What is The Definition Of ....
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Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:09 am

... an Alcoholic or Alcoholism to yourselves? I ask, merely because I want to know peoples' opinions, impressions, and knowledge of Alcoholism.

Your responses shall be interesting, though I suppose, may be varied,educated, or mislead.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:13 am

Interesting topic.
I will keep this brief for now!
Well AA believes that alcoholism is a disease & that some people,alcoholics, have an allergy to alcohol.
My husband is in recovery,alcoholic/drugs.
My definition would be someone who needs a stimulus and false illusion to get through the day. All AA people I know did not know how to handle day to day life.
I've seen alcoholics who didn't drink daily but went on binges for days at a time and others who couldn't get out of bed without a drink/pill.
I still do believe that there is a spiritual underlying problem that causes these addictions.
Can't wait to see the response on this one.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:39 am

My dad is an alcoholic. He drinks simply to be able to function around other people, to be social. When I was younger the only time my dad would really talk to me was when he was drunk on Saturdays. I think I always knew it was alcohol, but I wasn't cognizant of it till I was a teenager, and instead of looking forward to when my dad would "come out" I dreaded it. He's stopped drinking periodically, but there's always beer in the fridge. Lately he "secret drinks" out in the garage. he can't drink as much due to some medication he's on for a back injury.

To me, a person is an alocholic when they feel they need to drink to get through the day, like my dad. The secrecy is also a mark of alcoholism-- when you try to keep it from others.

I don't know what I think about the whole alcoholism as a disease thing. I drink alcohol but I'm not prone to * spam alert *. I don't feel I need to drink. Sometimes I see some of those addictive traits in my sister, however, so I wonder sometimes if she got that from my dad.

I don't think everyone who drinks everyday is an alcoholic. My boyfriend's parents drink everyday, but they do it for enjoyment, not out of need. It's when you're getting sloppy everyday that you have a problem.

Don't know if I made much sense-- interesting topic, Casper's Mum, got me thinking this SUnday morning! Laughing

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:06 pm

My dad drinks a glas of wine every day to dinner - when once I mentioned that to a doctor he was terrified and told me i have to try to get him to a therapy, etc., etc., because this is the definition of being an alcoholic.
My dad has a small winery and he makes his own wine, that's his hobby. and i'm sure he's not an alcoholic, i've never seen him drunk either in my whole life, because he stuck with this 1-2 glasses of wine in the evening.
well, my definition is : when someone needs the alcohol, in order to be able to function properly. I know people they take that first glas in the morning with trembling hands - and then they are perfectly o.k. - until they need
the second one to stop the trembling again . . .
Here in Europe i see a terrible problem of teenage alcoholism : when 13 years old binge-drink on weekends, or go to holiday to Mallorca only for being without control and spend the week being permanently drunk from the cheapest drinks. Those kids also get dependent very quickly. it's awful.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:44 pm

I don't believe that alcoholism is a disease, because nobody is born an alcoholic. I would say that some people are more prone to abuse alcohol and drugs (and gambling, and so on) than others. An alcoholic is somebody who has been drinking so regularly that he can't function without alcohol (or thinks that he can't).
Sorry if I am not very open-minded about alcohol. I had a boyfriend who drank a lot, saw alcoholism as a disease and was doing all that he could to catch it.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:50 pm

I think some ppl are more prone to others to be addicted to alchohol. It's all about addictive personalities. When you have an addictive personality, your more prone to get hooked on drugs, alchohol, food, gambling etc. I think the definition of alchoholism is a person who is dependant on alchohol whether it is to get through stressful situations, use alchohol to become more talkative in social situations, numb the pain of everyday reality etc. They prefer to be under the influence because it makes them feel better when they are high. My best friend is an alchoholic and is still in denial about it and does not want to get help, even though he drinks quite often and often by himself and sometimes in the morning. He says he doesnt get totally wasted or drunk, but if you need a drink in the morning by yourself... you have a problem.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:29 pm

In my former life as a criminal defense attorney, I became intimately familiar with the disease of alcohol dependence through many of my clients. In the states, the clinician's "bible" for diagnosing the disease rests with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (now the "DSM-IV-TR"). Unfortunately, my understanding is that the American Psychiatric Association prohibits access to the DSM on-line, so I can't list the disease criteria without heading to the attic where I packed all of my texts when I stopped practicing.

I found the following when I googled, which purports to be the DSM criteria, but I can't say for sure without resorting to the text.

DSM-IV Alcohol Abuse (1 or more criteria for over 1 year)
Role Impairment (e.g. failed work or home obligations)
Hazardous use (e.g. Driving while intoxicated)
Legal problems related to alcohol use
Social or interpersonal problems due to alcohol

DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence (3 criteria for over 1 year)
Tolerance (increased drinking to achieve same effect)
Alcohol Withdrawal signs or symptoms
Drinking more than intended
Unsuccessful attempts to cut down on use
Excessive time related to alcohol (obtaining, hangover)
Impaired social or work activities due to alcohol
Use despite physical or psychological consequences

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:05 pm

I may be off in my thinking but to me its when you feel you NEED it. Like when something goes bad its the first thing you turn to. Or if it ruins other areas of your life. If it is negatively affecting your life in anyway and you are powerless to stop it. I used to go out and drink a lot as a teenager (yeah yeah underage I know). I have no had a drink in over 2 years (ironic never had one since I turned 21). I literally went out to clubs partying every night for months before I stopped drinking. It was just bad. And I don't even really like it I think I was just bored with life. I feel no need for it anymore and don't intend on ever drinking again the way I used to. When the time comes I will see if I can handle a glass or two but if not then its not for me. I still go out but never drink. You see the nightlife so differently.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:18 pm

I am a graduate student in counseling, and I just checked my DSM. The criteria are correct, but doesn't include that Abuse is the 'less severe' category, meaning that to qualify as Abuse, the person must have never met criteria for Dependence. Abuse can progress to Dependence, but once you meet criteria for Dependence, Abuse can't be used.

I think that these definitions are good, but I think there should be something about psychological dependence, because I think you can be psychologically dependent on something (anything, really) without having the physical symptoms. I also agree that some people have addictive personalities, that it is passed down(both through genetics and learned behavior), and in that way * spam alert * is a disease. I don't think that people without this burden can judge others who succumb. It's easy to say "Well I would just never drink." When you think about it, though, children of alcoholics have it really hard. First, they have probably inherited genetics and behavior making them prone to * spam alert *, and then their alcoholic family probably created issues for them that are hard to deal with, and they were never taught other ways to handle life. Put those together and imagine how hard it would be to NOT be an addict of some kind!

**Steps off Counselor Soapbox** Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:52 pm

cloud 9--you made some good points. My ex was/is in AA (it does run in his family...both parents and some brothers). I remember asking him a long time ago when he told me he was an alcoholic what the difference was between someone with an * spam alert * and someone who just likes to drink. He said a person who can have 1 or 2 drinks and no more probably doesn't have a problem; but someone who can't just have a couple and need to keep drinking until drunk or passed out probably is.

free skin care · Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:19 pm

Well it seems the consensus is the same. They abuse a substance to "fit in", deal with life relax or become social. But notice, all of this is trying to alter their real personality/self. They are not comfortable in their skin. Then it turns into a real physical need of the substance to function.

I heard a funny quote from an AA member...
One beer is too much and a whole beer truck is not enough!!

For those out there that are children of alcoholics, married to one, have a family member or friend....remember You didn't cause it, You can't control it & You can't cure it.

free skin care · Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:44 pm

Put simply, i think an alcoholic is someone who can't function normally, mentally and/or physically without consuming alcohol. My grandma has a glass of wine with her dinner everyday but she can go without it if she had to. Some people would think she's an alcoholic because she drinks everyday, but i don't think so.

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