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?

Oh, yes, the NHS is crumbling under hte weight of people living longer with health conditions, too, and the obesity crisis. And smokers.

Let's pillory all of them, too!

Notnowbernard - its not a typical night - that would be only a few times a week. 2, maybe 3.

I can absolutely assure you I do not have any dependency issues. I never feel like I need a drink, never. I never drink alone, nor in the house. If anything, I have an addiction to socialising

Honestly though, I really do not have any alcohol issues. And I do not spin yarns, thank you very much.

Also agree with Expat and Madamez. (again)

i worry about my purse too much now to drink, Piffle .

unless someone else is paying .

That's interesting Piffle. Did you request the tests or did your doctor suggest them?

I think 0ver 50 to 70 units a week is pretty academic Madamez. I temp at a doctors. I send people who drink a bottle a night for detox regulalry - one drinks less than that and needs a transplant. I've said what my experience is. If people want to put their fingers in their ears and sing la la la, I can't stop them

[sits on hands]

and mt many non smokers get lung cancer and emphysema.
For some people as with smokers, one person can smoke 23 a day for 50 years and have lungs that are more clear and sound than her 37 yr old daughter who gave up smoking after 4 years of 14 a day..
There is always a susceptability factor.

You are sounding a bit sanctimonius MT. Is this personal for you?

DSM - I honestly don't wish to offend or speak in a presumptious way

I still consider the level of consumption you describe (even at "just" 2-3 times a week) quite staggering

I speak as someone who as worked with very unwell folk who drink less than you

I book admissions for a detox unit and stand by what I posted.

There are some (but not many) who drink less than the equivalent of a bottle a night, there are some who have a bottle for breakfast and then continue drinking.

If he can cut down and give it up no problem then he isn't an alcoholic. If he NEEDS to continue having alcohol every night then he has a problem.

I appreciate that it seems a lot. However, in my line of work, and the hours that I am out for, it really is not as bad as it may sound. I will drink those 10 pints and 3 or 4 vodkas and a bunch of shots in a period of, say, 14 or 15 hours.
Yes, it is a lot, and I do have somewhat of a reputation for being able to drink a lot. But I don't get overly drunk, and I often think that to people who don't drink much at all, it will sound staggering.

Thank you for your concern, genuinely, but I know alcoholics, and I know what a dependency is like. And I can unequivocally assure you, I do not have any alcohol related problems.

It's not the sort of thing I can confront him about really, as he's just a colleague and not a particularly close one, so I guess we'll never know.

A lot depends on how fast you drink, DSM. If you drank that amount in an evening, say 8pm-midnight, you'd be on the floor, comatose (well I would be anyway) but over 14-15 hours is a different story.

Is that whole "only some people's livers are damaged by alcohol" thing true? I was randomly watching some programme with that Gunter Von Haagens or whatever he is called. They were teaching wayward people a lesson by showing them autopsies of people who have died by the same means iyswim.

They had a girl who was a binge drinker and showed her the autopsy of a lady who had been an alcoholic for many years. Surprisingly her liver was fine and dandy, twas vomit inhalation that killed her.

I did once read somewhere that according to genetics your liver will be affected differently, still not a good thing to drink loads mind.

a bottle of wine contains around 9 units of alcohol. (depending on the alcohol content of the wine)

maximum recomended weekly amount for an adult male is 21 units.

a bottle a night puts him at 63 units a week. way over the safe level and he will be putting himself at real risk of life threatning liver damage

That's seriously unhealthy amounts of alcohol. There is a strong likelihood it will damage your brain, your liver, increase your risk of many types of cancer. Blimey, I love wine but that's just mad. Of course people are free to drink themselves to death, I'm just really shocked that people drink that much that often (and I think I drink too much)

DSM - do you like having a "reputation for being able to drink a lot"?

Interesting havalina. My dad's family are all big drinkers. Mum's side not. Most of my dad's side are dead though...

It's not me, Msdemeanour.

I still consider the amount you drink staggering, even over the course of 15hrs

10 pints
4 spirits
10 shots

Fucking Hell

Glad you feel ok though. What work do you do?

14-15 hours? So you start at midday and carry on until 2-3am or start at 5pm and go through till dawn?

Christ on a bike what do you do for a job?

I would worry about someone that drank that much and didn't appear drunk.

Think this is relevant - many people with severe liver disease are 'just' heavy social drinkers, not alcoholics.

64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:Xk7ulJrXJXIJ:www.soton.ac.uk/mediacentre/news/2006/mar/06_39.shtml+alc ohol+liver+disease+study&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=23&gl=uk

DSM without being condescending I'd imagine that you are some way under 40: as the years go by the hangovers get worse and one tends to cut back a bit (I am over 40 and I used to drink like you do, I now drink less because I find that the icky feeling the next day outweighs the enjoyment of the night before. That's not to say I don't get hammered occasionally, just that I have more non-drinking nights now.

Without knowing the age/attitude of the OP's colleague I couldn't really comment on whether he has an alcohol problem or whether he just likes a drink but I do rather wonder if it's anyone else's business at all?

VVVQV - not sure what you mean. Why would one like or dislike such a thing?

Maybe you like to play chess, and have a reputation as an avid chess fan. Why would you feel anything in particular about this?

I work in an environment where people are drinking, all the time. So its not like someone working 9-5 in the office and getting pissed after work every night. Its just not the same, and you need to be more open minded about other lifestyles to understand that its not particularly abnormal.

DSM, what do you do for a living?

Actually make that 'most people'