It's very difficult, for certain. As is clear from this thread, "normal" levels of drinking can vary wildly between people and social groups. For the two peop

It's very difficult, for certain. As is clear from this thread, "normal" levels of drinking can vary wildly between people and social groups. For the two people I know, it wasn't an overnight thing. They were already fairly regular drinkers, and at some point it got out of control, either by some triggering incident or something else. One thing I'm grateful for is that because alcohol affects me greatly I'm careful to never drink more than three pints when I go out with friends; usually one is more than enough. And after seeing the horrible effects of alcoholism, I made a conscious effort to reduce the frequency from a few times a week to a few times a month, and feel a whole lot better for it.