking permanently."
I guarantee you in my drinking days, if someone threatened to take away my supply unless I cut back, I would cut back. I might even be able to do it for quite a while, white knuckling it. But I could not do it for good.
As for the three drinks a day for six months.....holy cow. I think that person might qualify as an alcoholic right there.....3 drinks every day....."normal" people would never be able to handle that. In fact, after six months that might make you dependent on booze if you weren't before.