5 ms·

Alcoholism isn't defined in terms of how much you drink, but how much control you have over your drinking. If OP thinks he has a problem with drinking too much

by mamon 9y ago

Alcoholism isn't defined in terms of how much you drink, but how much control you have over your drinking. If OP thinks he has a problem with drinking too much then probably he does have a problem.

dazc 9y ago
It's possible but I have lived with an alcoholic and, from my experience, I'd say two things to this. One - voluntarily admitting he has a problem is a major clue that he isn't an alcoholic. Two - half to one bottle of wine wouldn't touch the sides with my ex who would easily do that amount before breakfast without anyone even knowing.
- lloeki 9y ago
  What makes me react to your comment is that it has the potential to be damaging to people that are coming to terms with denial of their addiction. > voluntarily admitting he has a problem is a major clue that he isn't an alcoholic. Someone voluntarily admitting he has an addiction problem is the first step for him to fix this problem. Always. Ever. Being alcoholic is having an addiction to alcohol. Quantity only matters in the damage done. I can drink shitloads of alcohol myself but I'm not alcoholic because I couldn't care less when I don't (I know, because I'm addicted to nicotine, and boy is that fucked up, even though I don't smoke much it's such a battle to quit). Someone who drinks a single glass every single day but can't stop doing it is alcoholic. Quantity and behaviour (whether it is physically or psychologically induced) are completely orthogonal.
  - OJFord 9y ago
    OP had the self-control to stop drinking for a period to assess what impact it wae having on running though.
  - dazc 9y ago
    He said 'I'm drinking on average 5 evenings per week...' This, for me, doesn't sound like someone with an addiction issue. You make some fair points but I was trying to give the guy a bit of encouragement that his problem is not so great that he can't just snap out of it. Apologies for any offence.
OJFord 9y ago
OP was able to run an experiment, running when drinking or not drinking for a period. Half to a full bottle isn't even excessive quantity, it's more the frequency that makes it 'a lot'. OP sounds in perfect control to me. Perhaps use the running as motivation to cut back a bit - aim for doing a particular race that's a bit of a stretch.
- robin_reala 9y ago
  Depends how you define excessive. For example, the current UK recommendation[1] is a maximum of 14 ‘units’ a week. An average bottle of wine is something like 9 units depending on ABV strength, so 5 evenings a week of 3/4s of a bottle of wine works out at 33.75 units, or 2.4 times the recommended maximum. [1] https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx
  - OJFord 9y ago
    I did say that it was the frequency that made it 'a lot', not that it wasn't a lot. I only mean that if someone said to you 'I had half a bottle of wine or more last night', you'd hardly think Sheesh, this guy's an alcoholic. It's if they followed it up with 'and I have every night since I-can't-remember-when' that you'd think Okay that's a bit much.
DanBC 9y ago
Currently we try to avoid "alcoholic" and use "dependant", because it has a clearer definition. If someone has a tolerance for alcohol; is preoccupied by alcohol; seeks alcohol when they don't have it; and continues drinking even though they know it's causing harm then they are dependent on alcohol. It's important to realise that a drinker can be doing severe harm even if they're not dependent on alcohol. Current UK guidance for alcohol is no more than 14 units per week, and OP is drinking well over that.

by mamon 9y ago

Alcoholism isn't defined in terms of how much you drink, but how much control you have over your drinking. If OP thinks he has a problem with drinking too much then probably he does have a problem.

dazc 9y ago

It's possible but I have lived with an alcoholic and, from my experience, I'd say two things to this. One - voluntarily admitting he has a problem is a major clue that he isn't an alcoholic. Two - half to one bottle of wine wouldn't touch the sides with my ex who would easily do that amount before breakfast without anyone even knowing.

lloeki 9y ago
What makes me react to your comment is that it has the potential to be damaging to people that are coming to terms with denial of their addiction. > voluntarily admitting he has a problem is a major clue that he isn't an alcoholic. Someone voluntarily admitting he has an addiction problem is the first step for him to fix this problem. Always. Ever. Being alcoholic is having an addiction to alcohol. Quantity only matters in the damage done. I can drink shitloads of alcohol myself but I'm not alcoholic because I couldn't care less when I don't (I know, because I'm addicted to nicotine, and boy is that fucked up, even though I don't smoke much it's such a battle to quit). Someone who drinks a single glass every single day but can't stop doing it is alcoholic. Quantity and behaviour (whether it is physically or psychologically induced) are completely orthogonal.
- OJFord 9y ago
  OP had the self-control to stop drinking for a period to assess what impact it wae having on running though.
- dazc 9y ago
  He said 'I'm drinking on average 5 evenings per week...' This, for me, doesn't sound like someone with an addiction issue. You make some fair points but I was trying to give the guy a bit of encouragement that his problem is not so great that he can't just snap out of it. Apologies for any offence.

OJFord 9y ago

OP was able to run an experiment, running when drinking or not drinking for a period. Half to a full bottle isn't even excessive quantity, it's more the frequency that makes it 'a lot'. OP sounds in perfect control to me. Perhaps use the running as motivation to cut back a bit - aim for doing a particular race that's a bit of a stretch.

robin_reala 9y ago
Depends how you define excessive. For example, the current UK recommendation[1] is a maximum of 14 ‘units’ a week. An average bottle of wine is something like 9 units depending on ABV strength, so 5 evenings a week of 3/4s of a bottle of wine works out at 33.75 units, or 2.4 times the recommended maximum. [1] https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx
- OJFord 9y ago
  I did say that it was the frequency that made it 'a lot', not that it wasn't a lot. I only mean that if someone said to you 'I had half a bottle of wine or more last night', you'd hardly think Sheesh, this guy's an alcoholic. It's if they followed it up with 'and I have every night since I-can't-remember-when' that you'd think Okay that's a bit much.

DanBC 9y ago

Currently we try to avoid "alcoholic" and use "dependant", because it has a clearer definition. If someone has a tolerance for alcohol; is preoccupied by alcohol; seeks alcohol when they don't have it; and continues drinking even though they know it's causing harm then they are dependent on alcohol. It's important to realise that a drinker can be doing severe harm even if they're not dependent on alcohol. Current UK guidance for alcohol is no more than 14 units per week, and OP is drinking well over that.