Is this alcoholic territory?

[SheABitSpicyToday]

Having 2-3 beers each evening. The pint can ones.

Yabu yea that’s too much.
Yanbu no that’s fine.

Can you stop? If not then yes.

Depends on so many variables imho.

If you feel it's too much then it is too much (if this is you?)

It’s not me no, sorry forgot to put that! It’s a family member.

Depends how essential it is, not how much booze it is

ime

Every evening? That’s roughly 6 units. So, that multiplied by 7 gives you 42 units a week. I think whether that equates to dependence is your relationship with it really, as in how do you feel about it?

If you can't stop then yes.
Can you imagine an evening without alcohol ?

Fine if it's only 2-3 times a week

If they're normal strength beer, that's 4 to 6 units a night. Not a healthy amount and over recommended limits, but I used to drink that much until I decided to change it and that change wasn't a problem. It was force of habit, I recognised that one day and just changed the amount and frequency of my alcohol use, easily and happily.

The problem arises when you cannot do without those drinks, when you cannot manage alcohol free days, when it interferes with your ability to work and handle your relationships.

It would be better health wise to drink less, but this amount and frequency is not in itself an issue.

My late husband was a 140 units a week alcoholic - completely different.

As a previous poster said - if you can stop, then ok. If not, that’s a worrying sign.

They suffer with depression and their partner has expressed concern but they are in denial abs think after a long day at work it’s how they want to unwind. I’ve been asked for advice but I really can’t tell who’s unreasonable as they both seem fairly valid points!

It's really too much alcohol to be having every night.

Years ago it wasn't uncommon though.

But if it's a 'problem with alcohol' is a different question entirely.

More information needed to know whether it's 'problem drinking' or not.

What is it that's causing it to be a problem for their partner?

Their partner just thinks it’s too much to be drinking every night.

Not sure if the drinker has a problem stopping, but they just don’t want to.

I'm on holiday from work and will have a few drinks most evenings because I want too and I don't have to get up for work. I know I could go without if I chose too and wouldn't drink every night if I had work the next day. I'd say in these circumstances not a problem but if every day then possibly. I also tend to drink more in the summer when it's hot.

If they're drinking to self-medicate for depression then yes, it is a problem. It's not an alcohol problem, it's a not addressing your issues problem.

My late husband also drank to self-medicate for depression, just to a greater extreme. Your relative needs to work on their mental health so that they can get back to enjoying life - and that can include a drink in moderation, for enjoyment.

Too much in my opinion.

Your liver needs a break from continually having to detoxify your body from alcohol.

My dad was the same. Drank 2-3 pints every day. Always alongside a pint or two of water and he never touched spirits.

Pancreatic cancer took him in 5 weeks from diagnosis, with liver cancer the primary.

Of course he might have just been unlucky…

It’s too much according to guidelines etc, but perhaps not ‘alcoholic territory’

7 days a week ? Yeah, that’s too much.

It’s not the amount that makes an alcoholic it’s the dependency and the impact it has on others.

In the abstract it’s hard to answer this question but you have sort of answered it by posting about it. If it’s of concern to other close family/partner/children it’s a problem.

My ex drank about that much every day and would constantly jump through rhetorical hoops to justify it. Bottom line was it was too much for me. I wanted some alcohol free space for me and him in my life and he wasn’t prepared or able to give me that.

The amount isn't what makes a person an alcoholic. What happens if there's no beer in the house? Does the drinker need the beer or just want it?

Yes, that's too much. Especially considering they don't want to stop drinking- that suggests they think it's fine, they can stop whenever they want. Relying on alcohol to unwind when they're suffering with depression is a very bad sign- it's dependency on it whether it's severe or not.

I’m not sure he needs it but he wants it. The partner is only really acknowledging this now as she’s pregnant and has stopped drinking. Before she didn’t really notice.

It's not about the amount or how often (in isolation) it's about the reasons for drinking and what would happen if they couldn't have those 2-3 cans one night.

He will happily go a few weeks with the zero alcohol stuff. So I don’t think it’s the actual alcohol, it’s more the “beer”. If you know what I mean.

He's not an alcoholic then - he just likes a beer

I do think when the partner isn’t pregnant anymore she won’t care as much