I dont normally watch this type of thing....too much shouting and aggression.

This morning there was a woman who classed herself as an alcoholic as she drinks 6 or 7 cans of lager/beer a day.

I was surprised that she was an alcoholic on such a modest ( in my opinion) amount of alcohol, I thought alcoholics drank much much more than that?

It's ok. We understand. Now get yourself off to AA.

Fake alcoholic... Ugh, you do know shows like JK are full of chavs right?

Fake alcoholic... Ugh, you do know shows like JK are full of chavs right?

Are you sure. Ialways thought they were aimed at a very intelectual audience with lots of highbrow culture on them.

Nekro, You've sussed me!!

Don't watch it usually was channel hopping and caught a little bit of it. To be honest it's a scarey programme, some of the people on it frighten the life out of me.

Why on earth would someone want to label themselves as one when they're obviously not, silly woman.

Being alcoholic is 'in' this summer.

Sorry to break it to you guys (and this argument has been done to death on here before) but anyone with a dependence on alcohol - and that means drinking every day, or most days, and not feeling willing or able to stop - can quite justifiably be classed as an alcoholic, either by themselves or by anyone else.

Obviously, people who drink regularly and who don't like this fact will come on and tell me its nonsense :)

That's nonsense.

That's nonsense.

Thanks NEKRO :love:


ETA: Am quite happy to consider myself a semi-alcoholic at times, if people are thinking I'm throwing stones in glass houses. I try and take the odd month or so off booze entirely every year, just to prove to myself that I can...but I do also have something to drink most nights, which is not an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination. The fact that a lot of people do it doesn't make it right.

*nods, righteously*

That's nonsense.

An alcoholic is someone you don't like who drinks as much as you do..........

I know someone who drinks a bottle of whisky a day, AND a tray of lager.....now he is an alcoholic.....he drinks from first thing in the morning as well. Her is in his seventies and I think the alcohol is pickling his body as he's still going strong!

Its not me by the way......

All alcoholics I know/have known have never stuck to just beer or lager in the evenings. It tends to be a 24 hour thing and there has to be scotch/vodka or at least wine handy in case a quick fix is needed or a morning bout of the shakes needs calming. People shaking, sweating and downing scotch in bed at 4am is not uncommon.

There are 'dry' alcoholics these are people who may not drink to the excess of alcoholics but need to drink every day, even what most of us would consider a modest ammount

I work in pubs 4 evenings a week but i only drink on average 2 nights a week 1 of which is when i actually go out rather than working

EDIT: one day i'll sit down and watch this programme, see if it is as bad people say

When does a habitual drinker become a alcoholic, what is a alcoholic, we all assume its just the white lightning brigade but I think it’s a bit more complex than that.

I just thought at 6 or 7 cans of beer in an evening would get someone that drunk they were considered an alcoholic. Unless of course they are just 'topping up'.

I think lots of people have a drink at the end of the day to unwind, it can be a habit, but not necessarily alcoholism.

I see people on my way to work in a morning drinking 1.5 litre bottles of lambrini in the street......now that to me is a severe problem.

When does a habitual drinker become a alcoholic, what is a alcoholic, we all assume its just the white lightning brigade but I think it’s a bit more complex than that.

It is a lot more complex than that Malky, you're right.

Even a quick look at the ever-reliable Wiki entry on the topic tells us that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism

Of, perhaps, particular interest are the medical definitions:

The Journal of the American Medical Association defines alcoholism as "a primary, chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking."

The DSM-IV (the standard for diagnosis in psychiatry and psychology) defines alcohol abuse as repeated use despite recurrent adverse consequences. It further defines alcohol dependence as alcohol abuse combined with tolerance, withdrawal, and an uncontrollable drive to drink. (See DSM diagnosis below.)

According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, alcoholism is the popular term for alcohol dependence. Note that there is debate whether dependence in this use is physical (characterised by withdrawal), psychological (based on reinforcement), or both.

The term 'Dry Alcoholic' refers to someone who IS dependant on alcohol but is not drinking but /needing to drink.
If someone drinking six or seven cans a day were classed as alcoholic then there are a lot of alcoholics out there.

The term 'Dry Alcoholic' refers to someone who IS dependant on alcohol but is not drinking but /needing to drink.
If someone drinking six or seven cans a day were classed as alcoholic then there are a lot of alcoholics out there.

There's a difference between choosing to drink 6-7 cans and being unable to "need" it.
Anyone who "needs" a drink to function "normally" is alcohol dependant, now where it becomes an acloholic is open to debtae.

I need more than 6 cans to get a buzz, :rolleyes: So should I enrol at AA?

There's a difference between choosing to drink 6-7 cans and being unable to "need" it.
Anyone who "needs" a drink to function "normally" is alcohol dependant, now where it becomes an acloholic is open to debtae.

Exactly, so a Dry Alcoholic is just that an alcoholic who is trying to stay dry.
When the crossover from social drinking to dependency happens is anybodys guess.

I need more than 6 cans to get a buzz, :rolleyes: So should I enrol at AA?

Try drinking 6 cans of 10% lager (there are some) and you'll get a buzz and a half.

Most people who go to pubs regularly are now classed as alcoholics if you look at the amounts they drink.If it is something you cannot manage without then you are addicted, so you must be an alcoholic.

I need more than 6 cans to get a buzz, :rolleyes: So should I enrol at AA?


I have been to alcoholics anonymous-I still drink, but under a different name:hihi: