Does drinking a bottle of wine every night make you an alcoholic?

[LyraSilvertongue]

I ask because I was having a conversation about drink with a (male) colleague and he says he drinks a bottle a night. I was a bit . He's quite small, shorter than me, so the men can drink more thing doesn't really apply. Do you think he's addicted?

[notnowbernard]

I think someone can drink a bottle a night and be fine

Another can drink 2 glasses anight and be in misery

Not so much about the amount (or the substance) more about the driving force behind it and the reasons for doing it

[whippet]

I guess it depends whether he could NOT drink if he really wanted to i.e. would he crave it?

Either way, it's not good from a health/ calories point of view.

[expatinscotland]

No.

Not being being able to go without alcohol because you are dependent on it makes you an alcoholic.

Even if a man is smaller than you, he has a different body chemistry from you that makes it possible for him to metabolise alcohol differently from the female body.

Unless it is affecting his functions as pertains to his team at work or engaging in illegal activity because of his alcohol use, it's really no one's business whether or not he's addicted.

[beansprout]

Still more units than is healthy though.

[NigellaTheUndomesticGoddess]

possibly not addicted in the needing a can of special brew before breakfast but a whole bottle every night (and probably more atweekends?) does seem rather excessive.

[Monkeytrousers]

A bottle is 10 units. If you drink a bottle a night you are drinking 70 units where the recommend is 14-16.

Your liver will give up in the end.

Yes, a bottle a night is alcoholic.

[DirtySexyMummy]

No.

Needing to drink makes you an alcoholic, not the act of drinking. I drink a lot but I am not alcoholic. I have no dependency.

A bottle of wine is not much, really.

Its only id he feels he needs it, that he is an alcoholic.

[NigellaTheUndomesticGoddess]

no punctuation at all in that sentence. sorry.

[expatinscotland]

there is some subjectivity to the government's guidlines with regards to the whole units thing, however.

[Piffle]

agree with expat
not being able to go without it is the main factor for addiction, that and it affecting everyday activities.
I was immensely relieved to know I wasn't addicted.

[bandgeek]

A bottle a night sounds like a lot to me. Far more units than is healthy.

[littleboyblue]

I like to have a glass or 2 after ds has gone to bed, but I don't HAVE to have a glass or 2.
Think that's what defines the difference, whether you just want it or if you need it.
A friend of mine entered AA at 21. She was drinking the same amount as I was, but she NEEDED it and I just did whatever.
Being an alcoholic is about dependance I think, you need it to function or escape no matter what the amount. I think!

[fishie]

also there is a lot of difference in strength, so my wee glass of puny italian vs a giant bucket of australian are very different things.

[Monkeytrousers]

Sorry, thought you meant for a woman but men are allowed what 24?

70 is still alcoholic for a man. He shouldn't try and give up alone either - cut down maybe - but he will need medical help

[LyraSilvertongue]

DSM, how much do you drink?
DP and I share a bottle most nights but we have nights off (for the liver's sake). Even that's a bit too much but maybe I'm paying too much attention to the Government's recommendations.

[DirtySexyMummy]

A bottle of wine is not 10 units.

A 12% ABV bottle of wine equates to 8 units. There are 4 glasses of 175ml wine in a bottle, and a 175ml glass is 2 units.

So 8 units per bottle.

[LyraSilvertongue]

I don't know, Kerrymum, I didn't like to ask.

[Monkeytrousers]

What's all this 'needing a drink' nonsense.

Why do you think he's drinking a bottle a night - cos he needs to. He will feel so ill if he every tried (or does try) to go cold turkey. He will need a drink to feel normal. 70 units a week is alcoholic limits. Go ask your GP if you don't believe me.

[expatinscotland]

Again, the main factor of addiction is dependence and its affect on daily activities, irrespective of the whole 'units' thing, which IMO only furthers the binge drinking culture.

[expatinscotland]

Again, the main factor of addiction is dependence and its affect on daily activities, irrespective of the whole 'units' thing, which IMO only furthers the binge drinking culture.

[expatinscotland]

I went cold turkey after drinking that amount for a long time, MT.

I didn't feel ill at all.

[DirtySexyMummy]

It varies Lyra.

Probably drink 4 or 5 days a week.
Some days only one or two pints after work.
If I am on a night out (probably twice a week, sometimes 3 times) I will drink maybe, 10 pints, 3 or 4 spirit and mixer, and usually around 10 shots over the course of the night.

If its wine, I would normally do 3 bottles between two people, and then move onto beer.

[LyraSilvertongue]

He is a bit mood-swingy.
DSM, I'd be dead after that lot

[MarmadukeScarlet]

Actually One standard size bottle of wine (750 ml) at 12 % abv contains 9 units of alcohol