Alcoholism... can you tell me...

[mankymummymoo]

When is drinking a problem?

I'm not talking about how much in volume or frequency...

But just read a thread about this subject and am left wondering what sort of situation/events/whatever would lead you/others to feel that someones drinking is actually alcoholism?

I drink every day but I can't see how practically that is a problem for me or those around me.

I guess it depends what it is doing to your body but you don't necessarily know that until it's gone pretty far.

apart from the damage that alcohol does to your body, I think it partly depends on whether you are drinking to the point of incapacity and making yourself vulnerable. Or whether the drinking gets in the way of your life - is it something you do out of habit or dependency? are you spending more money than you can afford on alcohol? are you waking up hungover? are you able not to drink alcohol?

I noticed in people with eating disorders that the disorder takes over. Everything is based around what food is/ is not available. I have seen similar things with alcohol. The person's main relationship is with the substance and not with other people. I think it is about the relationship with alcohol. Dependence is part of that.

I think our habits change over the years. Say someone says they drink only socially, it could happen that they seek out those times to drink socially more often, and they may end up doing little else but socialise...

AA

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