How do you know when you have a booze problem?

[JayzusB.Christ]

I know - I drink, get drunk, fall over, no problem.

But seriously, everywhere I look there seems to be a different definition of alcoholism.  Me, I tend to go out maybe once a week for drinks, and nearly always drink more than I intended to, waking up with a hangover.  Sometimes this can leave me feeling out of sorts for a couple of days, but that's not often.

  This, according to a friend of mine who doesn't drink, is what constitutes an alcoholic - someone who drinks more than they intended to.  Which pretty much makes every single person I know an alcoholic.

Weekends aside, though, I drink about 4 or 5 drinks maximum over the rest of the week.  I know people who put away way, way more.  Is there a proper definition?  Does every regular drinker have varying degrees of alcoholism?  I know people who, to paraphrase Dennis Hopper's self-description, can't have one drink without ending up looking for the keys of the off-licence; and I'm way behind them.

People stereotype the Irish as being a nation of alcohlics - it may well be true.  We are definitely very heavy drinkers compared to most nationalities I've met.

[Buttonman]

I like a drink and can do so to excess without fear that I'm an alcoholic. I think it comes down to dependency - can you leave it if you want to? I can and often do go without drink for a month at a time (usually lose about half a stone in the month!) but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a couple of cans once or twice a week. I never drink spirits though, and would never consider walking into a bar just to have a drink unless it was with friends.

I do also agree it can be a devastating problem and one people are likely to laugh off with cries of 'wish I could afford to be an alkie' or I'm not pissed you know.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Pretty sure that unless you cannot get through the day without a bevvy, then you are an alky.  If your drinking is becoming heavy enough to be detrimental to your health, or your work/family life, you're in trouble.  There's loads of 'factors' that point out what constitutes a bevvy merchant, but for me the prime issue would be the uncontrollable desire for alcohol.  I am however, neither a doctor or an alky, so could be talking out my hole.

[Grugz]

if I didn't like the taste I wouldn't drink it is the flavour more than the effect...that said they should make an alcohol free one that actually tastes like the real stuff.

[I, Cosh]

This, according to a friend of mine who doesn't drink, is what constitutes an alcoholic - someone who drinks more than they intended to.  Which pretty much makes every single person I know an alcoholic.

I'd say it's more not being able to stop rather than just having more than you intended. I think there's a significant difference between having a last round of whisky at shutting time and siphoning antifreeze out of your neighbour's car.

It would also suggest that someone who fully intends to go out and get legless can't be an alcoholic, which is clearly daft.

I guess I ask myself some of the same questions. I like to go out and I actively enjoy getting drunk (A brief tangent: nobody would ever claim they snort coke because they like the smell, so why do we have to pretend this about alcohol? Sure, some drinks are nicer than others but that's just window dressing.) but I'm a social drinker. Maybe a very social drinker. I will happily stay out till all hours (NB not every night) but I won't do so by myself and I don't like to drink in the house. Although, I'm acutely aware that this is for fear that just doing so makes you an alcoholic like my father.

I'm certainly not calling Buttonman an alky, but I don't buy his idea that being able to stop for a month makes you not one. I'd say that stopping completely is the only thing an alcoholic can do. It's being able to have two pints watching the match without staying out until chucking out time which would indicate you're definitely not.

Don't think it's something you can really consider in terms of quantity either. It's all relative to the person.

In short, I've no idea really but let me know if you figure it out.

[Dredd Head]

I think it's more you wake up and think about alcohol or have physical withdrawls when you don't or can't have a drink that day, That's what I would class as an alcoholic

[radiator]

I'd say it's more not being able to stop rather than just having more than you intended.

Yeah - I don't like being really drunk and increasingly find hangovers almost unbearable to deal with the day(s) after. When I do wind up getting hammered it's invariably because I didn't eat enough beforehand and/or drank a lot to deal with an awkward social situation, then overshot it. Thankfully it very rarely happens nowadays.

I am partial to a bottle of beer or two as a 'reward' after a long day at work, but it can get to be a slippery slope when every day at work is a long day at work. I should really knock it on the head.

I do think alcoholism is a bit more insidious than just going out and getting smashed all the time. My old man definitely had what you'd call a 'drinking problem', though he was rarely actually drunk. More of a low-level, though still crippling, dependency.

[radiator]

I think it's more you wake up and think about alcohol or have physical withdrawls when you don't or can't have a drink that day, That's what I would class as an alcoholic

I'd say that's an oversimplification. There's a whole sliding scale.

[Dredd Head]

I think it's more you wake up and think about alcohol or have physical withdrawls when you don't or can't have a drink that day, That's what I would class as an alcoholic

I'd say that's an oversimplification. There's a whole sliding scale.

Simple was what I was going for but I see what you're saying

[radiator]

I think it's more you wake up and think about alcohol or have physical withdrawls when you don't or can't have a drink that day, That's what I would class as an alcoholic

I'd say that's an oversimplification. There's a whole sliding scale.

Simple was what I was going for but I see what you're saying

I guess that's what Jaysus was getting at.

That would definitely be a usual definition of an 'alcoholic' but in my experience there is no such thing. I imagine that there's a hell of a lot of people who convince themselves that as long as they don't fit that specific criteria their drinking is not a problem.

[Hawkmumbler]

Feeling like you need a beer after work? Not really what i'd consider alcoholism as much as knowing how you enjoy your down time.

Having physical withdrawal symptoms if you go without booze after X amount of time? Yeah, then you know you have a problem. Note, don't confuse a basic, sudden desire to have a drink with withdrawal symptoms. WS's are WAY, WAAAY worse.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I drank over a litre and a half if whiskey straight from the bottle over the course of Friday and Saturday there. Does that count.

I should point out it was my Stag at the weekend. Everything hurts still.

[Hawkmumbler]

I drank over a litre and a half if whiskey straight from the bottle over the course of Friday and Saturday there. Does that count.

I should point out it was my Stag at the weekend. Everything hurts still.

[Jim_Campbell]

If you've reached the point where you're suffering physical withdrawal after a day or so without alcohol, you should have sought professional help a LONG time ago.

I have known several alcoholics in my life starting with, but not limited to, my mother. All of them have manifested their dependency in different ways — all of them could go days, weeks even, without a drink. There's no hard and fast rule — and quantity/frequency of consumption is no guide.

The one linking characteristic I can fasten on is dishonesty. Every alcoholic I've known has been prepared to lie to themselves and to others about their drinking. There's always a non-alcohol-related reason why they're continually under the weather... it's not always a hangover. There's always a reason why they were REALLY drunk (didn't eat enough, was taking antibiotics, whatever).  They're not falling asleep in the middle of an evening because they're drunk, they're just really tired...

And they're just as happy to lie to themselves. Be honest with yourself about your drinking. If you think you're drinking too much, but you're making excuses to yourself instead of modifying your behaviour, then you may have a problem.

My GP thinks I drink too much, but the fact is that I, like Radiator, can't hack hangovers any more. I have two or three dry nights a week and on the other nights, I stay well-hydrated and aim for a sensible-ish bed time. If I can get seven solid hours in bed between stopping drinking and getting up, I'm usually fine. As far as I'm concerned, as long as my drinking doesn't affect my ability to work or function socially, it's no one's business but my own.

Cheers!

Jim

[CrazyFoxMachine]

Sound Campbelling there Jim and I echo every word ... without TordelBack that's a strong enough answer as we're going to get on the topic.

...I miss him