When does it switch from heavy drinker to alcoholism?

[Isthisalcoholism]

Drinking a bottle and a half of wine at home on your own of an evening just as a matter of course and being seemingly unaffected...this isn't normal is it?

Depends on what they eat and which wine.
Bottle is 3 large (250ml) glasses. If they eat fatty food and drink it over the course of an evening (6-12) it's actually quite easy to see why they wouldn't be drunk.
We drunk quite few bottles on Christmas day before we realised that it had 0 effect due to fatty goose for dinner and cheese later😂

It's worrying when it's too often and when they can't last 2 weeks without. That's when it's a problem

In my industry we say problematic alcohol use/misuse, so essentially if it's having a negative impact for you or others, it's a problem. It's not about quantity or frequency, it's about impact.

@LionelRitchieStoleMyNotebook which industry is that? My DH (mentioned above) drinks a lot every night, I can honestly say it has no impact on daily life, he never misses work, helps out around the house & is a great dad. I would still consider the consumption excessive - alcohol dependant!

I have a friend who drinks a bottle of wine every night and a bottle and a half on Friday night and on Saturday night. Alone.
They drive the next morning.
They look like sh*t the next morning.
Empty bottles are now hidden.
But they won't discuss it and flare up and storm off.
I presume they are an alcoholic.
They won't drink in a pub.
I think they started to drink to ease the stress/ pain of relationship problems in their life and now I think their drinking is a problem.

I think they started to drink to ease the stress/ pain of relationship problems in their life and now I think their drinking is a problem.

There are chemical and physiological changes in the brain that occur as the result of chronic consumption of alcohol. The brain attempts to adapt to it. That's why regular heavy drinkers experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking.

Molecular basis of alcoholism

It's definitely a drinking problem imo. Even if they aren't physically addicted.

Unfair as it sounds, I am told it is worse for women. So, women who believe themselves to just be fond of a drink with no real effect on their lives, can end up being very poorly indeed if they regularly drink this much.

My mum died of what we suspect was an alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a few months after she stopped drinking. Mind you, she really WAS heavy drinker, who would sit all day drinking alone. It is a dangerous poison, which is addictive. Very hard to deal with, for the drinker and their loved ones .

Drinking solo or social is irrelevant

Does the alcohol impact behavior?
Can they simply abstain tomorrow without physical distress?
Can they simply abstain tomorrow without mental distress?
Are they spending money that really should go towards other priorities on alcohol or is the drinking budget within the realm of discretionary spending?

It’s not even necessarily about quantity. If one beer turns a person cruel, the. I would calm that individual an alcoholic.

Some people here are in absolute denial. Drinking a bottle of wine every evening is pretty much alcoholism in my dictionary. It just shows how drinking copious amounts of alcohol is normalised.
I hardly ever drink but to me the definition of normal would be one glass of wine (200 ml) strictly only with food.
We are talking about alcohol here, not water or fruit juice.

There is no medically agreed term “alcoholism”. It’s all subjective and gray areas, because - as my dear mum who very much liked a drink used to say - an alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks more than you.

Alcohol is an addictive poison. None of us need it for health or well-being. Some become addicted more quickly than others and for some there are worse consequences than for others, but many people are addicted without drinking daily or heavily. It’s the nature of the drug.

Drinking a bottle of wine every evening is pretty much alcoholism in my dictionary.

I agree to a point. It’s not necessarily alcoholism but it’s absolutely terrible for you and needs to be drastically reduced.

Drinking a bottle and a half of wine at home on your own of an evening just as a matter of course and being seemingly unaffected...this isn't normal is it?

I would be too drunk to stand.

I can't believe anyone considers that a moderate amount to drink.

I would be too drunk to stand.

Me too, I’d be horrendously ill if I drank that amount.

I can easily put this amount away at work events where there is free flowing, free of charge booze, especially when there are bottles of wine plonked on tables and you don't even have to go to the bar. the industry I work it I happens very often and I know I drink WAY too much.

I have, on very rare occasions, done it alone at home but something catastrophic would have had to happen to prompt it and I'd feel like a mess head the next day. I'm trying to knock drinking at home on the head entirely and not have any booze in the house.

There is no medically agreed term “alcoholism”. It’s all subjective and gray areas

The medical term is alcohol use disorder and it's very clearly defined in the DSM-5.

www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders

Drinking alone.
Drinking every day or almost every day.
Feeling edgy if they don't know where the next drink is coming from.
Covering up how much they're drinking.
Regularly exceeding the government guidelines on units per week.
Never being the designated non-drinking driver.
Claiming they could stop anytime but never actually trying to.
Drinking earlier and earlier in the day.
Forgetting what happened the night before.
Missing appointments and messing up personal and work commitments.

Drinking solo or social is irrelevant

Is it? Social drinking is to loosen inhibitions, make conversation easier...

Lone drinking is to what? Numb the edges? Take away the pain of everyday?

Like many pp have said- they drink or drink to excess at home when they’ve had a shitty day.

When i was young most people didn’t drink at home unless they had company. They’d have a drinks cabinet to offer aunt betty a sweet sherry or uncle bob a whisky when the came round. It was social.

Now people drinking a bottle of wine or more, at home, on their own, is normal?

I only drink socially. I have anxiety and can easily see myself using alcohol to smooth my feelings rather than deal with them, an I think that would be a slippery slope.

Btw 2 small glasses of wine and I feel the effects. About 1/3- 1/2 a bottle. 1.5 bottles I’d be vomiting and unconscious. Someone who can drink that much and not feel it has a tolerance built up..

The medical term is alcohol use disorder and it's very clearly defined in the DSM-5.

Yes but I said alcoholism. There is no such thing.

I have a friend that drinks this much most nights. Doesn’t think she has a problem.

I've heard both. That drinking alone is the definition of alcoholism and also that it doesn't matter; if you're alone or in company, if you need a drink, can't stop once you've started, or you rearrange plans to accommodate booze over other things, you have a problem.

But, in reality, having watched my mum drink herself to death alone in her room vs watching people who are functional alcoholics going out for 6 pints after work, if I HAD to pick one (obviously, I'd rather lick neither), I would 100% pick the pints after work scenario. But then, for some people, that then morphs into the drinking alone in your room scenario...so who knows?

A friend of mine who is in her 70s says drinking alone is the definition of alcoholism, so wonder if it used to be?

Another friend of mine is a doctor and she sees a lot of women in gastro wards, seriously, seriously ill because of chronic alcohol consumption and many of them are naice, middle class ladies who just drank a bit too much. Not like my poor mum (a stereotypical alcoholic, poor thing).

Pick, not lick! I am not planning to lick anyone, regardless of alcohol consumption, I promise!

I drink alone sometimes and I’m not an alcoholic. What about people who live alone? They can’t have a glass of wine with dinner? Don’t be so ridiculous.

Sorry, was that to me @sexnotgender?

You find my post ridiculous?

No it wasn’t aimed at anyone, sorry if it came across like that

Several people have said drinking alone is a sign of an alcoholic, I find it ridiculous.

I think it may have been the old definition tbf. So it will have stuck around. I also think it is inaccurate.

What about people who live alone? They can’t have a glass of wine with dinner? Don’t be so ridiculous

I don’t see the need to drink at home at all. Like pp said it does seem to be a relatively new thing- my parent generation only drank at home if they had a friend round, it was the social norm to offer. But not the norm at all to drink with everyday meals.

Alcohol was for pubs and restaurants. Social occasions.

“Drinking alone” to me would also mean you and a partner. Generally drinking without a social environment to go with. I don’t need alcohol to enable the conversation between us.