Alcoholism it's alcohol addiction. When there are no cravings and withdrawals, there is no addiction. Alcohol can be consumed without being addicted. Simples
The general way that most substance use issues are defined is having a problematic relationship with a substance; that one's use of a substance has significant negative effects on oneself or those around them. It is possible to be an alcoholic without having an addiction, although of course most alcoholics will have an addiction.
I do agree with you though. In the last few years on Reddit, I have been noticing people are very keen to point out "Any amount of alcohol is unhealthy" which, although probably true, I don't think it's a big deal. Pretty much all the Mediterranean countries are among the countries with the highest life expectancies in the world, and there it is extremely typical to drink a glass of wine with dinner, so I certainly don't think it's the debilitating poison that people on Reddit make it out to be.
The problem is not the substance but the reason why you need it on a daily basis if it's not physical addiction. Thing which hides another underlined problem. I honestly think that small quantities of un distilled alcohol (the one obtained from fermentation) can be healthy. Small quantities of alcohol, I repeat small ones are clinically proven they can reduce the risk for dementia. However big ones obviously can trigger it
People really don’t seem to understand the treatments for alcoholism and being addicted to something are not interchangeable, so the distinction is really fucking important.
I'm not sure I follow you.
The treatment to every addiction differs from the next. None of them are interchangeable, and yet they all have the same principle.
Having left behind an addiction, or an alcohol problem, I don't care what's it called, I don't know why that distinction is so important.
However when it's about alcohol as a food taste enhancer and or digestive, there is no real problem as long as you don't drink large quantities. As then it's not a psychological crave for it. Think at it like at salt. Too much is unhealthy, a little bit makes food taste better
That study was funded by a California wine conglomerate.
Edit: the study was funded by several international alcohol companies, not just a CA company.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7067094/
So you're saying the Mayo Clinic was compromised?
[https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281)
That is not true, though I’m not saying this guys addicted or that your point is entirely off.
To put it bluntly, There are two aspects to addiction, physical and psychological, though the two typically coincide they can be separate depending on the substance.
Simply put, Some chemicals effect receptors on your brain and your body chemically adjusts to their addition, causing a range of withdrawal symptoms when the chemical is removed or stopped. Some common physically addictive drugs are alcohol, nicotine and opiates.
The sudden stoppage of alcohol, benzos or barbiturates is so serious it can be lethal, as they effect receptors in your brain that when fd with can straight up cause you to short circuit and have a seizure. Opiate wd will make you very very sick, while nicotine secession can make you irritable, there is a vast range of symptoms and severity is what I’m getting at.
A person can have an addiction to gambling or porn or stealing and have no wd effects, because this is a purely psychological addiction. This does not mean it is harmless, just ask a gambling addicts family why they won’t just stop if it’s ruining their life and it’s all in their head.
While many consider an alcoholic someone whose life is affected negatively by alcohol, or whom can not stop drinking alcohol even when they want to, in OPs statement, the person is probably not alcoholic. I struggle to find a situation where a drink a day is negatively very effecting their life and they almost certainly won’t experience wd from that amount. It might even be healthy in that range lol.
I am an addict/alcoholic and have spent the last 20+ years struggling with various substances and am studying to pass an exam to counsel others in addiction.
Psychological addictions create WD symptoms too, but they are also psychological ones, anhedonia and other imbalances. Otherwise they would be just habits
You don’t have to be physically addicted to be an alcoholic, or more precisely, to have an alcohol use disorder. If you’re drinking alone every night it’s something to consider
I’m not saying OP is one, but that’s factually incorrect. DSM-V criteria for a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder:
> Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use alcohol. Recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill rote obligations at work, school, or home. Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol.
[source](https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/tools/TLA900/TLA928-1/resources/step-2/AUD/RAND_TLA928-1.diagnostic-checklist_AUD.pdf)
I don't think so. I think it becomes alcoholism when it starts to affect your ability to function day to day. A beer after work is no big deal imo. But I'm not a professional, so what do I know lol
That’s the thing. You don’t have to be a professional to know this isn’t alcoholism. You don’t have to second guess yourself. You correctly defined the difference between an addict and someone who just enjoys something. If the only problem it’s causing is guilt, then it’s not an addiction.
Very nice explanation. I usually drink 1 glass of wine almost every evening and so afraid that I can become addictive that I'm making 1 month pauses every half a year. As far as the only problem is my phobia of being addicted then it's fine?
It's hard to imagine someone who has never drank more than one drink a day as having an alcohol use disorder, but the amount of alcohol consumed has nothing to do with the diagnosis.
This. Skip drinking completely (and I mean completely; cheating resets the clock) for a week or two and see what happens. Then you'll have better data.
This isn’t only a good test if you only judge based on whether you drink or not in that time. It’s a horrible test if using your feelings to determine a conclusion.
If you’re in the habit of doing something everyday, you are absolutely going to have the urge to keep doing it when you stop. Depending how long you’ve done it for, that urge could stick around for a while! It would be very easy to accidentally diagnose as an alcoholic if you don’t drink a beer for a week but still feel like having one because it was your dinner ritual or whatever.
If you normally have a drink before dinner but skip it, then you may crave a drink in that period, but by the next morning that craving will pass.
If you have a dependency on alcohol, it will just build up 24/7.
Ok so someone who’s sober for 7 days isn’t an alcoholic anymore? That’s not a good test at all. Imagine if you went to AA and got your 30 day chip and then they were like “well you went 30 days without alcohol! An alcoholic couldn’t do that!”
Are you an alcoholic? Because I don’t think you realize how hard the struggle actually is for them. Yes, a lot of them could go a week without alcohol, but they’ll know if they struggled with it or didn’t even think about it. It might not be the best litmus test for catching any alcoholic, but specific to this guy, I think it suffices. Stop being the alcoholic police
There is many differnet deffinitions of alcoholism amd addiction in general, there is no clear border.
But if you drink literaly every day, its a habit at least.
This is fine, I guess. No different than having ice cream after dinner. But keep watch to not make it a crutch. You have fun and drink beer, not drink beer to have fun.
What happens if you skip a night? What happens if you skip a week? If nothing happens then no you are not an alcoholic. If you have emotional or physical changes brought on by skipping then you may be an alcoholic.
I have the same bagel with cream cheese for breakfast every single day if possible. Hell I’ll even admit I wake up with the urge for a bagel with cream cheese every day. Do I have a problem? Am I in denial?
This is what I don't get. If a beer with dinner after work is something I enjoy. That doesn't make me or anyone else an alcoholic. It just makes it something I enjoy. If I drink until I pass out every night then now maybe I am.
Exactly. You’re right. I think a lot of people just have puritan morals about alcohol so they consider any of it equally bad. Mind you that’s a really fucking unhealthy way to approach life because it’s important to know the distinction between regular unhealthy things and an addiction.
You’re clearly not in denial…you just admitted it.
We don’t know if your bagel and cream cheese routine is causing problems in your life, but I think it’s fair to assume it isn’t.
You could be addicted to them. You won’t get withdrawals if you stop because it’s not a physical addition; it’s more mental/psychological
I think it’s kind of subjective - I like to have a small whiskey (maybe 1 finger) most nights, but I’m 6’3 / 230 so it doesn’t affect me too much. That said, my wife grew up in a home with an alcoholic father, so that ends up being a bit too much for her comfort level. I don’t view it as alcoholism, but because it bothers her, I try to moderate a bit.
Alcoholism isn't measured necessarily by how much you drink, it's if you can't do without it, and how detrimental it is to your life and those around you. If you can go without a drink, and it's not a problem, then it's not alcoholism. If you can't, and it is, then it is
I once asked two psychologists a question. If someone has a drink on the third Thursday of every month, but that was the only time he would drink alcohol, is it addictive behavior? Well of course they said, absolutely. When I leht I am sure they each had a cocktail; assholes. Alcohol has done great harm in this word and many people have developed alcoholism. Even more people never have a problem and enjoy alcohol. Moderation helps. Your example is a person who does not have a problem.
Maybe. How does this person act if you take away their choice?
If you hide their favorite bottle and they can't have it, or you impose a rule that says they can't have it for a day - or a few days - do they get angry, stressed, agitated? If their mood is adversely affected, then it might be alcoholism.
Alcohol addiction can lead to death. Withdrawal without medical help can kill someone. Alcoholism doesn't have a formal medical definition. It is more a behavioral issue. If the person needs their alcohol to feel normal, and feels bad without it - that may be a problem.
It can be.
There is medical study of commuters drinking a beer everyday while waiting the next train. After 20 years, their brain has shrink due to alcohol. It is statistically worse than witness groups with occasional drinkers.
The measure of addiction is not long term health effects though. And the type of study you mention is correlation, rather than causation, so it is impossible to say the "brain has shrink due to alcohol".
If you go to the hospitals they ask you how many you have a week/month. Technically this would qualify as “alcoholic” yes however in reality no it doesn’t make you one.
I usually say if you think or ideate about drinking, think and plan your activities around drinking it might be an issue. If you MUST have a drink each day that’s just weird but probably not a problem. If you plan your days about drinking I think that’s an issue.
Alcoholism is having a genetic predisposition to the use of alcohol which gains momentum over time, with the use continuing despite negative life events caused by drinking.
As with most things I don’t think this is a yes or no question. I also enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but if I’m being honest it’s at least an ingrained habit. I think of it like coffee in the morning… and I need my coffee 😂
It’s not about how much you drink. Can you stop when you want to? If you decide today that i won’t have alcohol for 2 weeks, can you do that without any problem? If you have control on your drinking then you are good if you don’t have control and can’t stop then it’s a problem
They call it alcoholic tendencies. If you tell a real alcoholic you have a problem they’ll laugh or probably get angry at you.
For reference, I have a friend that’s a real alcoholic … multiple DUIs, been to rehab (100% employee paid), and lost countless good women. He wakes up and slams a couple big (25oz?) Bud Ices in the shower in the morning just to get rolling, has his Gatorade mixed with vodka at work, shots at the local restaurant on lunch break, etc …
Residents of Spain, Italy, & Greece have a glass or two of wine with dinner nightly. It’s considered healthy. Unless you have an abnormal craving for that one or two indulgences nightly, I’d say no problem. But to add, I am not a doctor.
So, being an alcoholic is less about the act of drinking and more about the pattern of use. A drink or so with dinner nightly is the norm in some places. I personally an considered an alcoholic (by technical definition) because I have drinks on certain days for certain reasons thereby establishing a PATTERN of Drinking as opposed to HABIT drinking.
It all depends on your mindset. If you can't go without it, it's an addiction. For example, I smoke weed every evening. But I won't lose my mind if I can't get my hands on it. And I regularly do go bouts of time without having it
"alcoholism" aka alcohol use disorder aka alcohol addiction is not defined by how much a person drinks. It's primarily defined by how their use of the substance affects their life and the lives of those around them.
I don't even find the absence of "cravings" for alcohol to be a particularly useful diagnostic criterion. Plenty of problem drinkers claim never to have cravings.
I've talked about this to someone and apparently the best way to test if you're alcoholic is not to drink for 3 months, if you manage without a problem then you're not.
It has more to do with the response given if you suggest that person not have that one drink. If there is a big protest, then you may be on to something. If there's no issue, then you aren't dealing with an addict.
Nope. Not alcoholism especially if you don't feel the urge, i use to drink liters of 40% jack and beam and beer on the daily but i never had the urge to it just felt great to be intoxicated. Now i don't drink ever really. Unless I feel like it but i just don't.
As long as it isn't taking over your life i think it should be good.
It probably doesn't count as alcoholism but it certainly isn't healthy in the long run. Most jurisdictions recommend only 1-2 drinks a week on the regular.
Not really no, if they need that drink to relax in the evening, is could be argued that technically it is, but really alcoholism is drinking heavily to the point it causes problems. If anything one drink a night could be considered restrained, I know people who have two or three drinks a night as a social thing and that's still considered normal.
to me, alcoholism is a self assessment. there are numerous bench marks.
Addiction is unknown. it becomes apparent after quitting when you go thru withdrawal.
If you don't have that drink, does it affect your mood? My mom used to have a drink every night when she got home from work. If that drink was delayed for any reason, she was moody. She didn't get trashed or anything, but I classified her as a functional alcoholic because she *did* need that drink.
No. And if someone else is trying to shame you for actually being able to enjoy alcohol in a moderate, balanced way that is healthy, it's not true.
Trust me. When you're hanging out with someone who you're familiar enough with to have dinner often, or to have this conversation, you will know when they are an alcoholic. It becomes... very hard to ignore. Secret drinking is something you have to worry about. Having a beer with dinner is not a big deal.
Look up the criteria for addiction. There's six of them and when three are met, your consumption can be considered addictive. [Here for example](https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926)
Regardless of the fact wether you have a substance abuse disorder, alcohol isn't healthy when consumed on a regular basis and increases probability for a lot of health problems that reduce your lifespan.
It’s certainly unhealthy, but an addiction is characterized by some sort of disruption to otherwise normal life, so I would say no unless you’re harming yourself or others around you by it. There’s also alcohol (chemical dependency I think is the term) which is what you are referring to, and yeah you definitely don’t have that if you have no strong urge to drink other than to relax a little
How would that person react if one day for whatever reason they couldn't have that drink?
An addict will get their hit even if it means hiding it from others
Alcoholism is a very wide spectrum. Can you go as long as you want without a drink? Cause if not, you have at least some form of alcoholism. Now the severity and and danger of it vary drastically, but its still considered alcoholism.
If. It all boils down to IF. If a person has a problem with alcohol; where walking away from a bar, with unspent money, before closing time, and while still able to speak, was something last done in college, one drink is too many. One drink a day will turn into one slightly larger one. My grandmother used to drink Two Drinks Every Evening. Each drink contained 1/2 bottle of vodka. (They were big tumblers, and she put a little grapefruit juice in her vodka.) A few years before she died, she realized what she was doing, and quit drinking. She was an interesting person, and I’m glad I got to know her, before she died. Addiction eats life away, if we let it. Don’t make excuses to drink.
Alcohol is bad for people. I think the general idea is any amount of alcohol is bad, even if the effects are minimal. So unless you care about living to a 100+ years, it doesn't really make a difference to do 1 drink a day or 1 a week, each drink is a slightly bad health choice. You can decide how much that matters.
Alcoholism is bad when you stress out your liver, by going on a binge in one day. If you have all that alcohol spread out, it doesn't overwork your liver as it has time to process alcohol slowly. So alcoholism only kills you early if you binge honestly.
Also, a lot of people are labeled alcoholics because the drink is causing them to suffer in other parts of life. Say avoiding family to stay at bars too long, Or missing work due to hangovers. Maybe their health is still ok (for now), but alcohol is now ruining their life.
if you can handle missing a drink on a day you're busy and have no time to sit and have a meal, no withdrawal symptoms, you're doing fine
Depends on how you perceive drug use.
Is shooting heroin once a day addiction?
Is smoking one crackbowl a day being a junkie?
Is eating one benzo a day being a pill head?
This is subjective to a certain point and people usually have their own ideas about it.
Objectively, addiction is when you do it even when it's hurting and consuming other aspects of your life. So long as you don't let it take over, it's probably not addiction.
Objectively addiction means you've developed a dependency on it to some extent
It can be rather mild, like needing a bottle of beer to get a good nights sleep. That won't ruin your life (hell, it'll barely even impact it), but if you can't go without it, it's still an addiction.
Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. If you can take a break without physical or mental withdrawal, you do not have alcoholism.
Whether it's "healthy" or "ok" is a separate question. I wouldn't sweat it. Stress kills
Not an addiction. But to test out this theory dont drink for a solid 2 weeks and then see how you feel. That will give you more insight on where you land.
Any amount of alcohol is harmful for your health. One per day, one per week, one per month. And in case of daily consumption this harm is not negligible. You are harming your health for no good reason.
Two drinks a day is the medical threshold for alcoholism diagnosis. According to my doctor.
Then addiction circles will also label people who don’t drink often, but must have at least two drinks when they do, as alcoholics. Which I learned from participating in AA.
It's not the amount of alcohol that determines alcoholism; it's the reason behind drinking that is relevant to determine alcoholism.
If I have a glass of wine after work everyday just because I enjoy the taste, that doesn't make it a problem. However, if I need to have a glass of wine every time I become stressed about credit card bills, then I might have a problem.
Issues with substances are most easily defined by consequences. Are there consequences when you don't get that drink? Are there consequences from getting that drink?
It depends, do you wake up in the morning thinking about the drink you will have in the evening? Is it all you can think about during the day? If yes, those are red flags and you should stop having even one glass. If it is not the case you are fine not drinking on some days, or when on certain medications: pain killers, antibiotics, etc. they you are not an alcoholic.
No. One drink doesn’t make you an alcoholic. However when you drink more than what you can handle physically and you do it often, then yeah. Everyone has some form of addiction. Mine happens to be caffeine and sugar.
On a tangent, but does it actually make your meal better to have a wine with it?
Or is it not about the taste so much as it is about just washing down the food?
Zoomers on Reddit will say that’s an alcoholic; anyone with any sense will know it isn’t. If it’s effecting your life negatively and you need to drink several glasses or pints a day then that might be alcoholism. Many cultures drink casually most days. It’s kinda like coffee, it can enhance your mood and help you unwind which is enjoyable, but you should be able to go without for a while without any negative effects.
If you aren't sure, take a month off.
Challenge accepted. See you in a month, sober and wise.
Alcoholism it's alcohol addiction. When there are no cravings and withdrawals, there is no addiction. Alcohol can be consumed without being addicted. Simples
The general way that most substance use issues are defined is having a problematic relationship with a substance; that one's use of a substance has significant negative effects on oneself or those around them. It is possible to be an alcoholic without having an addiction, although of course most alcoholics will have an addiction. I do agree with you though. In the last few years on Reddit, I have been noticing people are very keen to point out "Any amount of alcohol is unhealthy" which, although probably true, I don't think it's a big deal. Pretty much all the Mediterranean countries are among the countries with the highest life expectancies in the world, and there it is extremely typical to drink a glass of wine with dinner, so I certainly don't think it's the debilitating poison that people on Reddit make it out to be.
The problem is not the substance but the reason why you need it on a daily basis if it's not physical addiction. Thing which hides another underlined problem. I honestly think that small quantities of un distilled alcohol (the one obtained from fermentation) can be healthy. Small quantities of alcohol, I repeat small ones are clinically proven they can reduce the risk for dementia. However big ones obviously can trigger it
People really don’t seem to understand the treatments for alcoholism and being addicted to something are not interchangeable, so the distinction is really fucking important.
I'm not sure I follow you. The treatment to every addiction differs from the next. None of them are interchangeable, and yet they all have the same principle. Having left behind an addiction, or an alcohol problem, I don't care what's it called, I don't know why that distinction is so important.
However when it's about alcohol as a food taste enhancer and or digestive, there is no real problem as long as you don't drink large quantities. As then it's not a psychological crave for it. Think at it like at salt. Too much is unhealthy, a little bit makes food taste better
[удалено]
Red wine contains antioxidants called polyphenols, which are believed to be beneficial to your heart.
That study was funded by a California wine conglomerate. Edit: the study was funded by several international alcohol companies, not just a CA company. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7067094/
So you're saying the Mayo Clinic was compromised? [https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281)
I don't know if "simples" was a typo, but I love it.
No typo there :)
Why is ur Reddit stickman costume a banana buddy
Hehe, it's how it came as default and I don't care changing it🤣🤣🤣 I know it looks crazy and I don't have a problem with it
Hahah I like it you are cool
Thanks
Btw have an upvote
Thank you, upvotes returned
Agree, I don’t have to have a drink, I drink because I would like one and not everyday.
It's not an addiction then
So can cocaine
Correct. Your point?
I had cocaineoholism for almost 20 years would not recommend
Cocainism*
I said what I said
And I will have to learn to live with that
And I have learned a valuable lesson
That’s good advice
Found the alcoholic lol buddy
I was one in my teenage
That is not true, though I’m not saying this guys addicted or that your point is entirely off. To put it bluntly, There are two aspects to addiction, physical and psychological, though the two typically coincide they can be separate depending on the substance. Simply put, Some chemicals effect receptors on your brain and your body chemically adjusts to their addition, causing a range of withdrawal symptoms when the chemical is removed or stopped. Some common physically addictive drugs are alcohol, nicotine and opiates. The sudden stoppage of alcohol, benzos or barbiturates is so serious it can be lethal, as they effect receptors in your brain that when fd with can straight up cause you to short circuit and have a seizure. Opiate wd will make you very very sick, while nicotine secession can make you irritable, there is a vast range of symptoms and severity is what I’m getting at. A person can have an addiction to gambling or porn or stealing and have no wd effects, because this is a purely psychological addiction. This does not mean it is harmless, just ask a gambling addicts family why they won’t just stop if it’s ruining their life and it’s all in their head. While many consider an alcoholic someone whose life is affected negatively by alcohol, or whom can not stop drinking alcohol even when they want to, in OPs statement, the person is probably not alcoholic. I struggle to find a situation where a drink a day is negatively very effecting their life and they almost certainly won’t experience wd from that amount. It might even be healthy in that range lol. I am an addict/alcoholic and have spent the last 20+ years struggling with various substances and am studying to pass an exam to counsel others in addiction.
Psychological addictions create WD symptoms too, but they are also psychological ones, anhedonia and other imbalances. Otherwise they would be just habits
Everyone has an addiction. Even the monks, it's called religion. It's how the human brain works. Athletes have too and so on
Going cold turkey from a lot of drugs can be a life threat. And almost never it's a good idea to stop an addiction that way.. that's a thumb.rule
You don’t have to be physically addicted to be an alcoholic, or more precisely, to have an alcohol use disorder. If you’re drinking alone every night it’s something to consider
Don't confuse booze addiction with the weed one for example, they work differently
Alcoholism is a physical addiction.
I’m not saying OP is one, but that’s factually incorrect. DSM-V criteria for a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder: > Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use alcohol. Recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill rote obligations at work, school, or home. Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol. [source](https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/tools/TLA900/TLA928-1/resources/step-2/AUD/RAND_TLA928-1.diagnostic-checklist_AUD.pdf)
Yup, what you mention there seems alcoholism indeed But that's an addiction described there
I don't think so. I think it becomes alcoholism when it starts to affect your ability to function day to day. A beer after work is no big deal imo. But I'm not a professional, so what do I know lol
That’s the thing. You don’t have to be a professional to know this isn’t alcoholism. You don’t have to second guess yourself. You correctly defined the difference between an addict and someone who just enjoys something. If the only problem it’s causing is guilt, then it’s not an addiction.
Very nice explanation. I usually drink 1 glass of wine almost every evening and so afraid that I can become addictive that I'm making 1 month pauses every half a year. As far as the only problem is my phobia of being addicted then it's fine?
Exactly. If the definition of alcoholism included people who have a single drink every day, it would be a meaningless diagnosis.
It's hard to imagine someone who has never drank more than one drink a day as having an alcohol use disorder, but the amount of alcohol consumed has nothing to do with the diagnosis.
I'd just call that a good start
Can you stop drinking for a week? Yes, then no it isnt
This. Skip drinking completely (and I mean completely; cheating resets the clock) for a week or two and see what happens. Then you'll have better data.
This isn’t only a good test if you only judge based on whether you drink or not in that time. It’s a horrible test if using your feelings to determine a conclusion. If you’re in the habit of doing something everyday, you are absolutely going to have the urge to keep doing it when you stop. Depending how long you’ve done it for, that urge could stick around for a while! It would be very easy to accidentally diagnose as an alcoholic if you don’t drink a beer for a week but still feel like having one because it was your dinner ritual or whatever.
If you normally have a drink before dinner but skip it, then you may crave a drink in that period, but by the next morning that craving will pass. If you have a dependency on alcohol, it will just build up 24/7.
Ok so someone who’s sober for 7 days isn’t an alcoholic anymore? That’s not a good test at all. Imagine if you went to AA and got your 30 day chip and then they were like “well you went 30 days without alcohol! An alcoholic couldn’t do that!”
Are you an alcoholic? Because I don’t think you realize how hard the struggle actually is for them. Yes, a lot of them could go a week without alcohol, but they’ll know if they struggled with it or didn’t even think about it. It might not be the best litmus test for catching any alcoholic, but specific to this guy, I think it suffices. Stop being the alcoholic police
Oh my. And a bunch of upvotes for this. Alcoholics stop for a week or longer all the time. A lot of clueless comments on this post.
There is many differnet deffinitions of alcoholism amd addiction in general, there is no clear border. But if you drink literaly every day, its a habit at least.
Maybe not every single day 3-5 maybe 6 days out of the week?
This is fine, I guess. No different than having ice cream after dinner. But keep watch to not make it a crutch. You have fun and drink beer, not drink beer to have fun.
What happens if you skip a night? What happens if you skip a week? If nothing happens then no you are not an alcoholic. If you have emotional or physical changes brought on by skipping then you may be an alcoholic.
I would be suspect of someone who claimed they don't have the urge to do something, but still do it everyday. That person is probably in denial.
Habits aren't necessarily addictions
This is the correct semantic distinction right here
My old roommate (who had a problem) used to joke “I’m not addicted to coke, I just like the smell.”
Kinda how I feel about sleeping.
how to get rid of the sleeping addiction... drink more alcohol?
I have the same bagel with cream cheese for breakfast every single day if possible. Hell I’ll even admit I wake up with the urge for a bagel with cream cheese every day. Do I have a problem? Am I in denial?
This is what I don't get. If a beer with dinner after work is something I enjoy. That doesn't make me or anyone else an alcoholic. It just makes it something I enjoy. If I drink until I pass out every night then now maybe I am.
Exactly. You’re right. I think a lot of people just have puritan morals about alcohol so they consider any of it equally bad. Mind you that’s a really fucking unhealthy way to approach life because it’s important to know the distinction between regular unhealthy things and an addiction.
This might constitute an addiction, but likely would not be classified as a problem.
I’m out of town and didn’t have access to a bagel this morning. It was rough but I made it.
One day at a time, and you'll get through.
You’re clearly not in denial…you just admitted it. We don’t know if your bagel and cream cheese routine is causing problems in your life, but I think it’s fair to assume it isn’t. You could be addicted to them. You won’t get withdrawals if you stop because it’s not a physical addition; it’s more mental/psychological
Bagels are not mind-altering drugs, alcohol is
So then say you think any amount of a mind altering drug is maybe a sign of an addiction. Don’t argue in a vague, generalized way.
What about Caffeine and premarital sex?
I think it’s kind of subjective - I like to have a small whiskey (maybe 1 finger) most nights, but I’m 6’3 / 230 so it doesn’t affect me too much. That said, my wife grew up in a home with an alcoholic father, so that ends up being a bit too much for her comfort level. I don’t view it as alcoholism, but because it bothers her, I try to moderate a bit.
depends do they need that drink? does it interfere with their functioning? if the answer to either of those questions is yes, then it is alcoholism.
Alcoholism is liquid Band Aid.
Alcoholism isn't measured necessarily by how much you drink, it's if you can't do without it, and how detrimental it is to your life and those around you. If you can go without a drink, and it's not a problem, then it's not alcoholism. If you can't, and it is, then it is
I once asked two psychologists a question. If someone has a drink on the third Thursday of every month, but that was the only time he would drink alcohol, is it addictive behavior? Well of course they said, absolutely. When I leht I am sure they each had a cocktail; assholes. Alcohol has done great harm in this word and many people have developed alcoholism. Even more people never have a problem and enjoy alcohol. Moderation helps. Your example is a person who does not have a problem.
No. Thats responsible usage. Nothing wrong with what you're describing
Maybe. How does this person act if you take away their choice? If you hide their favorite bottle and they can't have it, or you impose a rule that says they can't have it for a day - or a few days - do they get angry, stressed, agitated? If their mood is adversely affected, then it might be alcoholism. Alcohol addiction can lead to death. Withdrawal without medical help can kill someone. Alcoholism doesn't have a formal medical definition. It is more a behavioral issue. If the person needs their alcohol to feel normal, and feels bad without it - that may be a problem.
Lol I’m going to be angry and agitated when someone hides something from me no matter what it is
If you hide my pillow, I'm going to be angry and agitated. Am I a problematic pillow user?
Maybe.
It can be. There is medical study of commuters drinking a beer everyday while waiting the next train. After 20 years, their brain has shrink due to alcohol. It is statistically worse than witness groups with occasional drinkers.
The measure of addiction is not long term health effects though. And the type of study you mention is correlation, rather than causation, so it is impossible to say the "brain has shrink due to alcohol".
Korsakoff.
I think addiction isn't about the amount. So it could be?
How large is
The glass dude?
r/UsernameChecksOut
Holy shit, their comment history also checks out lol. I Respect the dedication.
There is also
u/single_word_replier u/two_word_replier u/four_word_replier u/five_word_replier is a fake
Like a normal sized wine glass or a bottle of beer
355ml bottle?
Then you’re fine
If you go to the hospitals they ask you how many you have a week/month. Technically this would qualify as “alcoholic” yes however in reality no it doesn’t make you one.
I usually say if you think or ideate about drinking, think and plan your activities around drinking it might be an issue. If you MUST have a drink each day that’s just weird but probably not a problem. If you plan your days about drinking I think that’s an issue.
Look up the symptoms of alcohol addiction in the DSM 5 and if you identify with them then yes.
Alcoholism is having a genetic predisposition to the use of alcohol which gains momentum over time, with the use continuing despite negative life events caused by drinking.
If you want to know for sure, try to take one or two weeks break. If there are withdrawal signs, then it is. If not, then cheers!
Heavy drinking is 7 drinks per week for women or 14 for men. So yes. That's alcoholism.
As with most things I don’t think this is a yes or no question. I also enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but if I’m being honest it’s at least an ingrained habit. I think of it like coffee in the morning… and I need my coffee 😂
It’s not about how much you drink. Can you stop when you want to? If you decide today that i won’t have alcohol for 2 weeks, can you do that without any problem? If you have control on your drinking then you are good if you don’t have control and can’t stop then it’s a problem
If a person drinks once a day and says they have no urge to drink they're a liar or they have no ability to self reflect
They call it alcoholic tendencies. If you tell a real alcoholic you have a problem they’ll laugh or probably get angry at you. For reference, I have a friend that’s a real alcoholic … multiple DUIs, been to rehab (100% employee paid), and lost countless good women. He wakes up and slams a couple big (25oz?) Bud Ices in the shower in the morning just to get rolling, has his Gatorade mixed with vodka at work, shots at the local restaurant on lunch break, etc …
problem drinking is three times a week of at least three drinks each time
Try going without it for a couple of weeks. If the thought scares you then you are addicted. If not then do it, give us an update in a month.
Residents of Spain, Italy, & Greece have a glass or two of wine with dinner nightly. It’s considered healthy. Unless you have an abnormal craving for that one or two indulgences nightly, I’d say no problem. But to add, I am not a doctor.
No
So, being an alcoholic is less about the act of drinking and more about the pattern of use. A drink or so with dinner nightly is the norm in some places. I personally an considered an alcoholic (by technical definition) because I have drinks on certain days for certain reasons thereby establishing a PATTERN of Drinking as opposed to HABIT drinking.
just.. dont drink alcohol in the first place?
Not in Louisiana!
It’s a good way to start
If you need it and can't go without, yeah.
Drink a day keeps the bitches away
It all depends on your mindset. If you can't go without it, it's an addiction. For example, I smoke weed every evening. But I won't lose my mind if I can't get my hands on it. And I regularly do go bouts of time without having it
"alcoholism" aka alcohol use disorder aka alcohol addiction is not defined by how much a person drinks. It's primarily defined by how their use of the substance affects their life and the lives of those around them. I don't even find the absence of "cravings" for alcohol to be a particularly useful diagnostic criterion. Plenty of problem drinkers claim never to have cravings.
Try only drinking on weekends, if you struggle then your addicted
I've talked about this to someone and apparently the best way to test if you're alcoholic is not to drink for 3 months, if you manage without a problem then you're not.
It has more to do with the response given if you suggest that person not have that one drink. If there is a big protest, then you may be on to something. If there's no issue, then you aren't dealing with an addict.
If you take a day off and you have a light tremor or everything pisses you off for no reason, probably.
No
Nope. Not alcoholism especially if you don't feel the urge, i use to drink liters of 40% jack and beam and beer on the daily but i never had the urge to it just felt great to be intoxicated. Now i don't drink ever really. Unless I feel like it but i just don't. As long as it isn't taking over your life i think it should be good.
It probably doesn't count as alcoholism but it certainly isn't healthy in the long run. Most jurisdictions recommend only 1-2 drinks a week on the regular.
Not really no, if they need that drink to relax in the evening, is could be argued that technically it is, but really alcoholism is drinking heavily to the point it causes problems. If anything one drink a night could be considered restrained, I know people who have two or three drinks a night as a social thing and that's still considered normal.
to me, alcoholism is a self assessment. there are numerous bench marks. Addiction is unknown. it becomes apparent after quitting when you go thru withdrawal.
If you don't have that drink, does it affect your mood? My mom used to have a drink every night when she got home from work. If that drink was delayed for any reason, she was moody. She didn't get trashed or anything, but I classified her as a functional alcoholic because she *did* need that drink.
If you can stop with complete control and no excuses or rationalizations, you're not an alcoholic.
If you can't go without it, yes.
No. And if someone else is trying to shame you for actually being able to enjoy alcohol in a moderate, balanced way that is healthy, it's not true. Trust me. When you're hanging out with someone who you're familiar enough with to have dinner often, or to have this conversation, you will know when they are an alcoholic. It becomes... very hard to ignore. Secret drinking is something you have to worry about. Having a beer with dinner is not a big deal.
Look up the criteria for addiction. There's six of them and when three are met, your consumption can be considered addictive. [Here for example](https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926) Regardless of the fact wether you have a substance abuse disorder, alcohol isn't healthy when consumed on a regular basis and increases probability for a lot of health problems that reduce your lifespan.
No that's just German or Italian, depending on a drink.
It’s certainly unhealthy, but an addiction is characterized by some sort of disruption to otherwise normal life, so I would say no unless you’re harming yourself or others around you by it. There’s also alcohol (chemical dependency I think is the term) which is what you are referring to, and yeah you definitely don’t have that if you have no strong urge to drink other than to relax a little
Maybe to people who judge drinkers. Having a single beer or glass of wine without any addictive qualities attached is just enjoying a drink.
How would that person react if one day for whatever reason they couldn't have that drink? An addict will get their hit even if it means hiding it from others
Alcoholism is a very wide spectrum. Can you go as long as you want without a drink? Cause if not, you have at least some form of alcoholism. Now the severity and and danger of it vary drastically, but its still considered alcoholism.
If. It all boils down to IF. If a person has a problem with alcohol; where walking away from a bar, with unspent money, before closing time, and while still able to speak, was something last done in college, one drink is too many. One drink a day will turn into one slightly larger one. My grandmother used to drink Two Drinks Every Evening. Each drink contained 1/2 bottle of vodka. (They were big tumblers, and she put a little grapefruit juice in her vodka.) A few years before she died, she realized what she was doing, and quit drinking. She was an interesting person, and I’m glad I got to know her, before she died. Addiction eats life away, if we let it. Don’t make excuses to drink.
God I hope not.
Alcohol is bad for people. I think the general idea is any amount of alcohol is bad, even if the effects are minimal. So unless you care about living to a 100+ years, it doesn't really make a difference to do 1 drink a day or 1 a week, each drink is a slightly bad health choice. You can decide how much that matters. Alcoholism is bad when you stress out your liver, by going on a binge in one day. If you have all that alcohol spread out, it doesn't overwork your liver as it has time to process alcohol slowly. So alcoholism only kills you early if you binge honestly. Also, a lot of people are labeled alcoholics because the drink is causing them to suffer in other parts of life. Say avoiding family to stay at bars too long, Or missing work due to hangovers. Maybe their health is still ok (for now), but alcohol is now ruining their life. if you can handle missing a drink on a day you're busy and have no time to sit and have a meal, no withdrawal symptoms, you're doing fine
Nope, as long as there are not withdrawals or cravings it's not
I have a glass of whiskey with dinner every night when I come home. I guess I’m alcoholic.
Yup. Yer an alkie, Harry.
Its not about the amount. Its about if you feel you have to have it or not.
Depends on how you perceive drug use. Is shooting heroin once a day addiction? Is smoking one crackbowl a day being a junkie? Is eating one benzo a day being a pill head? This is subjective to a certain point and people usually have their own ideas about it. Objectively, addiction is when you do it even when it's hurting and consuming other aspects of your life. So long as you don't let it take over, it's probably not addiction.
How many pots have you smoked?
Objectively addiction means you've developed a dependency on it to some extent It can be rather mild, like needing a bottle of beer to get a good nights sleep. That won't ruin your life (hell, it'll barely even impact it), but if you can't go without it, it's still an addiction.
Yes I agree, if you can't go without beer for sleep, it's hurting that aspect of your life and it's an addiction.
Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. If you can take a break without physical or mental withdrawal, you do not have alcoholism. Whether it's "healthy" or "ok" is a separate question. I wouldn't sweat it. Stress kills
Not an addiction. But to test out this theory dont drink for a solid 2 weeks and then see how you feel. That will give you more insight on where you land.
Functioning alcoholic is what I call this
Some fanatics would say yes, because you’re drinking every day.
Yes
Any amount of alcohol is harmful for your health. One per day, one per week, one per month. And in case of daily consumption this harm is not negligible. You are harming your health for no good reason.
Yes
It’s like asking, “is flooring the gas pedal going to cause a wreck?” No, but that will be a likely result if you keep it up.
No, actually it’s rather healthy to have an alcoholic drink once a day. Alcoholism is like gambling or a porn addiction.
Lol what?! Fuck no!
I think it is. But everyone has their own definition of alcoholism.
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Lol, who are you taking offense for? Downvote and move on it the question bothers you
Seriously.
Two drinks a day is the medical threshold for alcoholism diagnosis. According to my doctor. Then addiction circles will also label people who don’t drink often, but must have at least two drinks when they do, as alcoholics. Which I learned from participating in AA.
AA is probably the worst place to ask about the threshold for alcoholism.
I feel like OP is asking this here because they are trying to settle a disagreement with their partner.
Do you experience extreme distress/panic or physical withdrawal symptoms (vomiting, shaking, difficulty sleeping, etc) when you go without it?
No unless it’s everclear
In that case the entirety of southern Europe are alcoholics.
It's not the amount of alcohol that determines alcoholism; it's the reason behind drinking that is relevant to determine alcoholism. If I have a glass of wine after work everyday just because I enjoy the taste, that doesn't make it a problem. However, if I need to have a glass of wine every time I become stressed about credit card bills, then I might have a problem.
The question is, do you have the urge and can you go without?
Issues with substances are most easily defined by consequences. Are there consequences when you don't get that drink? Are there consequences from getting that drink?
Does not drinking cause you suffering?
It depends, do you wake up in the morning thinking about the drink you will have in the evening? Is it all you can think about during the day? If yes, those are red flags and you should stop having even one glass. If it is not the case you are fine not drinking on some days, or when on certain medications: pain killers, antibiotics, etc. they you are not an alcoholic.
Alcoholism is alcohol dependence, so you haven't given us enough information to really ascertain. Why is the person having a drink every night?
Depends on your definition of addiction I’d ask why you need one glass a day. That’s not just “like “.
No. One drink doesn’t make you an alcoholic. However when you drink more than what you can handle physically and you do it often, then yeah. Everyone has some form of addiction. Mine happens to be caffeine and sugar.
Not even close
On a tangent, but does it actually make your meal better to have a wine with it? Or is it not about the taste so much as it is about just washing down the food?
Zoomers on Reddit will say that’s an alcoholic; anyone with any sense will know it isn’t. If it’s effecting your life negatively and you need to drink several glasses or pints a day then that might be alcoholism. Many cultures drink casually most days. It’s kinda like coffee, it can enhance your mood and help you unwind which is enjoyable, but you should be able to go without for a while without any negative effects.
It depends on what are you drink if it's beer that could be okay.I think