how many glasses of wine = alcoholism?

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NormalSaneFLGuy
NormalSaneFLGuy Posts: 1,344 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Most people like a good glass of wine (except me because I think it tastes terrible), but how much is too much? They say 1 glass a day(6oz) is good for the heart. If you are drinking wine every day, how many glasses a day (or ounces) would be excessive? When do you become an alcoholic?
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  • petite_boleyn
    petite_boleyn Posts: 144
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    Speaking as an alcoholic, it doesn't really depend on how much you drink. You become an alcoholic when alcohol becomes more of a priority than other things in your life, and sometimes everything. You become an alcoholic when drinking becomes your life.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    alcoholism isn't a number of drinks per day, or per week. it is a dependency on alcohol. needing a few drinks to go to sleep, needed a few drinks to wake up, or a few drinks to get through the day or certain events are indicators of alcoholism.

    the inability to stop drinking is another indicator of alcohol. lying about your consumption of alcohol is another. keeping your drinking a secret is another too.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    im sure i met the textbook definition of alcoholic during college and my 20's but i wasnt one.
  • NormalSaneFLGuy
    NormalSaneFLGuy Posts: 1,344 Member
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    alcoholism isn't a number of drinks per day, or per week. it is a dependency on alcohol. needing a few drinks to go to sleep, needed a few drinks to wake up, or a few drinks to get through the day or certain events are indicators of alcoholism.

    the inability to stop drinking is another indicator of alcohol. lying about your consumption of alcohol is another. keeping your drinking a secret is another too.

    so if I drink 20 oz of vodka every single day after work because I like it, but have the ability to stop if I want to, then I'm not an alcoholic?
  • gnvill
    gnvill Posts: 4 Member
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    There is no rule that defines alcoholism. If you feel the 'need' for a drink, then I start to feel some concern. But a drink or two per day is not generally a problem. A drink is defined as one beer (I think the bottle is 10 oz), 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of hard liquor. Alcohol adds calories that can get in the way of weight loss. Would you rather have a meal of 300-400 calories or 2 drinks and a bit? As well excess alcohol adds to the risks of other diseases later on, so the recommendations are for one drink for women and two for men.
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
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    vodka? lolllz
  • bowmanf
    bowmanf Posts: 1
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    Why don't you try stopping for a week to make sure you can still stop?
    20 oz. sounds like alot of vodka to me.
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
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    If you want to know how it is to be an alcoholic, visit http://www.reddit.com/r/cripplingalcoholism
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    Lots and lots of different kinds of alcoholic. I should know I love with one! Don't drink myself. Odd 1 now and then. X
  • canichange
    canichange Posts: 23 Member
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    If you have the ability to stop because you want to then no you are not an alcoholic!
  • Lalouse
    Lalouse Posts: 221 Member
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    im sure i met the textbook definition of alcoholic during college and my 20's but i wasnt one.

    Most college students fit into the "binge drinkers" category, not the alcoholic.
  • NormalSaneFLGuy
    NormalSaneFLGuy Posts: 1,344 Member
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    Hm. Well this is surprising, but you all seem to agree.
    So as long as I have the ability to stop, I can get black-out drunk every night for fun, every single day, and I'm not an alcoholic. Seems counterintuitive.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
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    I do not know the answer to your question but 3 or more glasses daily and you may have a seizure if you stop cold turkey
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    alcoholism isn't a number of drinks per day, or per week. it is a dependency on alcohol. needing a few drinks to go to sleep, needed a few drinks to wake up, or a few drinks to get through the day or certain events are indicators of alcoholism.

    the inability to stop drinking is another indicator of alcohol. lying about your consumption of alcohol is another. keeping your drinking a secret is another too.

    so if I drink 20 oz of vodka every single day after work because I like it, but have the ability to stop if I want to, then I'm not an alcoholic?

    Do you even drink? Seriously?

    In all likelihood, if you routinely consumed that much vodka on a daily basis, your body would become addicted.
  • canichange
    canichange Posts: 23 Member
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    Hm. Well this is surprising, but you all seem to agree.
    So a long as I have the ability to stop, I can get black-out drunk every night for fun, every single day, and I'm not an alcoholic. I like this definition.

    If you get black-out drunk then you will not have the concious ability to stop.
  • Kitsada
    Kitsada Posts: 105 Member
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    I've always thought an alcoholic is someone who drinks more than I do... ;)

    Seriously though, yes, its a dependence, and also if alcohol is effecting your life negatively, and the other points mentioned above. I've been told by alcoholics it is a self-diagnosed disease, though of course in some cases it is obvious to all, even if not to the alcoholic.

    That said...sometimes I think I should cut down, even though I rarely drink excessively, I do drink frequently. I'll often think of it as a 'treat' at the end of the day. If I did well with my calories, I still have enough for a glass of wine... if not, then I should skip it, though of course I know if I"m trying to lose weight I should always skip it. Best I can manage with my mediocre will power, is to reduce it, like everything else I'm doing to lose. I can't cut out red meat either, I like it.. .but I can have less, less often, so thats what I do.

    Everything in moderation should be okay, its a matter of reaching and sticking with 'moderation' that is the thing.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    im sure i met the textbook definition of alcoholic during college and my 20's but i wasnt one.

    Most college students fit into the "binge drinkers" category, not the alcoholic.

    not sure if the definition is the same now as it was then but according to this i had all the conditions except for the withdrawal.




    Alcoholism
    Definition

    Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is defined by the American Medical Association (AMA) as "a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations."
    Description

    Alcoholism is characterized by:

    a prolonged period of frequent, heavy alcohol use.

    the inability to control drinking once it has begun.

    physical dependence manifested by withdrawal symptoms when the individual stops using alcohol.

    tolerance, or the need to use more and more alcohol to achieve the same effects.

    a variety of social and/or legal problems arising from alcohol use.
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
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    If you do not depend on alcohol and it does not affect your daily life, functioning and health then in my opinion you aren't an alcoholic.
  • NormalSaneFLGuy
    NormalSaneFLGuy Posts: 1,344 Member
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    edited.
  • NormalSaneFLGuy
    NormalSaneFLGuy Posts: 1,344 Member
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    If you do not depend on alcohol and it does not affect your daily life, functioning and health then in my opinion you aren't an alcoholic.

    wouldn't drinking large quanities of alcohol eventually affect your health? I mean, your liver isn't getting better from it.

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