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Old 05-04-2014, 01:12 AM
  # 41 (permalink)  
Gottalife
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
 
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,620
Originally Posted by LillianGish View Post
To be honest, I don't understand the definition of what you consider "a drunk." It's a perjorative term I think - slang name calling maybe? Is a drunk someone who drinks a lot? Well, all alcoholics do that. Can't stop? Yep, that's an alcoholic too. Alcohol turning your life into hell? Yep, check that box too.

Can you explain to me what differentiation you are trying to make between an alcoholic and a drunk....I'm not sure there is one. Dictionary says a drunk is a person who is drunk or drinks habitually to excess. That sounds like an alcoholic to me too.

Not really fond of the term "drunk." Kind of old school term for someone who chooses to drink his life away - someone will low character - village idiot. Whatcha getting at here? I doubt you are any of these things, and I'd really encourage you to be kinder to yourself.

I just know that for the longest time, I spent a lot of energy trying to talk myself out of being an alcoholic so I could keep drinking. I do know that alcohol took over my life for several years. And I wanted to get sober. Still not sure I'm an alcoholic in a medical definition way - but the answer didn't change my desire to stop.

And in the end, that's all that matters. I'm not special. Just a plain vanilla woman who needed to stop. And if anyone calls me a drunk, they are going to get a fat lip. So judgey.
The difference between and alcoholic and a drunk?

The drunk could quit if he would,
The alcoholic would quit if he could.

The OP seems to be asking whether he is a hard drinker, or alcoholic, and
the two things need to be treated differently. It is important to know what the problem is for that reason.

On this site you will see people with drinking problems that stem from all sorts of supposed causes. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcoholism, lifestyle choice etc. It may be not only ineffective but also dangerous, for example, to treat someone for alcoholism when the real problem is depression, and vice versa.

I would suggest the OP talk to some people with experience in this area, therapist, doctor, and investigate people with similar sounding problems, like AA, and try and find out exactly what the problem is.

Once the problem is clearly identified, we are in a much better position to consoder possible solutions.
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