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talaniman · Jan 3, 2009, 07:14 AM

Alcohol is but a symptom of a greater problem that has to be dealt with. As is any addiction.

Jake2008 · Jan 3, 2009, 11:10 AM

Something that might make this a little easier to understand shatryia.

We had a family friend, female, for over 25 years. A teacher, and a great friend to my sister. They went to school together, shared major occasions such as weddings and births of their children, etc. There was little they didn't know about each other.

Until one day, out of the blue, my sister received a call that this friend had been admitted to hospital. Reason? Alcohol poisoning.

To a shocked group of very concerned friends and family, it was disclosed that she had been an alcoholic all of her adult life.

Nobody knew.

ja77 · Jan 4, 2009, 09:18 AM

To me alcoholic addiction is when someone can not wake in the morning without a drink, or sleep at night unless they have a drink.

I guess I'm saying - it is when a person can not function without adding Alcohol.

giovanna shield · Jan 5, 2009, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by sgt hardkore

to me a alcoholic is just someone to drinks more than the average person.

One of the first signs of alcoholism is when your life has become unmanageable
It is most difficult to admit one has the disease

susananne · Jan 13, 2009, 09:08 AM

Whenever drinking has influenced your life in a negative way.. time and time again... you have an issue with drinking... you can abuse alcohol.. and not be an alcoholic. When you know it is having a negative effect... and continue on the downslide.. then you have a problem with alcohol.

jmjoseph · Apr 8, 2009, 06:52 PM

I asked this question to an aa member with 20 years recovery and he said he had no right to say who was an alcoholic. I was questioning my own situation and I have not had a drink in a year, and he said it was his opinion that If I could go a year without a drink I was probably not an alcoholic. My Al-anon sponsor suggested that I get a pamphlet from aa called 44 questions that might help me decide if I had a problem.

Jentau · Apr 9, 2009, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

I don't know what "you'll be sober even after getting drunk" means - ?

I think it just means you don't act like a retard :)

Jake2008 · Apr 9, 2009, 10:42 AM

What's the importance of the definition anyway.

If you drinking causes problems, then learn how to control yourself, or stop drinking alcohol.

If you ask the opinions of close friends and they say you pee yourself, take risk taking behaviour, are obnoxious and can't talk properly, then I'd say you have a problem.

Another good indicator is getting fired, losing your wife/husband, having the cops at your door, ending up in the hospital emergency with alcohol poisoning, or waking up somewhere other than your own bed and not knowing how you got there.

If it makes you sick, you cannot carry on normal activities without a raging headache, nobody will talk to you, your wallet is empty, and your car is wrapped around a tree, then you probably have a problem.

I just hope that between thinking you have a problem, and realizing you have a problem, that you don't kill people in the meantime while driving.

JudyKayTee · Apr 9, 2009, 11:41 AM

You left out rolling over in the AM and wondering who that person in bed with you is.

Jake2008 · Apr 9, 2009, 12:13 PM

Yeah, I realized that I forgot that, and also forgot kicking the dog, slapping the mother in law, throwing the dentures over the bridge, and cussin' out the next door neighbour kids for throwing pink elephants over the fence. :p

I could go on and on, I'm on a roll here lol

lilbay · Apr 12, 2009, 10:38 AM

An alcoholic to me is someone who allows their drinking to control them and allows it to cause them problems in life.
A person who drinks and ends up to the point they lose their job license or family. A person who is spending way too much either on drinking itself or the things they do when drinking A person who is ashamed of what they are doing when drinking or is ashamed about how often they are doing it to the point they start hiding it. These are all signs of alcoholism to me.
If you come home from work and have a glass of wine or a beer each day and life is not effected than you are not a alcoholic.
If you go on vacation and get drunk three days in a row than gets back on track when Vacation is over and they get back to work and only drinks socially now and then that to me is Not a alcoholic.