how does one become an alchoholic?

[vash]

is there a general rule? drinking everyday? getting drunk everyday? starting with once a week, and letting it go from there? how long, years of drinking?

got me thinking, when i was talking to a fully intoxicated homeless person today. how did it get to this for the poor guy? i dont think this guy has a sober day....ever.

on a side note, i saw some homeless kids shooting drugs into open sores on their faces. faster high? i guess i am kinda "green" on these issues. it was very sad looking. i assumed it was methadone (?). i hope my next project is in some higher end neighborhood.

No rule, you'll just know.

[BigD9146gt]

Well, my school counciler said more than 5 drinks per/week. My girlfriend only has logic a drunk man can cope with. Guess i'm a raging alcky.

[id10t]

I'd say "when you can't see living with out it", or perhaps "require it to function anywhere close to normally". Just 'cause you like to drink doesn't mean you are an alkie...

[dd74]

People used to have one or two drinks before dinner - they were called cocktails. Then have another during dinner, and after dinner, some sort of after-dinner drink. I imagine in today's PC world, people like these would be considered drunks.

What an alcoholic is always seems to fluxuate with what society deems is an alcoholic.

I have a general rule of thumb: if you're mixing vodka into your morning coffee, you might have issues.

[azasadny]

If you get into barfights, drink to the point of not remembering what happened the next day... have to ask those you love to "forgive you" for what you've done while drinking. Can't go a day without some kind of drink... all bad signs...

[cool_chick]

I've heard this is a difference between one who is a "social" drinker and one who is not...don't know how true it is, but it does make you think...

A social drinker, when they feel that buzz, wants to quit because they don't like the feeling.

[bryanthompson]

I've been told that anyone who schedules drinking in to their life regulary is an alcoholic... like, someone who planned on drinking champagne every new years eve would be one, by their logic... I don't like their logic.

My definition would be... if drinking starts interfering with your job, school, marriage, or social life (outside of the drinking social life), you might have a problem.

My dad's an alcoholic, his two brothers are, his father is, and his grandpa was. On my mom's side, nobody is. It's impossible to say whether I would be one or not (is it genetics? real disease? or just psychological?) , but... looking at that trend, I'd think I would be. I don't drink, and I don't think I ever will, just because I've seen all the crap that comes from it. I have yet to see any benefit to getting drunk, ever.

[bryanthompson]

Originally posted by id10t
I'd say "when you can't see living with out it", or perhaps "require it to function anywhere close to normally". Just 'cause you like to drink doesn't mean you are an alkie...

good point. Have you ever seen someone going through serious withdrawls? It's the scariest thing I've ever seen. I visited a rehab place in Norton, KS one time, and wow... There were some people there who were still going through detox, and they were shaking furiously, yelling, throwing chairs, everything. Also, every one of them were chain smoking. yikes!

[Karl2bdc]

There is a "CAGE" questionnaire that general practitioners use to determine if a person is an alcoholic.

Cut Down: Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking
Annoyed: Have you ever been annoyed by someone criticising your drinking.
Guilty: Do you ever feel guilty about drinking
Eye opener: You need a drink in the morning to get going or get rid of a hangover.

[WOODPIE]

I think some people are genetically predisposed to becoming addicted to some form or another of mind/mood altering substance. If they can manage to go through life without taking any of the free samples along the way, they have no problem, and are none the wiser.

Homeless folk are only one example of alcohol/drug abuse. Let's not forget those who are more fortunately enabled....the functional alcoholics.

Ed

[RickM]

If it interferes with your life then you may consider yourself in trouble. As to frequency, look at Europeans, it is part of the culture to have wine with your meal most everyday. At least that used to be the norm.

I had a friend/co-worker that had a very severe problem. Wrecked his marriage and his job. I'd often seee him at a park, in his car, during lunch alone with a paper bag...in the morn he'd say hello and the alcohol smell would knock you over. When he was at his worst I'd go over every morning to see if he was still alive. He'd be stone drunk at 7am. Thankfully he recovered, well last I heard he was doing well.

Another co-worker from years ago died of Liver problems. When they went to clear out his desk they found mouthwash bottles in every drawer....empty.

Docs, symptoms look to be very logical.

[bryanthompson]

Wow, i didn't even realize, but a guy at work died this morning who had a severe drinking problem in the past... I knew he died, but didn't know the cause (liver failure) until my dad who works at the same place told me.

[JSDSKI]

IMHO - if you're asking the question - see a medical or theraputic professional. Get a trained outsiders objective view of your reality.

[pwd72s]

Vash? Franly, your "exploring scotch" post made me wonder....you see, the finest most expensive scotch made? OR...the cheapest grain alky you can buy? Both are just booze...

[A Quiet Boom]

I don't know when I became an alcoholic, it just happened somewhere between 17 and 21. I quit in my early 20's and haven't been back. When you cannot function without a drink you're already gone. I urge everyone who drinks to do so in moderation lest you wind up like me, mid 30's occasionally wishing I could have a sip of wine with dinner or relax with an nice single malt. My problem is that I really enjoy fine alcohol yet I abused it self-medicating my panic disorder. I think the first clue as to whether one is an alcoholic or not is the day thay ask themselves.

[Moses]

Interesting. My first year in college, my whole social circle drank heavily and continually. When it was time to put it away and get to work, some of us had no problem. Others struggled. Twenty five years later it appears that the ones who would party during finals week are still struggling with alcohol.

I really like alcohol. Love the taste of a nice Martini, glass of wine or a beer. I don't think I've been legally "intoxicated" in twenty years or so. When I start to feel a buzz, I stop drinking. I don't like the feeling of being drunk at all. I'm lucky. I think genetic predisposition is a huge factor in alcoholism.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Twist
Pour
Chug
Repeat

It ain't that hard. . .

[Overpaid Slacker]

Starting with Irish ancestry gives you a head start...

Of the 6 siblings on my mom's side, 5 were/are alcoholics. Mom (the eldest) is not. So I've seen from minimum (and I mean minimum) safe distance what happens to people/families up close w/o having been scarred by it. Fortunately, they're all good people and haven't "ruined" their lives w/ it. They did some damage, but nothing terminal.

I think you are an "alcoholic" when booze f*cks with your life and you don't do anything about it.

JP

[speeder]

I think that Moses, (and others), nailed it. An apocryphal story:

Two guys are getting booked together for drunk driving at the jail. The first guy says, " Damn, I knew I shouldn't have had that last one. I was starting to feel it. Damn it!"

The other guy says, " Damn, I knew I shouldn't have taken Lincoln Blvd. I just knew it! Damn it all!"