A question about alcoholism?

My dad was an alcoholic so I know what it is and what it isn't. Alcoholism is when alcohol ruins your life and damages your relationships. But is it a problem when someone:

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

This person is not an alcoholic. There is no dependancy and no negative effects on their life so far. But I am worried about the habit. What do you think?

There are two types of diagnoses one can be given in regards to alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse and Alcohol dependance. The first, more often than not, leads to the other. You can look up the official guidlines in a book called the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for psychiatric disorders) which includes Alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Just in case "this person" is you, keep in mind that family history plays a significant role and that if your Father is an alcoholic then you have a much greater chance of becoming an alcoholic as well.

i'd say as long as that person is handling things on their own, don't worry about it too much, just keep a mental note to check in on them every once in awhile. i did turn to alcohol when my mom got sick, i'd just really "discovered" alcohol about a couple of years prior to that. i had to watch my mom die, literally WATCH her, and to escape those consistent thoughts, i had a drink before i'd go to work in the morning, then have another as soon as i got home. i'm past that now, and can honestly say, it gave me a sense of numbness that i really did need at the time. i know i can have that again if i need it or want it, but i haven't really "needed" it since i became a more intense caregiver to my husband, i'm more focused on keeping him comfortable than having my numbing drink(s) through the day. we all are adaptable to our given situations. we are human beings. if your friend does slip into a mode where he/she cannot work because of being intoxicated, cannot do simple things like paying bills, etc., then you should dive in and take him/her by the shoulders and MAKE them wake up to their responsibilities and CAPABILITIES. hope this helped you!!

You say there is no dependency but they drink it several times a week? Why?

He doesn't sound like an alkie, just a drunk. He should be ok with minimal bitching.

I think there are such things as drinking problems that aren't necessarily addiction problems.

Alcoholism isn't defined by negative effects on a person's life. Generally speaking, alcoholics DO have negative effects over time, but someone who has a drinking problem and is not addicted can still have negative effects from drinking. That doesn't make them alcoholic.

If this person were to have a beer or two after work several times a week, I don't think that's a problem...and I don't think having a drink while they're alone and say...working on a project or cleaning the house is an issue either. If that person sits down with a hard drink, all alone on a regular basis...that could be a problem.

If this person drinks too much when they're out with friends, it could be that they aren't mature enough to handle that, and they still think going to a bar means you HAVE to get hammered. That person may not be an alcoholic, but they have a drinking problem. Some people think they can't have fun unless they're drinking.

That person could very well be an alcoholic - there isn't just one type. And if they're not an alcoholic now, they may be well on their way to it. I would be worried.

That person IS an alcoholic. Don't base alcoholism only on what you seen through your dad. Alcoholism is different in everybody and your friend is infact an alcoholic. Talk to them about it.

well i say drink but dont over do it [unless its your 21 or st paties day ro october fest ]

Well Sarah....this is what I think....if you don't drink..don't start...
( hic )....

Could kill them after 30 years of doing it or less.

You said this person :

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

These are some of the RED FLAGS of an alcoholic. This person DOES have a drinking problem, and needs to face that fact and get some help.

This person is an alcoholic.

Over doing it and getting hammered, does have negative side effects, it is killing brain cells, it is damaging his liver.

This is the type of thing that gets worse not better.

u should tell them to stop and u should do watevr u can to help them and nevr give up on them cuz it may cost them their life.
get them to a help clinic.
i feel for u :(

hm... that sounds like someone who is certainly at risk of becoming an alcoholic. keep an eye on them, that's for sure.

Sorry honey but this person is an alcoholic, they sound very depended on it here educate yourself:

Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in American society. It acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, affecting the areas of the brain that control speech, intellectual function, mood and emotion, and muscular coordination. Small quantities cause feeling of well-being and relaxation. Larger quantities, however, can cause intoxication, sedation, unconsciousness, and even death with very large doses.

Alcohol has a number of side effects, even in low to moderate levels. It reduces sensitivity to pain, taste, and odor; it impairs vision, decreases attention and memory, interferes with REM sleep, and reduces sexual performance (although the drinker may feel less inhibited or anxious in sexual situations). Long term physical effects include: damage to vital organs (such as liver, heart, pancreas and brain), cancer, gastrointestinal irritation, malnutrition, sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure, and lowered resistance to disease.

In addition to the direct physical effects, many serious indirect dangers - often worse than the direct physical effects -- result from use of alcohol. Alcohol is a factor in about 40% of the fatal automobile accidents in the U.S. every year. It also contributes to risky sexual behavior (including chance of getting AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases) by interfering with the drinker's judgment, loosening inhibitions, and reducing ability to communicate clearly. For pregnant women, alcohol can severely damage the unborn fetus, resulting in stillbirth, premature birth, miscarriage, or children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (Currently, no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women has been determined.) Alcohol also plays a major role in many types of violent crime. One congressional report states that alcohol is a major factor in 68% of manslaughters, 62% of assaults, 54% of murders and attempted murders, 48% or robberies, and 44% of burglaries.

Alcohol is addictive, although the rate at which people become addicted can vary greatly. Some people lose control over their drinking very soon after getting started. Others become dependent only gradually - sometimes so gradually that they don't realize it's happening. The factors that cause addiction are not completely understood. Addiction seems to occur more quickly, however, among certain groups of people, including young people and women.

I would wonder why they are drinking several times a week. Is this person young? I know we tend to drink more in our youth then we do as an older adult. You are asking this question for a reason. Maybe you should open your eyes and smell the roses. You definitely should be concerned about their habit.

I'm sorry to disagree, but I think your friend is an alcoholic. This person does not know when to stop, they go beyond social drinking. they drink alone and drink often....these are classic symptoms of alcoholism. And you say there are no negative effects so far. So far! All it takes is one time driving drunk to kill an innocent person. Now is the time for them to seek knowledge and help, before they ruin their future and the futures of others.

Heavy drinkers usually become alcoholics.

No on all three answers. Thi is not a problem YET, but it can become one if not looked after. It seems to be under control

Alcoholism can be in varying degrees, and can be displayed in various forms. And it could be that your friend is not an alcoholic (yet) but DOES have a drinking problem.

I have known several alcoholics in my life...and each one is very different from the other, yet the same. I knew one person who could go several weeks without a drop of alcohol, and then go out one evening and drink incredible amounts of booze. This person was what I refer to as a binge drinker.

In my opinion (and it only an opinion) anytime a person uses alcohol as a crutch for any reason: to be liked, to calm nerves, to relax, etc it is a red flag to step back and really look at the issue.

There are different kinds and symptoms of alcoholism.

If someone gets hammered every time he goes out drinking with friends, he has a problem. When he drinks alone, does he get drunk? That's also a problem.

The problem with continually drinking is that it will become a problem sooner or later. Alcohol is addicting. Alcoholism is the disease caused by continually drinking. It takes brain cells and kills them. Drinking several times a week is still alcoholism. Just not to the extreme that most people picture. It is best to keep away from it. Or only have an occasional one here and there.

i would be conserned to. my dad and my step dad ae acoholics

well in order to show them who it affects their friends take a video camera and tape the during and aftermath and then show them it later and she it changes anything

They are an alcoholic. I used to drink a lot, but have recently stopped. I was on the road to alcoholism.

Just because there are no negative effects doesn't mean they aren't an alcholic.

hi
i think he is going through some imotional problem or there is some problem in his life as u have said he drinks mostly alone. i think u should take care of him and be around him and convince him to drink lesser , i said lesssser because drinker is not going to leave drinking at once but may take some time , so make him drink but lesser.and slowly slowly this habbit may change, butt its on u and ur family, god bless u

Sarah, This is a question that your father has to answer for himself. It is the only disease we know of that is 'self-diagnosed'. The symptoms you listed sound like three of many that alcoholics do on a regular basis. In fact, when one starts drinking alone, with no cause for celebration, it usually raises a flag. It's great that you're concerned, but he will need to do the work for himself. You, however, can go to an Alanon meeting and learn how to deal with him and his alcoholism.

You said this person :

1) drinks very often (several times a week)
2) drinks alone
3) when out drinking with friends, overdoes it and gets hammered

These are some of the warning signs of an alcoholic. This person DOES have a drinking problem, and needs to face that fact and get some help Irecomend that you seek professional help

Back in college my boyfriend and now husband, accused me of being an alcoholic because his father is. I put down my drink and told him I would not have another for 1 year and I didn't.

That was 27 years ago and I still haven't had another drink. But every now and then I become worried about him. He likes his beer and in the winter his Bourbon. When I become concerned I say something to him and he stops for months and months. He never gets hammered but it still concerns me at times.

If I were you I would sit this person down and have a talk with them. If they become agitated and angry about your concerns then they may have a problem. If they say o.k. I'll stop drinking for a while, then chances are they don't have a problem.

My father in law never seemed drunk and no one ever knew he was drunk. My husband was totally shocked when his dad checked himself in to a detox center. He never had a D.U.I. or anything. He ran a very successfully business.

And no, when my husband says he isn't drinking for months I know he is telling the truth, because if you never drink and someone around you does, you can smell it a mile away.

My dad was a functional alcoholic, meaning he was able to keep his job for over 30 years without getting in trouble with it at work. When I am with someone and there is alcohol being consumed, I will count the number of drinks a person has. Especially if it is a drink that has a lot of alcohol in it like Rum or Whiskey or Vodka. No one knows that I am keeping track of what they are doing. But I keep track of how often a person drinks, rather or not they get drunk even if it doesn't show easily, how often they get drunk and if they get drunk I watch what kind of drunk do they become. Any of those signs to me will have me questioning rather or not the person has a drinking problem. Also, I look at rather or not the person has to have a drink in the morning "to get the day started". Anyone who has to have a drink to get the day started is the biggest red flag I look for.