Am I an alcoholic?

[PubliusVentidius]

When I have the same doubt of TS I think relativistically. Some years ago I was camping and there was this australian couple who would drink first thing in the morning, then they would go from there and basicly drink beer and other strong drinks non stop, it's like their livers had developed an immunity to alcohol or something. They weren't even visibly drunk/annoying, they would just crash in bed and sleep after a while. I remember asking the guy how many beers he had drank from morning to noon and the number was shocking where I was like ''how the hell is this guy even standing and having a conversation with me?''. Whenever I feel like I'm going overboard with my alcohol consumption I think of those australians and I keep drinking.

 

[MikeMcMann]

Well TS everything hinges around that word 'need'.

I have had similar debates/arguments on this topic as I will have 2-3 glasses of wine almost every night. I grew up around Italians and that is just how it is when you are in their home.

Some say if you drink everyday you are an alcoholic regardless of the amount or any addiction. I personally think that is a stupid and meaningless definition if you don't 'need' to drink or you are not addicted. I can stop any time and if its not available I am fine.I just choose to drink because I like it. And yes it is a de-stressor and many studies point out their can be many health benefits from one two drinks a day for males particularly in areas of reducing heart attack and stroke. Two of the biggest killers of men.

So if indeed you do 'need' it and if indeed you are impacted in such a way that you cannot be the same person without it, then you may in fact be a mild alcoholic. You are, at least to date, not compromised by most of the negative correlations of being an alcoholic (being a drunk, missing priorities, etc) so not sure you have to worry about it unless you see that over time you need more and more alcohol to have the same effect.

 

[MikeMcMann]

- it not about how much you drink or how frequently

- it is about dependency at any level. Can you stop if you want to or if its not available?

- it is about impact on your actions. Does it impede your day to day to day function in a negative way.