4 ms·
The disorder/addiction lies in the why and how of what it is you're doing, not the amount in itself. You can be an alcoholic when you only ever drink one beer
by kungtotte 8y ago
The disorder/addiction lies in the why and how of what it is you're doing, not the amount in itself.
You can be an alcoholic when you only ever drink one beer per day, as long as it's either a compulsion to do it and/or it affects your life negatively.
- virgilp 8y agoI've heard that theory before, that "you're an alcoholic if you feel the need to drink alcohol periodically". Like, if you drink one beer per day during weekend, you're alcoholic because you feel compelled to do it, periodically/ on external stimulus ("it's weekend"). While this may be a theoretically sound definition of "alcoholism", to me this sounds weak/ not anchored in real human perception. I argue that if it has no significant negative effect on your life, it's not addiction/ disorder.
- kungtotte 8y agoYou're using a really weak definition of compulsion. One might feel a desire to have a few after work on Friday, and it might even be a weekly habit. But if you can just as soon not to, then you don't have a compulsion.