Carly2332

Isn't alcohol addictive in nature? Meaning, you don't have to be an alcoholic, for alcohol to make you want more? Isn't that the nature of alcohol? To make you want more? Not trying to justify my behavior, but I've noticed this. Like, once someone has one drink, it leads to more...

ExWinoMom

I do believe that alcohol is evil in that way, but I also believe that some people can have one and not want another. Most of the time that's not me.

Admiral

What does it even mean for something to be addicting by nature? I grew up being told that marijuana was safe and that it wasn't addicting, and yet I ended up being an every day user and could not regulate.

Seems that people measure the addictiveness of something based on the withdrawals that it can cause, which is just silly because that's only one aspect. Addiction is largely psychological, and any drug can fill that role.

zerothehero

Anything can be "addictive in nature" if you're an addict.

Dee74

My best friend can sit on one beer all night and probably tip most of it out.
To me, that's bizarre behaviour lol - but it's really not.

It's my relationship to alcohol that's bizarre...but I hung around hard drinkers and alcoholics so long that I thought of my kind of 'fall to the floor' drinking was 'normal'.

D

DoubleBarrel

Actually the notion that one drink leads to more is clearly addictive thinking.

Most people have a drink or two and have no interest in pursuing any more.

kflee

Alcohol can definitely have it effects on anyone. But it would be more plausible if more true than what it may look like. I had many friends that needed a beer after an 8 hour shift. But then go home to bed. And that was me, but with baileys in coffee every morning just to stop shaking, Peligrino water at lunch, but with 3 shots of vodka in that shimmering green Pelrigino bottle, wine at dinner, and of course a few cocktails with husband after long day of work. Both have a bad day, I take 3 shots for us, I would start drinking the vodka and using water as my chaser.
If you saw my actions you would agree I cannot drink.
I can see where your thoughts are coming from. Good question.

Carly2332

Sooo, what really makes someone an alcoholic? Is it psychological? Im trying to understand...I fit the criteria, but I really wanna know what differentiates an alky from normal people. Because Ive seen "normal" people act like alcoholics

Dee74

This is one of the best quotes I've seen about the difference:

“A man who drinks too much on occasion is still the same man as he was sober. An alcoholic, a real alcoholic, is not the same man at all. You can't predict anything about him for sure except that he will be someone you never met before.”

― Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

If the people you know or hang around with seem to act like alcoholics, maybe they are, Carly?

you wouldn't be the first alcoholic who surrounded themselves with like minded souls.

I surrounded myself with people for whom my level of drinking was no big deal.

But even most of them stopped went home and got up for work the next day.
I went home...and drank more.

D

instant

I think lab rats can get addicted to it. Presumablysome are more susceptible thsn others. I might look it up

kflee

I agree, I have realized I have an addictive personality because I very easily can attach to something, and when I do I give it my all and it becomes my life. I feel that at moment sobriety is filling that void. Both psychological as well as Physical. I puffed for few years and although never felt addicted, it sure was rough when i quit. I had to learn back my old social cues etc,..
As far as "being addictive by nature" it would seem like it just came natural to a person. It was part of lifestyle, in the home, accepted as the norm. The term seems knew to me, and it could be thought of in so many different ways.

DoubleBarrel

Check out the book Under the Influence. One of the best explanations of the physiology I've read all in one place.