Laurie6781:
Thanks for sharing that. I read your story when I first came to SR and it really had an impact on me. It was one of those stories that I just thought about over and over again when I first realized that I was killing myself with alcohol.
This discussion is always interesting because well, it is important. Some people who come to SR are heavy drinkers and not alcoholics. Heavy drinkers come and go here because they really don't need a program. But alcoholics, yeah, most of us need something: a program, help, support, whatever.
Semantics? Not really an issue unless it is the case of someone not recognizing their own drinking problem. You can find and use any word for it, but it boils down to rather simple stuff.
Do you drink abnormally? Can you not stop drinking after that first glass? Do you have all the signs of alcoholism? Well, then, you are probably an alcoholic.