How dangerous is it when a sister's coping mechanism is a bottle of red wine or several martini's?

I think it's also a form of self-medicating. Is this considered alcoholism?

Yes, this is alcoholism and self-medication. You can find support at http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/. You may attempt confronting her about this and suggesting she try an AA meeting or talking to a doctor. She may be defiant and mad at you. It is best to remove yourself from the situation. When she is ready to quit, she will do it. But letting her know that her behavior is unacceptable and dangerous may put up a warning flag in her mind. There are also treatment centers all over the country. A lot of them deal with psychological issues as well. Generally, people with mood/coping disorders also have a drug and/or alcohol addiction. They drink more to cover up the pain, but the problems are still there. Until she is able to learn coping mechanisms without drinking, things will never change. Best of luck!

Depends on the frequency of it.

You know the answer! Hopefully it's early Help her. It's a shortcut
To a dead end! The answer is too long, but help her!

Alcoholism can be defined many different ways. My definition is when one has surrendered control of their life to alcohol. When alcohol is placed in the center of one's life -- whether they want it to be or not.

Your explanation is certainly disturbing about your sister when you overlay her situation against this backdrop.

I'm not going to copy and paste a bunch of things from the Internet -- but rather just shoot very straight with you. Get an assessment (which you can get from the Internet) and go through the questions it asks and answer them as if you were your sister. I suspect you know her well enough to do that.

That will tell you alot.

Then the tricky part comes forth -- how do you confront her about her problem?

I like the suggestion from Mathew 16 in the Bible. If you have a problem with your brother (or in this case your sister) go to her and confront her directly. Show her all the proof and how you came to determine that she has a problem. Slay her with facts about her situation.

If that doesn't get her to go get help, then bring another person into the mix and have the two of you confront her.

If that doesn't work -- get a larger group (the Bible says take her before her congregation) and confront her with the problem.

Someday -- one of two things will happen. She will either reject these offers to help and she will slip down a downward spiral that leads to all kinds of bad things -- usually death. Or she will get help and get better and see that you loved her for it.

Great question.

Good luck.

alcoholism:--
Stage 1.. Drink for fun.
Stage 2...Drink to relieve tension.
Stage 3..Drinks off the sight .
Stage 4... Surrender to drinks..''I can not live without''.

She is in stage two. Have her psychiatric consultation or pursue her to take some OTC antidepressant like FLUOXETINE, instead of alcohol so she should not pass to stage three, when u simply can't help!