Are you all alcoholics?
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IceFisherChris
Well-Known Member
Alcoholic? No
Beeroholic? Yes
Beeroholic? Yes
lady_brewer
Well-Known Member
I like that this thread seems to have come around to an actual serious discussion (although the pic above made me laugh) from the random checklist where even the guy who only takes communion on Sunday is an alcoholic.
Alcoholism runs in my family... so I always have to keep an eye on my own drinking and behavior. My mother is an alcoholic who proudly talks about how many years that she has been sober, despite the fact that she has had a number of other drug issues since that time. I have known some others like her, who for one reason or another were self-medicating undiagnosed mental health issues. Sadly this is in Canada where our health care has all kinds of support for people in this type of situation. I also know one such individual who once treated, on the right medication, etc can have a few drinks with no issues or worries...
The sad truth is that alcoholism is more socially acceptable than depression or manic depression. This means that it is cheaper and easier to self-medicate than to get actual treatment and help. Add on that the meds for these sorts of things make you lose the parts of the disease that feel good (manic swings) and also have odd effects like weight gain and sexual side-effects and booze starts seeming pretty golden. Oh, and some of these meds run $300+ for a 20 day supply.
Overall I think there are a lot more issues underlying in alcohol dependance or abuse than the number of drinks you have per week. At one point I played in a pool league - drinking culture. I don't even want to post how much I drank then, but at a few beers a night, three weeknights a week, let me tell you it was way outside the guidelines. Didn't mean that if I missed a night of pool I still had to sit down with the same amount of beer that night, or that I had any issues with going to work the day after league night.
Disclaimer: Not a professional in mental health, but I do have a neuroscience degree and a handful of life experience... take my comments how you will...
Alcoholism runs in my family... so I always have to keep an eye on my own drinking and behavior. My mother is an alcoholic who proudly talks about how many years that she has been sober, despite the fact that she has had a number of other drug issues since that time. I have known some others like her, who for one reason or another were self-medicating undiagnosed mental health issues. Sadly this is in Canada where our health care has all kinds of support for people in this type of situation. I also know one such individual who once treated, on the right medication, etc can have a few drinks with no issues or worries...
The sad truth is that alcoholism is more socially acceptable than depression or manic depression. This means that it is cheaper and easier to self-medicate than to get actual treatment and help. Add on that the meds for these sorts of things make you lose the parts of the disease that feel good (manic swings) and also have odd effects like weight gain and sexual side-effects and booze starts seeming pretty golden. Oh, and some of these meds run $300+ for a 20 day supply.
Overall I think there are a lot more issues underlying in alcohol dependance or abuse than the number of drinks you have per week. At one point I played in a pool league - drinking culture. I don't even want to post how much I drank then, but at a few beers a night, three weeknights a week, let me tell you it was way outside the guidelines. Didn't mean that if I missed a night of pool I still had to sit down with the same amount of beer that night, or that I had any issues with going to work the day after league night.
Disclaimer: Not a professional in mental health, but I do have a neuroscience degree and a handful of life experience... take my comments how you will...
My hometown church used fruit juice instead of wine. Kinda took the fun out of "drinking blood", in my opinion.
ronaldo_fanbelt
Well-Known Member
This thread makes me thirsty.
Grimster
Well-Known Member
I swear I never drink more than 1 glass of beer per night!
My heart doctor once asked me "how much coffee do you drink?" and I reply "just one cup in the morning" and he's like "oh" and my wife interrupts "his so called cup is a 24 ounce mug" and he's like "oh I see" so how many alcoholic drinks do you have per day? and I'm like "just one glass" and he looks at her immediately and yeah, all downhill from there.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
LVBen
Well-Known Member
Lol! Maybe I can guess your wife's next response... "Yeah, it's just 1 glass, but he fills it up 6 times!"
jbambuti
Well-Known Member
My mother was an alcohol counselor for many years, so my comments come from growing up in that background.
As stated earlier, alcoholism is a disease, which also tends to run in families. It is possible to be a lifelong alcohol abuser, but not become an alcoholic. Two people may drink the exact same amount, with one being or becoming an alcoholic and the other not. It all depends on your wiring. You can be a heavy drinker who is an abuser, or a light drinker who is an alcoholic. Dependency is the key word. Many people who are trying to prove to themselves that they are not dependent on alcohol do things like going a week or a month without drinking just to prove that they can. Then they return to their old ways, feeling good that they are not alcoholics because they can go a period of time without a drink.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and The American Society of Addiction Medicine define 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."
Just thought I'd add my two bits to the debate.
As stated earlier, alcoholism is a disease, which also tends to run in families. It is possible to be a lifelong alcohol abuser, but not become an alcoholic. Two people may drink the exact same amount, with one being or becoming an alcoholic and the other not. It all depends on your wiring. You can be a heavy drinker who is an abuser, or a light drinker who is an alcoholic. Dependency is the key word. Many people who are trying to prove to themselves that they are not dependent on alcohol do things like going a week or a month without drinking just to prove that they can. Then they return to their old ways, feeling good that they are not alcoholics because they can go a period of time without a drink.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and The American Society of Addiction Medicine define 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."
Just thought I'd add my two bits to the debate.
almost? ALMOST?!?!?! What, are you an AMATEUR??????
= = =
(quote: A major problem with active alcoholism is denial)
great, then since I would admit it, I CANT be one!
Houblon
Well-Known Member
Lets see, yesterday I had 2 blondes(7%) 3 saisons(7%) 2 APA(5.6%) 2 IPA (7-8%) and after dinner 1 kriek(6%) for a grand total of 10 beers.
Now if I was an alcoholic that wouldn't be possible as my liver would not be able to process the alcohol and I would have been falling down drunk. Oh lets not forget I brewed 5gals. too and hit every number all day and woke up at 5:30am today.
Today I will have 1 beer with dinner and that will be the last beer till a beer party on the 10th.
The month of march will be a dry month ( jbambuti
) in preparation for a week of hard partying in amsterdam followed by lots of beers in Belgium.My normal drinking habit is 3 6oz beers a day. I don't have a drinking problem but a brewing habit
dummkauf
Well-Known Member
figure I'll throw my $0.02 in here since I've been drinking a few brews tonight while watching the super bowl and browsing this site.
My winter drinking most likely classifies me as an "alcholic" since I tend to drink 1-2 every evening, or every other evening depending on what is going on that particular night. And I've got a few down tonight for the game and have a bit of a buzz.
However, brewing is a recent hobby that I just took up to occupy my winters, and probably some summer weekend days too , but during the warmer months(I'm in MN) my hobby is motorcycles, wrenching on them as well as riding them. I also have a 0 tolerance policy when it comes to operating my 2 wheeled vehicles which means I drink very little during the riding months. Of course then winter rolls around again, and I can't ride anymore
According to the questionnaires I've seen on this thread for "if you answer yes to any of these you need help", depending on the temperature outside I would be an alcoholic for half the year, and would be just fine during the other halves.
Oh, and if I could convince my fiance to buy a heater for the garage, I would likely spend less time drinking and more in the garage during the winter, but that doesn't look like it will be happening any time soon, though I would still homebrew as I love good beer regardless of how often I drink it!
My winter drinking most likely classifies me as an "alcholic" since I tend to drink 1-2 every evening, or every other evening depending on what is going on that particular night. And I've got a few down tonight for the game and have a bit of a buzz.
However, brewing is a recent hobby that I just took up to occupy my winters, and probably some summer weekend days too
, but during the warmer months(I'm in MN) my hobby is motorcycles, wrenching on them as well as riding them. I also have a 0 tolerance policy when it comes to operating my 2 wheeled vehicles which means I drink very little during the riding months. Of course then winter rolls around again, and I can't ride anymore According to the questionnaires I've seen on this thread for "if you answer yes to any of these you need help", depending on the temperature outside I would be an alcoholic for half the year, and would be just fine during the other halves.
Oh, and if I could convince my fiance to buy a heater for the garage, I would likely spend less time drinking and more in the garage during the winter, but that doesn't look like it will be happening any time soon, though I would still homebrew as I love good beer regardless of how often I drink it!
