Sarowyn

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse? I'm curious to know where in the spectrum I fall.

thomas11

I am of the opinion that they go hand in hand. If one abuses alcohol it would be fairly safe to assume they are an alcoholic. Folks who are not alcoholics don't abuse alcohol. In fact they rarely think about it.

MLD51

I don't think there's a definitive answer to that. But one indicator of alcoholism is that when you start drinking, even if you only intend to have one or two, you find yourself almost always drinking to intoxication - in other words, your shut-off switch stops working. Another indicator is drinking to excess even when you have important things to do that day, or the next. Also, if drinking is starting to cause problems in your life and you realize that, but you can't easily stop drinking. For me, these were the strong indicators that it had gone beyond mere alcohol abuse.

miamifella

Is there a difference? Does it matter?

Anna

I think they are simply labels. Does alcohol cause problems in your life? Then stopping drinking is the answer.

doggonecarl

With there being no definitive test, and with the alcoholic's ability to deny the depth of their problem or the extent of their drinking, I'm not sure you'll find the answer.

Or why it matters. I read your initial post. Alcohol is affecting your life negatively. Quitting, for good, is the solution. You know that, but struggle to stay quit. That's a problem. Hopefully we can help you overcome it.

Maudcat

There was a recent article--New York Times--that provides a detailed explanation of alcohol dependency and how it manifests. Someone on this site posted it recently. Good luck.

Forward12

Generally speaking alcoholics need to drink every day, or most every day. It consumes your life and pretty much the only thing that matters in the world.
Problem drinkers may be weekend warriors, can go weeks, sometimes months without drinking, but when they do drink, can not control themselves and drink themselves into oblivion.

totfit

Loss of control is what defines it as far as I am concerned. It is whether the choice as to how much and when you drink no longer works for you.

Sarowyn

Ty for the replies.
And yes, it does matter to me!

ReadyAtLast

I don't like labels or see the need for them. How I compare to others or where I am compared to others isn't relevant or helpful. When I did that it was " oh I'm not as bad as her. I'm fine really " and kept drinking.

Drinking causes me problems and my life is a whole lot better without it. I need to focus my energies in sobriety not the whys and wherefores. That's what truly matters to me

january161992

never cared

when i had enough pain to become willing i went to aa and got help

God bless

BrendaChenowyth

This answers those kinds of questions.

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

miamifella

I guess I should have said more specifically, what would be different depending on what end of the spectrum you are on? How would it affect what action you take?

I ask this because there does not seem to be much difference between the two...it seems like such a narrow spectrum. It is like distinguishing between a scrape and a scratch--the treatment is pretty much the same for either.

FreeOwl

In my experience, the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism was time, practice and denial.

Eventually, with enough of each, there was no longer a difference.

Gottalife

It is an important question as it is very difficult to fix something if you don't know exactly what the problem is. For problem drinkers and alcoholics the solution may be different. Problem drinkers may have choices like stop altogether, or moderate. Moderation does not work for alcoholics. Abstinence is the only answer.

As a chronic alcoholic I lost control and the power of choice in alcohol. My school mates who drank like I did for a couple of years, grew out of it. They became interested in other things, and moderated or stopped their drinking without any problems.

Alcohol comes in bottles, alcoholism comes in people. When my school mates stopped drinking, any related problems they had just stopped. As a sufferer of alcoholism, when I stopped, or tried to stop, things just got worse. Stopping drinking seemed to bring out the alcoholism.

For alcoholics of my type, stopping drinking is just the start, and a lot more needs to be done to create a lasting and worthwhile recovery.

Dee74

Hi and welcome Sarowyn

In answer to your question, like others have said, I think if your drinking is causing you problems the only effective solution is to stop.

One thing I can guarantee is things don't get better if you continue drinking.

D

Dee74

There are lots of binge drinkers who identify as alcoholics. I was one of them

I started as a binger and ended up 20 years later an all day everyday drinker.

Looking back, I consider I was the same kind of drinker throughout - I just has more opportunity to drink when I didn't have to get up for work anymore.

D

Berrybean

Feel free to use whichever terminology you feel most comfortable with. It'll save a whole load of time procrastinating when you could be getting on with the solution rather than mulling the problem over and over and over ad infinitum.

If you decide that you come under Alcoholism, the answer is simple (if not easy), and that answer is to stop drinking and get a recovery plan together and work it. Dee's thread has some great links and information ... http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...y-plans-1.html

If you decide that you come under Alcohol Abuse, the answer is simple (if not easy), and that answer is to stop drinking and get a recovery plan together and work it. Dee's thread has some great links and information ... http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...y-plans-1.html

Wishing you all the best for your recovery. BB

uncorked

I don't like the label "alcoholic." The rehab I went to didn't use it, either. Like many people said, if alcohol is creating problems in your life, then get it out of your life. Doesn't really matter what you call yourself.