Most Heavy Drinkers Are Not Alcoholics, According To New Study

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In the news recently:

Quote:

ATLANTA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Contrary to popular opinion, only 10 percent of U.S. adults who drink too much are alcoholics, according to a federal study released on Thursday, a finding that could have implications for reducing consumption of beer, wine and liquor.

While many people think that most, if not all, heavy drinkers are alcoholics, medical specialists have long suspected that belief is incorrect, said Robert Brewer, an author of a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that analyzed self-reported data from 138,100 U.S. adults.

The study found that 90 percent of heavy drinkers fell short of the criteria for alcoholism. Women who have eight or more drinks per week and men who have 15 or more are considered heavy drinkers.

Signs of alcoholism include an inability to stop or reduce drinking, continuing to drink even after it causes problems with family or work, and excessive time spent drinking each day.
...

Continued at link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/21/heavy-drinkers-alcoholics_n_6193990.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

This is interesting to me. I know I drink more than I should, but as far as I can tell, I'm one of those who fall short of the criteria for alcoholism. Anybody else here fall into that category? Seems like it should be pretty common.

Also, how much or little do you trust this study and why?

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Type: Discussion • Score: 18 • Views: 8,145 • Replies: 114

Alcohol brings on headaches; its not worth it.
I don t like the taste, either.

David

0 Replies

Additionally, in my state of residence, Florida,
u r required by law not to handle your guns
after u have been drinking alcohol,
but an emergency might arise!

Suppose that u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

4 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

Quote:

u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

A Bloody Mary.

Sharp knives and fresh produce are culinary imperatives.

Three-quarters fill a glass with ice cubes. Add 30mls (1 1/2 tablespoons) chilled vodka and about 60mls (1/4 cup) chilled tomato juice to almost fill glass. Add a lemon slice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and _ teaspoons) worcestershire sauce. Stir in a pinch each of sugar, celery salt and ground black pepper and a dash of' Tabasco Sauce to taste. Add a celery stick to glass.

0 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

OmSigDAVID wrote:

Additionally, in my state of residence, Florida,
u r required by law not to handle your guns
after u have been drinking alcohol,
but an emergency might arise!

Suppose that u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

Good rule of thumb: If you're not drunk enough to drive, you're not drunk enough to shoot.

1 Reply

@FBM,

OmSigDAVID wrote:

Additionally, in my state of residence, Florida,
u r required by law not to handle your guns
after u have been drinking alcohol,
but an emergency might arise!

Suppose that u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

FBM wrote:

Good rule of thumb: If you're not drunk enough to drive, you're not drunk enough to shoot.

RIGHT!

Keep some popcorn handy.
Enjoy the show.

0 Replies

@FBM,

FBM wrote:

Also, how much or little do you trust this study and why?

I've thought so for many years and, like many other, don't belong to the group of "many people think that most, if not all, heavy drinkers are alcoholics", - from my experiences when dealing with heavy drinkers and alcoholics.

So if those heavy drinkers can stay sober over a longer period, drink alcohol then modestly, haven't changed in character, social contacts etc - they aren't alcoholics but should re-think their health.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Yeah, the health issue is clear. High blood pressure, etc.

As for outright alcoholism, I think there's a lot of people who misdiagnose themselves based on faulty criteria. I'm thinking of two of my current friends. Both have identified themselves as alcoholics. Years ago, they would both drink often and to excess.

Then the first one got married and cut way back, except for when he was fighting with his wife. Then his baby daughter was born and he hasn't gotten drunk since. I don't think he fits the criteria for alcoholism because he and I can have a beer with lunch or a few on a weekend night and then he goes home sober.

The second doesn't drink so often anymore, but when he does, it's until he's sloppy drunk and passes out. He says he's an alcoholic because he can't stop once he starts. I'd guess he's more likely to match the criteria.

2 Replies

@FBM,

FBM wrote:

As for outright alcoholism, I think there's a lot of people who misdiagnose themselves based on faulty criteria.

Misdiagnosing oneself ... certainly is a criteria that this person should reduce drinking.

If, however, you don't notice it, and others talk about your "drinking habits" (what you deny) - then, then it really could be alcoholism.

(When others told me about it,I always found some, who drank more. And I didn't go to therapy [more than 30 years ago] because I thought, I was an alcoholic but because I wanted others to keep on talking about it.)

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Quote:

but because I wanted others to keep on talking about it.

You lost me there. You wanted others to keep talking about your drinking? Or their drinking?

1 Reply

@FBM,

"to stop talking about it" - my bad!

(I'm too old to write about two different topics in a foreign at the same time - women could do that, I've been told Wink

)

1 Reply

I was once a heavy drinker, but then stopped completely more than 20 years ago. Since then, i've had one glass of wine (which i didn't care for and didn't finish) and one bottle of beer. I finished the beer--we were at a wedding reception and one of the ladies at our table found out that it was my birthday, so she bought me a beer. Not wishing to be churlish about it, i just drank the beer. She was a nice lady.

2 Replies

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

"to stop talking about it" - my bad!

(I'm too old to write about two different topics in a foreign at the same time - women could do that, I've been told )

1 Reply

@Setanta,

What inspired you to stop completely?

0 Replies

@FBM,

Insert 'language' in that post after foreign Embarrassed

1 Reply

Not necessarily--in colloquial use, native speakers might say that so-and-so was talking foreign.

0 Replies

@Setanta,

Times have changed. And people are generally more educated - about health, including alcoholism - than decades ago.

I've got offered quite often drinks in the period after my therapy, even when I told them about my alcoholism/soberness ("Just one little drink to clink the glasses" ... "There's more orange juice in the glass than champagne" ...)

Since many years now,however, I even get my very own chocolate truffles.

1 Reply

@OmSigDAVID,

Quote:

Additionally, in my state of residence, Florida,
u r required by law not to handle your guns
after u have been drinking alcohol,
but an emergency might arise!

Suppose that u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

That's what two Dobermans are for. They will have your guest subdued and buried in the garden before he can even get his gun out.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Insert 'language' in that post after foreign

I figured it out. I write (and screw up) in a foreign language often enough to sympathize. Wink

0 Replies

@farmerman,

farmerman wrote:

Quote:
Additionally, in my state of residence, Florida,
u r required by law not to handle your guns
after u have been drinking alcohol,
but an emergency might arise!

Suppose that u invite people over
for a cocktail party, but after a while,
a guest goes to rape ing on your wife or child; what to DO!

That's what two Dobermans are for.
They will have your guest subdued and buried in the garden
before he can even get his gun out.

What if the dogs mis-understand
and disembowel the rong guy ?

1 Reply

Most Heavy Drinkers Are Not Alcoholics, According To New Study

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