So, when *are* you alcoholic?
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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So, when *are* you alcoholic?
I am definitely acquainted with alcoholism. There was a period of 2 months in my life at age 20 where I was drunk nearly all the time (no kidding...I'm ashamed about it and at the time became quite famous for it.) I completely recovered right after that, but there are still some weird things that happened to me at the time that I haven't sorted out yet.
In my opinion, being alcoholic is not at all the same as being a heavy drinker. I've been both, and I can tell you, there is an enormous difference in how they affect your life. Basically, I think there's a very simple way to tell whether you are an alcoholic:
You have to be drunk to feel normal.
A mere "heavy drinker," on the other hand, is someone who is sober most of the time, despite heavy drinking sessions and (probably) does not get drunk every day.
I signed up with this board because I recently began drinking a lot to mediate the crappy feeling of having the flu, and I'm very scared of a relapse because this stuff is addicting. I'm going to keep visiting this forum and trying to ward off a relapse, but I just wanted to know whether you guys would agree with this definition of alcoholism.
Thanks for reading!
In my opinion, being alcoholic is not at all the same as being a heavy drinker. I've been both, and I can tell you, there is an enormous difference in how they affect your life. Basically, I think there's a very simple way to tell whether you are an alcoholic:
You have to be drunk to feel normal.
A mere "heavy drinker," on the other hand, is someone who is sober most of the time, despite heavy drinking sessions and (probably) does not get drunk every day.
I signed up with this board because I recently began drinking a lot to mediate the crappy feeling of having the flu, and I'm very scared of a relapse because this stuff is addicting. I'm going to keep visiting this forum and trying to ward off a relapse, but I just wanted to know whether you guys would agree with this definition of alcoholism.
Thanks for reading!
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Here is the best definatition I have been able to find yet.
Alcohol Dependence Syndrome
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
Types of Alcohol Problems
Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous.
Binge DrinkingOfficially, binge drinking means having five or more drinks in one session for men and four or more for women. Another definition for binge drinking is simply drinking to get drunk. It is the most common drinking problem for young people, under age 21.
• Binge Drinkers Have Highest Risk of Injury
• Heavy Drinking Dangers
• Brief Intervention Effective for Binge Drinkers
Alcohol Abuse
Binge drinking turns into alcohol abuse when someone's drinking begins to cause problems and the drinking continues anyway.
Alcohol abuse is when someone continues to drink in spite of continued social, interpersonal or legal difficulties. Alcohol abuse can result in missing time at school or work, neglecting child or household responsibilities or trouble with the law.
Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms
Alcohol Dependence Syndrome
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
Types of Alcohol Problems
Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous.
Binge DrinkingOfficially, binge drinking means having five or more drinks in one session for men and four or more for women. Another definition for binge drinking is simply drinking to get drunk. It is the most common drinking problem for young people, under age 21.
• Binge Drinkers Have Highest Risk of Injury
• Heavy Drinking Dangers
• Brief Intervention Effective for Binge Drinkers
Alcohol Abuse
Binge drinking turns into alcohol abuse when someone's drinking begins to cause problems and the drinking continues anyway.
Alcohol abuse is when someone continues to drink in spite of continued social, interpersonal or legal difficulties. Alcohol abuse can result in missing time at school or work, neglecting child or household responsibilities or trouble with the law.
Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,697
Well I do know the AA opinion (the book opinion) on heavy drinking vs alcoholic.
The alcoholic cannot stop or moderate - that is the deal breaker.
It on page 20 of the fourth edition of the book. (Toward the bottom - last paragraph) into page 21.
The alcoholic cannot stop or moderate - that is the deal breaker.
It on page 20 of the fourth edition of the book. (Toward the bottom - last paragraph) into page 21.
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 558
Hi MarcelSchlutt, I think that the only person who can really decide whether or not they're alcoholic is the person themselves. I am an alcoholic and when I was younger I think I drank to feel normal. As I got older I felt more normal not drinking but was still an alcoholic. For me, the main thing is that if I have one drink I want more and will continue to drink until I fall asleep or unconscious. Of course I believe there is a lot more to it than that, at least for me anyway, such as the obsession, the fact that it is 'cunning, baffling and powerful' for a lot of reasons including the fact that sometimes I can drink and only have one or two. But that never lasts. Eventually I will go back to drinking as much as I am able to in one session. Thats my experience anyway. Hope things work out well for you and you find the answers you're looking for.
Another Day in Paradise
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Upland, CA
Posts: 900
I have always liked this definition of an alcoholism, FOR MYSELF that is; Alcoholisim became that for this fellow, when it interfered with my life.
It seems that those people with whom I associate that drink and live lives free from interference by alcohol don't worry about their drinking and therefore don't "seem" to have a problem with alcohol.
When I drink, it interfers with my life. Based on my own experiences I have decided that I AM AN ALCOHOLIC and as such decided that drinking was not in my best interest. For the past several years it feels like I made a good choice.
Don't know about the rest of the world.
Jon
It seems that those people with whom I associate that drink and live lives free from interference by alcohol don't worry about their drinking and therefore don't "seem" to have a problem with alcohol.
When I drink, it interfers with my life. Based on my own experiences I have decided that I AM AN ALCOHOLIC and as such decided that drinking was not in my best interest. For the past several years it feels like I made a good choice.
Don't know about the rest of the world.
Jon
Anxiety King
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 403
Hard to say (with the many opinions out there)
By Nandm's definitions post, I'd be considered an alcohol abuser. Which until recently, I'd agree with (I had a pretty narrow definition of what an alcoholic was). When I finally admitted to myself that once I have that first drink, there's a pretty good chance that I'm not going to stop until I'm out of booze, money, or the bar is closing is when I realized that I was probably an alcoholic.
By Nandm's definitions post, I'd be considered an alcohol abuser. Which until recently, I'd agree with (I had a pretty narrow definition of what an alcoholic was). When I finally admitted to myself that once I have that first drink, there's a pretty good chance that I'm not going to stop until I'm out of booze, money, or the bar is closing is when I realized that I was probably an alcoholic.
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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I almost didn't agree with nandm's defination. I was sitting here and said if thats true I'm no alcoholic! I'm just a Binge Drinker at best. I've never been in legal trouble or lost anything to drinking other than my pride. I say to myself, well if I'm not an alcoholic then why not stop this silly "Im not drinking game."
Then I went back and read it again.... "Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms"
I can't disagree with that. Thats been my problem from DAY 1.
Then I went back and read it again.... "Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms"
I can't disagree with that. Thats been my problem from DAY 1.
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Thanks CD for taking a moment to reread the post. I do appreciate it and do see where it could be misunderstood. I should have highlighted the following part of it which explains that all of the stages are considered part of alcoholism with the most severe stage being dependency. I highlighted it in red here but in the future will highlight it as well. I think it would help to prevent the post from being misunderstood. Thank you for pointing out to me that it could be misunderstood. I really appreciate it.
Originally Posted by nandm 
Alcohol Dependence Syndrome
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
The term "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 21
Whether you a normal drinker or a heavy drinker, the fact still remains that alcohol does a lot of harm to the drinker. We may argue all day about the definition of alcoholism, but let us remember that staying away from it is good for us personally, our family and all that are around us.
Anxiety King
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 403
Originally Posted by nandm
Thanks CD for taking a moment to reread the post. I do appreciate it and do see where it could be misunderstood. I should have highlighted the following part of it which explains that all of the stages are considered part of alcoholism with the most severe stage being dependency. I highlighted it in red here but in the future will highlight it as well. I think it would help to prevent the post from being misunderstood. Thank you for pointing out to me that it could be misunderstood. I really appreciate it.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Interesting............... A lot of stuff in the BB nail it for me:
I will not eat up any more disk space at SR, I am in the BB, I am an alcoholic of the hopeless variety.
Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks-drinks which they see others taking with impunity. After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.
Men have cried out to me in sincere and despairing appeal: "Doctor, I cannot go on like this! I have everything to live for! I must stop, but I cannot! You must help me!"
These men were not drinking to escape; they were drinking to overcome a craving beyond their mental control.
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 2,391
Already there have some wonderful posts.
When I tried to control my drinking I knew I was an alcoholic. When I tried to control my using, I knew I was an addict.
That was what defined it for me. It is different for so many and can only be decided by you (general term).
Welcome to SR.
When I tried to control my drinking I knew I was an alcoholic. When I tried to control my using, I knew I was an addict.
That was what defined it for me. It is different for so many and can only be decided by you (general term).
Welcome to SR.
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