There is no set limit to how many drinks it takes to have a problem with alcohol abuse. Having a second beer at a picnic won’t make you an alcoholic, but being dependent on alcohol is a problem. There are different categories of alcohol use such as social, abuse, and addiction also called dependency. Social drinking is where someone drinks in social situations such as picnics, going to bars with friends, or having wine at dinner. This level of drinking is generally not seen as a problem as the body is not dependent on alcohol and there are little to no social ramifications of the drinking.
Dependency or addiction is where the person can’t control their drinking and may experience withdrawals from drinking; hangovers do not count as withdrawals (Alcohol Statistics). 15 Million people are dependent on alcohol in the United States (Alcohol Statistics). 6% of college students have a dependency problem (Alcohol Statistics). It is likely that these college students will not know that they are dependent on alcohol as drinking is now seen as a cultural norm for college students. This drinking has spurred such things as “Thirsty Thursdays” were drinks are cheaper at bars and professors expect students to have issues the next day (Povolny, 2007).
Drinking to this excess is a problem and it is a good idea to look out for the signs and symptoms of alcohol dependency. Below are some indicators of problems with alcohol drinking:
Moderate or “low-risk” drinking:
Research shows that people who drink moderately may be less likely to experience an alcohol use disorder (AUD). These drinking levels, which differ for men and women, are:
For men:
No more than 4 drinks on any single day AND no more than 14 drinks per week
For women:
No more than 3 drinks on any single day AND no more than 7 drinks per week. To stay low risk for AUDs, you must keep within both the single-day and weekly limits.
Risky drinking
Risky drinking means consuming more than the single-day or the weekly limits listed above. About 25% of people who drink more than these limits already have developed alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence problems.
Binge drinking
Binge drinking means drinking so much that within about 2 hours that blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels reach 0.08g/dL. For women, this usually occurs after about 4 drinks, and for men, after about 5.
Other signs of problems with alcohol drinking:
Drinking at work: despite this seeming like an obvious sign it is an important one as it shows that the person is neglecting their responsibilities and aren’t considering the ramifications of drinking at work (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2013).
Drinking often or despite the issues that drinking has caused: these issues can include relationship problems (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2013), issues at work (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2013), irritability , loss of memory (Alcohol Statistics), and legal problems .
Attempting to hide drinking: this can be as simple as drinking alone so no one can see you or hiding alcohol bottles to avoid people knowing you are drinking. The presence of alcohol bottles is not always a sign of alcohol dependency, but if you are starting to notice other signs then this may be an important sign.
Not being able to stop drinking: the person may attempt to stop drinking, but may find it difficult to stop. They may drink more than others or drink more often than others, but they still feel that they have their drinking under control (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2013).
Alcohol abuse is when a person drinks to the point of having social troubles or drinks a great deal often (Alcohol Statistics). The big difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is that the person who is abusing alcohol does not experience withdrawal symptoms and does not require more alcohol to achieve the same effects from alcohol. However, alcohol abuse can turn into alcoholism or alcohol dependency, but it does not always. If someone you love is abusing alcohol or dependent they may deny it. They may try to rationalize their drinking by saying they are just de-stressing or they swear they are not drinking as much as you/others say they are (Smith, Robinson & Segal, 2013). This denial is not uncommon. However they have to want to stop drinking to seek help. If you or a loved one would like to seek help with alcohol dependency then there are many alcoholism treatment centers or alcohol abuse treatments available in Memphis, TN.
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