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Define Alcoholic


IhavenoFREAKINclue

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I would say it's someone who MOSTLY drinks to get drunk. Normal drinkers don't aim for that goal.

 

Also, I would say it's anyone who even has the thought in their head that they overdo it too often.

 

Another red flag would be if you've told yourself many times that you'll only have, say two and you end up going over your limit. A person with no problem would easily be able to stick to the limit they've set for themselves more often than not.

 

Other things come to mind, but I'd say those are the main ones as I see it.

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I would say it's someone who MOSTLY drinks to get drunk. Normal drinkers don't aim for that goal.

 

Also, I would say it's anyone who even has the thought in their head that they overdo it too often.

 

Another red flag would be if you've told yourself many times that you'll only have, say two and you end up going over your limit. A person with no problem would easily be able to stick to the limit they've set for themselves more often than not.

 

Other things come to mind, but I'd say those are the main ones as I see it.

 

 

Very good observations, Touche.

 

Also, do most alcoholics drink to the point of blacking out?

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Yes, A but there are many who CAN go longer than a day or even for days and WEEKS or longer who are still alcoholics. I think it has more to do with HOW you drink than how often you drink.

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Very good observations, Touche.

 

Also, do most alcoholics drink to the point of blacking out?

 

Thanks, grace.

 

I don't know about that. Many DON'T black out but are still alcoholics. And some only blackout once in a blue moon.

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Yes, A but there are many who CAN go longer than a day or even for days and WEEKS or longer who are still alcoholics. I think it has more to do with HOW you drink than how often you drink.

 

I don't know if I agree with that. I mean you could snort coke once a month or less and still be a drug addict?

 

I don't do that but I would not consider a recreational user an addict, but a person that snorts so much coke each time that they go into a seizure probably has a problem even tho use is infrequent. Drug abuser - alcohol abuse?

 

If I go out to drink it usually is to catch a buzz with friends. Rare happening but I do end up tipsy and don't care if I do. I rarely drink at home, no desire.

 

So I am a infrequent social alcoholic?

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I don't know if I agree with that. I mean you could snort coke once a month or less and still be a drug addict?

 

I don't do that but I would not consider a recreational user an addict, but a person that snorts so much coke each time that they go into a seizure probably has a problem even tho use is infrequent. Drug abuser - alcohol abuse?

 

If I go out to drink it usually is to catch a buzz with friends. Rare happening but I do end up tipsy and don't care if I do. I rarely drink at home, no desire.

 

So I am a infrequent social alcoholic?

 

No, I would not consider the person who does coke the way you first described to be an addict. But if that same person did coke once a month but DID snort so much that they'd have a seizure then YES, that person WOULD be an addict in my book.

 

See what I'm saying then. It's not the frequency necessarily that makes one an addict or an alcoholic.

 

As for you, no. Catching a buzz and getting DRUNK are two different things. Also the fact that you rarely drink at home says a lot.

 

Here are list of questions AA uses to help you decide if you're an alcoholic. I think they're very valid. If you can answer 4 or more with a "yes" then you more than likely DO have an alcohol problem and are an alcoholic.

 

1 - Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but only lasted for a couple of days?

Most of us in A.A. made all kinds of promises to ourselves and to our families. We could not keep them. Then we came to A.A. A.A. said: "Just try not to drink today." (If you do not drink today, you cannot get drunk today.)

 

2 - Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking-- stop telling you what to do?

In A.A. we do not tell anyone to do anything. We just talk about our own drinking, the trouble we got into, and how we stopped. We will be glad to help you, if you want us to.

 

3 - Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk?

We tried all kinds of ways. We made our drinks weak. Or just drank beer. Or we did not drink cocktails. Or only drank on weekends. You name it, we tried it. But if we drank anything with alcohol in it, we usually got drunk eventually.

 

4 - Have you had to have an eye-opener upon awakening during the past year?

Do you need a drink to get started, or to stop shaking? This is a pretty sure sign that you are not drinking "socially."

 

5 - Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?

At one time or another, most of us have wondered why we were not like most people, who really can take it or leave it.

 

6 - Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?

Be honest! Doctors say that if you have a problem with alcohol and keep on drinking, it will get worse -- never better. Eventually, you will die, or end up in an institution for the rest of your life. The only hope is to stop drinking.

 

7 - Has your drinking caused trouble at home?

Before we came into A.A., most of us said that it was the people or problems at home that made us drink. We could not see that our drinking just made everything worse. It never solved problems anywhere or anytime.

 

8 - Do you ever try to get "extra" drinks at a party because you do not get enough?

Most of us used to have a "few" before we started out if we thought it was going to be that kind of party. And if drinks were not served fast enough, we would go some place else to get more.

 

9 - Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk when you don't mean to?

Many of us kidded ourselves into thinking that we drank because we wanted to. After we came into A.A., we found out that once we started to drink, we couldn't stop.

 

10 - Have you missed days of work or school because of drinking?

Many of us admit now that we "called in sick" lots of times when the truth was that we were hung-over or on a drunk.

 

11 - Do you have "blackouts"?

A "blackout" is when we have been drinking hours or days which we cannot remember. When we came to A.A., we found out that this is a pretty sure sign of alcoholic drinking.

 

12 - Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink?

Many of us started to drink because drinking made life seem better, at least for a while. By the time we got into A.A., we felt trapped. We were drinking to live and living to drink. We were sick and tired of being sick and tired.

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I don't know if I agree with that. I mean you could snort coke once a month or less and still be a drug addict?

 

Unfortunately, alcoholics don't need to drink every day. In fact, many of them go on 3-4-5 day binges and have to stop drinking for a day or two while they pass out. That was my habitual drinking pattern. I don't want anyone who reads this to get the idea that just because they don't drink every day, they aren't an alcoholic. That's dangerous.

 

Drug abuser - alcohol abuse?

 

The two drugs are different, so their use is different. Believe me. I was addicted to cocaine, for a long time. And I had a job, had friends, people who had no idea I used. I would go for a week without doing coke but the thought of doing it would consume my mind. I would fantasize about the taste of bourbon.

 

Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholic's normal personal, family, social, or work life.

 

If you drink, and it doesn't interfere with your life in some way, you are not an alcoholic. I have no idea why people seem so eager to label themselves with this. It sucks to be an alcoholic. The only thing good about it is that now I know that I can never drink again.

 

I've tried. I fell off the wagon in europe and almost lost my effing teeth. and got into an altercation with a russian prostitute. Don't ask.

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The two drugs are different, so their use is different. Believe me. I was addicted to cocaine, for a long time. And I had a job, had friends, people who had no idea I used. I would go for a week without doing coke but the thought of doing it would consume my mind. I would fantasize about the taste of bourbon.

 

Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholic's normal personal, family, social, or work life.

 

 

.

 

Yes but there are functioning alcoholics as well. 3 beers every night or those 3 glasses of wine.???

 

I guess I am not an alcoholic or drug addict.

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I know you said "Don't ask" but I'd LOVE to hear about the altercation with the Russion prostitue!:p

 

Anyway, I totally agree with you BO. I too am afraid that people will think that if they don't drink every day they're not an alcoholic. That's why I've stressed that as far as I'm concerned HOW you drink is a MUCH better indicator of whether you have a problem than how OFTEN.

 

I mean, I've known people who DO drink every day who are NOT alcoholics. Say they'll have a wine with dinner. Is that an alcoholic? No, of course not.

 

So it's just not a good indicator. Sorry to disagree with you on that A but it's the truth.

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Yes but there are functioning alcoholics as well. 3 beers every night or those 3 glasses of wine.???

 

I guess I am not an alcoholic or drug addict.

 

Yes, there ARE functioning alcoholics. But they are still alcoholics and more than likely, at some time or another, those three drinks will NOT be enough. They will need more and more to produce the same effect.

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I know you said "Don't ask" but I'd LOVE to hear about the altercation with the Russion prostitue!:p

 

Anyway, I totally agree with you BO. I too am afraid that people will think that if they don't drink every day they're not an alcoholic. That's why I've stressed that as far as I'm concerned HOW you drink is a MUCH better indicator of whether you have a problem than how OFTEN.

 

I mean, I've known people who DO drink every day who are NOT alcoholics. Say they'll have a wine with dinner. Is that an alcoholic? No, of course not.

 

So it's just not a good indicator. Sorry to disagree with you on that A but it's the truth.

 

 

 

 

I don't think you can put a label of alcoholic on a person that gets really drunk or tipsy a couple of times a year or maybe on Friday nights 2x per month. I do think desire and need are more a definition of being an alcoholic.

 

If you desire/need that one glass of wine with dinner to just take the edge off might be an alcholic if it is daily.

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Yes but there are functioning alcoholics as well. 3 beers every night or those 3 glasses of wine.???

 

I guess I am not an alcoholic or drug addict.

 

A functioning alcoholic is able to maintain certain aspects of their life, but never all of them. Their interpersonal relationships tend to suffer from their alcohol abuse. I think the whole term "functional alcoholic" is pretty bogus. That's JMO though....

 

Like the functional alcoholic still works -- to earn money to buy booze, though. They still socialize -- but only when alcohol is involved. They go about their day and manage things (usually in a generally crappy manner, but whatever) -- but they need their buzz at the end of the day, or on tuesdays and thursdays at the bar, and they plan their life around, and look forward to, being drunk. I think the key is -- they plan their life around alcohol consumption.

 

Normal people, who aren't addicts, don't take steps to clear their schedule every evening to give themselves time to get wasted.

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A functioning alcoholic is able to maintain certain aspects of their life, but never all of them. Their interpersonal relationships tend to suffer from their alcohol abuse. I think the whole term "functional alcoholic" is pretty bogus. That's JMO though....

 

Like the functional alcoholic still works -- to earn money to buy booze, though. They still socialize -- but only when alcohol is involved. They go about their day and manage things (usually in a generally crappy manner, but whatever) -- but they need their buzz at the end of the day, or on tuesdays and thursdays at the bar, and they plan their life around, and look forward to, being drunk. I think the key is -- they plan their life around alcohol consumption.

 

Normal people, who aren't addicts, don't take steps to clear their schedule every evening to give themselves time to get wasted.

 

 

So a guy that comes home every night after work and has 5-6 beers but still does the normal kids activities, dinner, mow the lawn with beer in hand is not an alcoholic? Does not pass out, does not puke, does not slur, but never goes without a beer after work and on the weekends is not an alcoholic? Because his life does not stop for the consumption of beer, or making time for the drinking?

 

Would this not be considered a functioning alcoholic?

 

The guy I am talking about is loaded with bucks, even has a friggin keg frig and tap in his house :lmao:

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I don't think you can put a label of alcoholic on a person that gets really drunk or tipsy a couple of times a year or maybe on Friday nights 2x per month. I do think desire and need are more a definition of being an alcoholic.

 

If you desire/need that one glass of wine with dinner to just take the edge off might be an alcholic if it is daily.

 

Yes, I agree with you BUT if their desire and NEED is to get drink twice a month then, I'd say there IS a problem. It may not be full-blown alcoholism, I believe there are degrees of it but it's absolutely a red flag for a potential problem if it's not already. Maybe I'd call that persona a "problem drinker" and not an alcoholic.

 

And I don't agree that if a person only has ONE glass of wine every day that they're an alcoholic. Even if they NEED and WANT that glass of wine. They're not drinking to get DRUNK. And if you asked them to stop for a month they'd probably miss it but they could do it with NO problem.

 

And alcoholic would have a tough time, if they could even do it at all.

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IhavenoFREAKINclue

Interesting....Many Different opinions...I need a little more before I tell you why I made this thread

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So a guy that comes home every night after work and has 5-6 beers but still does the normal kids activities, dinner, mow the lawn with beer in hand is not an alcoholic? Does not pass out, does not puke, does not slur, but never goes without a beer after work and on the weekends is not an alcoholic? Because his life does not stop for the consumption of beer, or making time for the drinking?

 

Would this not be considered a functioning alcoholic?

 

The guy I am talking about is loaded with bucks, even has a friggin keg frig and tap in his house :lmao:

 

I guess the question there would be does he look forward to the evening beers? Can he go without beer and be ok. Or would it be a travisty if he couldn't have his evening beers?

 

I would consider that a funcioning alcoholic. My mom is one. She works, gardens, socializes, plays with her grandchild but never never take awway her evening bottle of wine.

 

She drinks 4-10 glasses of wine depending on the night every night. I can't tell really I call it the ever full wine glass trick.

 

She literally can not go without it. But you would never be able to tell she is an alcoholic form the outside looking in.

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Yes, I agree with you BUT if their desire and NEED is to get drink twice a month then, I'd say there IS a problem. It may not be full-blown alcoholism, I believe there are degrees of it but it's absolutely a red flag for a potential problem if it's not already. Maybe I'd call that persona a "problem drinker" and not an alcoholic.

Binge drinking is definitely an indicator that there could be a problem, it is after all still a form of substance abuse. It could also set you up for problems later in life. Continental Europeans (at least the western countries) seem to have a much more mature attitude about alcohol & interestingly enough are not so restrictive about it. Sadly though there is evidence now coming out of France that the culture of binge drinking seems to be spreading across the channel from the UK. Maybe it's all those ex-pats in Dordogneshire?

 

Far be for me to speak for everybody, but I think many of us have probably been there at some point in our lives, usually when we're young & testing our limits. Jeez, I know I drank loads in my late teens & early 20s!

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Yes, I agree with you BUT if their desire and NEED is to get drink twice a month then, I'd say there IS a problem. It may not be full-blown alcoholism, I believe there are degrees of it but it's absolutely a red flag for a potential problem if it's not already. Maybe I'd call that persona a "problem drinker" and not an alcoholic.

 

And I don't agree that if a person only has ONE glass of wine every day that they're an alcoholic. Even if they NEED and WANT that glass of wine. They're not drinking to get DRUNK. And if you asked them to stop for a month they'd probably miss it but they could do it with NO problem.

 

And alcoholic would have a tough time, if they could even do it at all.

 

I guess again I do not fit this as I could take it or leave it. On occassion I may feel like the desire to drink but I don't get upset if it is not available or I cannot do so. But I may go out once a month and usually end up tipsy.

 

"Let's go out and have a couple drinks".... desire is there, I am aware I will become tipsy probably as people buy us drinks where we go, I am not drinking just for the flavor, I am aware that the point is to just relax and have some fun socially.

 

Now at other times I will be asked out for cocktails and just not feel like it.

 

So what label fits here?

 

Infrequent drinker that likes to get tipsy? :confused:

 

BTW I made myself a drink at home last night, rare thing to do. I had half, then the ice melted and I tossed it..... did not feel like another.

 

But I am the kinda person that could snort coke 2x per year and never think about doing it between those times..... same goes for pot.

 

I don't think occassional drunkeness or use makes one an addict or alcoholic IMHO.

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IhavenoFREAKINclue
I would consider that a funcioning alcoholic. My mom is one. She works, gardens, socializes, plays with her grandchild but never never take awway her evening bottle of wine.

 

She drinks 4-10 glasses of wine depending on the night every night. I can't tell really I call it the ever full wine glass trick.

 

She literally can not go without it. But you would never be able to tell she is an alcoholic form the outside looking in.

 

 

Now, Is that OK? I mean if it doesnt ruin your life and you can function, wine or no wine is it ok that you can't live without it.

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Now, Is that OK? I mean if it doesnt ruin your life and you can function, wine or no wine is it ok that you can't live without it.

 

I would not want to live with a person like that.

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So what label fits here?

 

Infrequent drinker that likes to get tipsy? :confused:

 

No label is necessary. The only reason you would ever really have to watch yourself, observe your behavior, catalogue it -- is if there is a problem related to behavior.

 

Like the man you described, with his nightly beers -- well the question would be, what would he do if he were deprived of his nightly beers? If he would get bitchy, or eruptin violent outbursts -- then you know he is self medicating some behavioral issue with alcohol.

 

 

I don't think occassional drunkeness or use makes one an addict or alcoholic IMHO.

 

It's not the frequency of use, but the emotions surround the use that are of importance here.

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Now, Is that OK? I mean if it doesnt ruin your life and you can function, wine or no wine is it ok that you can't live without it.

 

No, that's a horrible way to live. To be trapped by your dependence on the use of a substance. Horrible, because you no longer make choices independent of your dependence on that substance. If you need it, you can't do any activities that could deprive you of it. Sad, sad, sad way to live.

 

And you will sacrifice other things in your life, as time goes on, without realizing what it is you are giving up -- all to continue your use of your crutch.

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Now, Is that OK? I mean if it doesnt ruin your life and you can function, wine or no wine is it ok that you can't live without it.

 

No It's not because it always effects your life in some way. You can't drink like that and not be effected. Besides the obvious health problems that comes with being a heavy drinker. For her it changes her personality.

 

She because very negative and mean. And over time the "drunk" mom has slowly crept into her day time personality. So while "sober" she is meaner than she was before her drinking got so heavy.

 

There was a really bad incident that happened this weekend that really has typified her drinking problem. I haven't posted it but I might.

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