binge drinking vs drinking moderately everyday

mr_fegelien

Who has the bigger issue? Some friends of mine would not touch a drop of alcohol during the weekdays but when they go out on the weekends, on trips abroad, they'd overdo it to the point of going to A&E.

Other friends don't go out to clubs and wouldn't drink more than 2 bottles of beer but would drink after college/work everyday of the week.

Who's the bigger alcoholic?

mickdw

Neither are alcoholics

artanevilla

You are either an alcoholic or not. There is no such thing as a "bigger alcoholic".

PmMeUrDogs

You can be a problem drinker in either situation.

Neither are necessarily alcoholics.

Ronan|Raven

They are merely fond of a pint.

ChikiChiki

Each to their own in my opinion as long as its controlled.

If your drinking starts affecting family members and people around you then you have an issue.

biko

Ronan|Raven wrote: »

They are merely fond of a pint.

Or a devil for the drink

sugarman20

Neither are necessarily alcoholics but certainly bing drinking is far unhealthier than drinking in moderation regularly.

Ger Roe

mr_fegelien wrote: »

Who has the bigger issue? Some friends of mine would not touch a drop of alcohol during the weekdays but when they go out on the weekends, on trips abroad, they'd overdo it to the point of going to A&E.

Other friends don't go out to clubs and wouldn't drink more than 2 bottles of beer but would drink after college/work everyday of the week.

Who's the bigger alcoholic?

Both groups could be exposing themselves to health risks, according to the recommended guidelines that advise on low risk alcohol amounts and frequency (different for men and women).

THE GUIDELINES ARE:

11 standard drinks (110g pure alcohol) spread out over the week for women, with at least two alcohol-free days

17 standard drinks (170g pure alcohol) spread out over the week for men, with at least two alcohol-free days

A standard drink is a half pint of beer, a small glass of wine, or a pub measure of spirits. One standard drink contains 10g of pure alcohol.

These are the guidelines for health risk aspects, whether you are an alcoholic or not.

TheValeyard

artanevilla wrote: »

You are either an alcoholic or not. There is no such thing as a "bigger alcoholic".

Well on the drinking scale, are you George best, Shane McGowan or Paul Gascoigne

cian68

Go Home Paddy Cat!! wrote: »

You're an alcoholic if you have a dependency on alcohol to get through the day and cannot function without it. So I guess you're asking the wrong question.

I'm not sure that's true. If every time someone drinks they go off the rails is that not an alcoholic? Or maybe there's a different term for someone who just shouldn't drink

KiKi III

Both are unhealthy, neither are necessarily alcoholics (in fact alcoholic is old fashioned terminology in that it’s binary, either you are or you aren’t - doctors today are more likely to ask you questions to assess what level of dependence you have on alcohol)

Google the John Hopkins 20 questions to assess alcohol dependence.

It’s less about how much you drink than about the impact it has - is it effecting your home life, your work life, your physical or mental health? Do you crave alcohol, and do you drink to blackout?

Any of the above are red flags for a dependence.

Drinking daily or drinking alone would also be considered red flags, particularly in combination with any of the others.

JohnnyFlash

I know lads who used to drink 4 pints during a session and who are now in AA.

I know lads who’d put away 20 pints at a wedding and the drink has never caused them a bit of bother.

Alcohol dependence is about way more than volume. Drinking alone would be a red flag though. That’s self medicating if you are doing it anyways regularly.

The_Honeybadger

Is drinking alone really that bad? I’d regularly have a few drinks at home watching sport or whatever. I don’t consider it a problem.

colm_mcm

biko wrote: »

Or a devil for the drink

Or just a character

KiKi III

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Is drinking alone really that bad? I’d regularly have a few drinks at home watching sport or whatever. I don’t consider it a problem.

I think that’s a bit of a funny one, because I can see how people would end up having a few at home and it not being a problem.

I think if it was combined with any of the other red flags it would be a big concern.

iCareNotOneJot

Alcohol is a drug. So I guess anyone drinking is 'doing drugs'

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

iCareNotOneJot wrote: »

Alcohol is a drug. So I guess anyone drinking is 'doing drugs'

So is caffeine, for that matter.

Pauliedragon

iCareNotOneJot wrote: »

Alcohol is a drug. So I guess anyone drinking is 'doing drugs'

Anything that chemically affects the human body is a drug so caffeine, nicotine, sugar etc all fall into that category.

JohnnyFlash

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Is drinking alone really that bad? I’d regularly have a few drinks at home watching sport or whatever. I don’t consider it a problem.

Supping on a few tins in front of the telly is fine the odd time. There’s a lot of folks around this country putting away a bottle of red wine a day though, and pretending there is nothing wrong. Then they get all tetchy when it’s pointed out that drinking 5-7 bottles of red wine a week is probably a sign of alcohol dependence.

Church on Tuesday

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Is drinking alone really that bad? I’d regularly have a few drinks at home watching sport or whatever. I don’t consider it a problem.

It's only a problem if you're putting away a six pack every day.

The_Honeybadger

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

It's only a problem if you're putting away a six pack every day.

Yeah, well I definitely don’t do that. I wouldn’t drink during the week but might have a few cans on Saturday evening and sometimes Sunday too. I don’t go out that much any more but if I do it could be 8-10 pints on a night. That’s common among my group of friends.

I do know people that sink a bottle of wine more or less each night. Surely must catch up to you at some stage

NSAman

A little story. My partners ex was a good dad, went out a few times a year got absolutely blotto with his work colleagues/clients and was the soul of the party by all accounts. This man was VERY good at his job, a good father, a provider and functioned at a high level. Roll on the promotion and the higher income. More nights out and more drinking ( once a month) with clients. unconscious on the couch coming in from a “meeting”.

Today, he is divorced, lives in a rented apartment. has lost his wife, the respect of his kids, his job, his life savings. All through binge drinking that lead to continual drinking. Everyone else caused this to happen apart from himself. Still today, he blames his ex and his kids for this.

Alcoholism is an addiction as we all know, it can start small, but become dependent on it and it ruins lives, not only of the addict but their families.

I am no expert (I do not drink) but seeing the devastation that this disease causes makes me acutely aware of people drinking. I am no kill joy, i have no issue with anyone having a drink or two, when I see dependence I do take note. It is not easy to stay out of it. I have been dragged into dealing with this individual (who I actually feel sorry for and will try and help) but I will not support his habit. I have had to pay for the rehabilitation he needed, the drying out, the rehab, the counselling and do not mind. I drew the line at supporting him financially once he start drinking after all was done again. Currently, he is looking like being made homeless. Yet, I am the cause of it all, his ex and children made him do this.

A warning to all, alcohol ruins you and drags others into your addiction.

El_Duderino 09

Someone who drinks to the point they end up in a&e with any regularity, is probably a problem drinker. But there's no info on whether they're an alcoholic.

Someone who drinks a few drinks everyday is unlikely to be a big problem but they could be dependent on alcohol.

What do you think, OP?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

What about underage young lads drinking sneaky beers on the bus or drinking anti freeze for the alcohol? Are they alcoholics, OP?

Arghus

If you're regularly ending up in A and E after a drinking session, then you're a problematic drinker, but whether you are an alcoholic is a different thing.

There's a lot of things to take into account. Age can be a big factor. A lot of younger people just aren't properly used to drinking yet and can quickly go from merry to absolutely ossified. You only learn from experience what your limits are.

If you're well into your twenties and you have an understanding of what your limits are and you're still ending up in a state regularly, then it's time to get a grip.

It depends on your peer group as well. When I was a younger man, the name of the game was getting smashed every night out. Some people can handle that better and it doesn't always have to do with the amount of drink consumed. Some people shouldn't drink because even after two or three drinks they become messy and annoying and it only gets worse from there.

Drink is a funny thing. Everyone has a different relationship with it. I would never really drink at home alone, it feels weird to me, but I know it's perfectly natural for others. If I was drinking even two to three beers every night I'd feel like maybe I'm drinking a bit too much. But I know people that do it and it doesn't seem to inhibit them.

I know one guy who I worked with who I would call an alcoholic. He's about 28, goes out at least five nights a week and drinks a lot every single one of those nights. He's a charming guy so people used to let him get away with coming in late, even drinking on lunch. People have openly told him he has a drinking problem before, but he's always denied it, his reasoning is that an alco wouldn't be able to get up for work each day and appear normal. But I think the real worrying sign is being able to drink stupid amounts and still being able to function the next day. I feel bad for him, I really do.

KiKi III

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

It's only a problem if you're putting away a six pack every day.

That’s not accurate. Consuming alcohol every day isn’t good for you.

Gynoid

NSAman wrote: »

A little story. My partners ex was a good dad, went out a few times a year got absolutely blotto with his work colleagues/clients and was the soul of the party by all accounts. This man was VERY good at his job, a good father, a provider and functioned at a high level. Roll on the promotion and the higher income. More nights out and more drinking ( once a month) with clients. unconscious on the couch coming in from a “meeting”.

Today, he is divorced, lives in a rented apartment. has lost his wife, the respect of his kids, his job, his life savings. All through binge drinking that lead to continual drinking. Everyone else caused this to happen apart from himself. Still today, he blames his ex and his kids for this.

Alcoholism is an addiction as we all know, it can start small, but become dependent on it and it ruins lives, not only of the addict but their families.

I am no expert (I do not drink) but seeing the devastation that this disease causes makes me acutely aware of people drinking. I am no kill joy, i have no issue with anyone having a drink or two, when I see dependence I do take note. It is not easy to stay out of it. I have been dragged into dealing with this individual (who I actually feel sorry for and will try and help) but I will not support his habit. I have had to pay for the rehabilitation he needed, the drying out, the rehab, the counselling and do not mind. I drew the line at supporting him financially once he start drinking after all was done again. Currently, he is looking like being made homeless. Yet, I am the cause of it all, his ex and children made him do this.

A warning to all, alcohol ruins you and drags others into your addiction.

Like you I don't mind people drinking a bit at all, but I think there is far too casual an attitude to what is a very strong drug. All my childhood I watched the uncles on one side of my family go through alcoholism. It is exactly as you describe, they lost everything to it and lived very degraded and ultimately shortned lives. So many of the family, especially my parents, wasted so much of their time on futile rescue missions at all hours of the day and night. The endless phonecalls, the endless interventions, the never ending quest for treatment which cost time and money only to be completely undone in a rash moment, the roaring fights with someone who simply does not give a **** what they have put the other through, the endless nights up scouring the countryside or waiting by a phone fearing disaster. It is one of the biggest memories of my younger years. Alcoholism drags so many lives into its chaos.

lozenges

There are plenty of people who would drink 2-3 glasses (about half a bottle of wine) every night and would be outraged if you suggested to them that that was excessive. It's more than enough to cause serious liver problems down the line though and to cause withdrawal effects.
Problem drinking - not necessarily dependent on alcohol but drinking enough to get into fights, end up in A&E, cause problems in relationships etc.

Alcoholism is more a dependence on alcohol. There are several criteria which include developing a fixed pattern of drinking habits, prioritising alcohol over friends/family/work, needing a drink in the morning and others. It is also perfectly possible to be dependent on alcohol and be 'functional' eg hold down a job, relationship.

Tordelback

lozenges wrote: »

There are plenty of people who would drink 2-3 glasses (about half a bottle of wine) every night and would be outraged if you suggested to them that that was excessive...

And yet, break that up with two nights off a week and men at 3 glasses a night and women at 2 would be just inside the unit guidelines cited earlier. It seems like a fine line.

Pamsteer

For the same quantity of alcohol consumed then drinking moderately more often is better than binge drinking less often. In the latter case you'll be more intoxicated and more likely to do something stupid to yourself or others.

Andrew00

If a young lad in his early twenties went out on his own on a Saturday night and had 9 pints of Guinness and was able to handle his drink, would he have a problem or not

lozenges

Tordelback wrote: »

And yet, break that up with two nights off a week and men at 3 glasses a night and women at 2 would be just inside the unit guidelines cited earlier. It seems like a fine line.

A glass of wine is 2-3 units of alcohol. Two glasses of wine a night for five nights is then 20-30 glasses of wine a night for the female and three glasses a night is 30-45 units for the male. That's way over the current recommended limits for both which is 14 units according to the NHS.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/calculating-alcohol-units/

Feisar

lozenges wrote: »

A glass of wine is 2-3 units of alcohol. Two glasses of wine a night for five nights is then 20-30 glasses of wine a night for the female and three glasses a night is 30-45 units for the male. That's way over the current recommended limits for both which is 14 units according to the NHS.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/calculating-alcohol-units/

It's a good job we are not in the UK so!

lozenges

Feisar wrote: »

It's a good job we are not in the UK so!

The NHS guidelines are very frequently referred to in Irish healthcare. As a population (medically) we are very similar and the NHS issue regular high quality guidelines on a wide variety of healthcare issues.

The NHS guidelines also describe alcohol intake in units which is what is used by healthcare professionals while the HSE guidelines refer to standard drinks, a measure which is not used in practice.

Not sure why you would think alcohol would have a significantly different effect on a person living in Ireland than one in England..

Drakus

mickdw wrote: »

Neither are alcoholics

And how would you know that, even a Doctor would not make such a diagnosis based on such little information.

Hector Savage

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I know lads who used to drink 4 pints during a session and who are now in AA.

I know lads who’d put away 20 pints at a wedding and the drink has never caused them a bit of bother.

Alcohol dependence is about way more than volume. Drinking alone would be a red flag though. That’s self medicating if you are doing it anyways regularly.

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Is drinking alone really that bad? I’d regularly have a few drinks at home watching sport or whatever. I don’t consider it a problem.

Definetely not a problem, I do the same whilst watching sport/films - I average about 14 units a week.

20 pints at a wedding is a problem - to have that resistance to alcohol requires ridiculous levels of consuption - way way past the recommended units - I'll trust what the medical people say here.

It's when you truly need a drink as opposed to wanting one that it may have become a problem. If you need it to relax, need it to sleep, need it because you don't have to get up early tomorrow...

odyssey06

Well someone who ends up in A&E has a problem for sure.
The moderate drinker may or may not have a dependence problem.

This is worth a read as it gives a good summary of the pros and cons of alcohol for you health... There is evidence that alcohol raises risk of cancer but light-moderate drinking can reduce risk of cardiovascular deaths.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/drinks-to-consume-in-moderation/alcohol-full-story/

• For a pregnant woman and her unborn child, a recovering alcoholic, a person with liver disease, and people taking one or more medications that interact with alcohol, moderate drinking offers little benefit and substantial risks.
• For a 30-year-old man, the increased risk of alcohol-related accidents outweighs the possible heart-related benefits of moderate alcohol consumption.
• For a 60-year-old man, a drink a day may offer protection against heart disease that is likely to outweigh potential harm (assuming he isn’t prone to alcoholism).
• For a 60-year-old woman, the benefit/risk calculations are trickier. Ten times more women die each year from heart disease (460,000) than from breast cancer (41,000). However, studies show that women are far more afraid of developing breast cancer than heart disease, something that must be factored into the equation.

charlietheminxx

Hector Savage wrote: »

20 pints at a wedding is a problem - to have that resistance to alcohol requires ridiculous levels of consuption - way way past the recommended units - I'll trust what the medical people say here.

I don't know that it is. I'm not a big drinker (though I used to be a bit of a sesh head when I was in my early twenties). Most weeks I would have 0-4 drinks, well under the recommended units but occasionally at something like a wedding, I'd easily have 15 drinks across the day and night (and I'm a woman). That's just over a drink an hour if you're going from 3pm to 3am?

Loopylineking

Depends really, thank God I work or I reckon i would be a full blown alcoholic.

If I had nothing on I could drink for two weeks solid in pubs and clubs. I get such anxiety from it that i can’t sit still the following day and need to drink again.

I try to stay away from it as much as possible. Usually when I do go off it I spend the day in bed which is usually a Sunday.

I could go months without it but when I take holidays I’m work it’s usually a two week bender.

Am I an alcoholic? I would reckon so. If I didn’t have work I would be.

The_Honeybadger

Loopylineking wrote: »

Depends really, thank God I work or I reckon i would be a full blown alcoholic.

If I had nothing on I could drink for two weeks solid in pubs and clubs. I get such anxiety from it that i can’t sit still the following day and need to drink again.

I try to stay away from it as much as possible. Usually when I do go off it I spend the day in bed which is usually a Sunday.

I could go months without it but when I take holidays I’m work it’s usually a two week bender.

Am I an alcoholic? I would reckon so. If I didn’t have work I would be.

https://alcoholmastery.com/20-questions-for-alcoholics-the-johns-hopkins-questions-introduction/

Have a read of this article. Somebody mentioned it earlier in the thread and I went looking for it. Very interesting.

ceadaoin.

Alice Fat Nail wrote: »

What about underage young lads drinking sneaky beers on the bus or drinking anti freeze for the alcohol? Are they alcoholics, OP?

Drinking anti freeze? Is this really a thing? Surely it's not that hard to get your hands on actual alcoholic beverages that kids would resort to that!

odyssey06

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Drinking anti freeze? Is this really a thing? Surely it's not that hard to get your hands on actual alcoholic beverages that kids would resort to that!

Dont drink the hand gel and keep them out of reach of children...
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-20404541/patients-drinking-alcohol-hand-gel

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Drinking anti freeze? Is this really a thing? Surely it's not that hard to get your hands on actual alcoholic beverages that kids would resort to that!

I don't think it is, but the OP said otherwise a few weeks back.

Tordelback

lozenges wrote: »

A glass of wine is 2-3 units of alcohol.

Yeah, 3 UK units is nearly a half-pint glass. That's a whole bottle in 3 drinks. If you're downing a bottle a night on your own, you probably do have the beginnings of a problem.

Obviously I'm talking about the usual 110ml glasses of usual Lidl 11.5% plonk, where you get 7ish glasses to a bottle.