I'm a practising alcoholic. I average around a bottle of wine a night. As long as I keep the average more or less steady - and as long as I can not drink for several days in a row, without withdrawal symptoms, I'm okay.
What I'm trying to say is that any regular drink malarkey is potentially dangerous. Lots of alcoholics binge once a fortnight, lots more have a large g&t when they get in from work, then a couple of glasses of wine with dinner. It's not all about park benches and Thunderbird!
I don't know why you're asking? As this is a subject very close to my heart (which is health, heh), I'm going to throw a few ideas out. Please forgive me if I'm totally off-track.
Family life stuff:
A drink 'habit' interferes with family life, very noticeably when you have children.
- You have to be stone-cold sober to do the sports/friends/classes/etc runs, because you'd never forgive yourself if your kids were in an accident and you were driving with alcohol in your system.
- Being a bit leery, or a bit hungover, or a bit too interested in when "the sun goes over the yardarm" of an early evening, when the DCs need you to help them, makes you feel crap about yourself. The kids make excuses for you, which isn't what you'd ideally hope for.
- Your kids are likely to develop alcohol/drugs/acting-out behaviours, which will piss you off & worry you no end. They do it because you are their parent, and they're children. They believe that what you do is right.
Relationship stuff:
Most drinkers form partnerships with other drinkers. This is not* a problem unless you're doing the distracted thing, as above.
- Some people change character after a few drinks. This is, invariably, because there's an underlying problem.
- If you become nasty with your partner after a few drinks, chances are you're not really happy with the relationship, but lie to yourself while sober
Work stuff:
- Some employers have a zero-tolerance attitude to drinking. While this looks like an insult to human rights, it has gone through all the highest courts in the world. Consensus: If an employer wants to hire only non-drinkers, they're within the law. Bummer.
- Obviously (I hope) if you miss work because of a hangover, or get pissed during the day to the detriment of your performance, you deserve to be fired. Although most big comapnies will offer you treatment at their expense - which is nice of them.
- If you slag off your co-workers or clients while under the influence, you deserve what you get. Same with driving on business while not sober.
Health Stuff:
- The government talks a load of crap. But who's to blame them, since we expect them to tell us what's healthy and they have to rely on surveys? If you drink more than the current recommendation, get your liver & kidney function checked ever 6 months. Take a multivitamin. Eat Marmite (or brewer's yeast tablets, if you don't like the stuff).
Psychological/Emotional stuff:
- It is very, very usual for people with hidden ishoos to drink regularly. I'm an example! In that light, I would actually advise overstating your habit so as to get some decent psychotherapy - god knows, it's hard enough to come by. Alcoholism is a 'disease' (currently), therefore extra resources are available.
- If you tend to lose your temper, cry frantically, have random sex or otherwise "act out" when you're drinking, then the wine is squashing an ishoo for you. Go to the doc & get yourself some top-class help.
This has taken so long to type, I'm probably way behind on your thread
I think it's worth posting anyway - hope so!