alcohol and alcoholism...

Just a general question...Please don't answer unless you really know.  If someone denies they are an alcoholic...How many days would they need to not drink to prove to themselves and to others they are not one?  Thanks, Brian 

Alcoholic does not need to drink to be an alcoholic. They can go dry for days, only to relapse...

Look at definition of that. 

 

I know it's not the Mayo Clinic, but I pulled this off of WebMD.  Was wondering about functioning alcoholics.  Below is a copy and paste.  For me...Interesting.  Brian

Are You a High-Functioning Alcoholic?

  By Melissa Bienvenu
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH  

 

The classic picture of an alcoholic is someone who always drinks too much too often and whose life is falling apart because of it. But not all problem drinking fits that mold. Some people seem to be just fine while they abuse alcohol. Experts call these people “functional alcoholics” or “high-functioning alcoholics.”

You can still be an alcoholic even though you have a great “outside life,” with a job that pays well, home, family, and friendships and social bonds, says Sarah Allen Benton, a licensed mental health counselor and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic.

 

 

 

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A Different Kind of Alcoholic

A functional alcoholic might not act the way you would expect, Benton says. You might think he's responsible and productive because he works every day. He could even be high achieving or powerful. In fact, his success might lead people to overlook his drinking.

He could also be in denial about drinking. He might think, “‘I have a great job, pay my bills, and have lots of friends; therefore I am not an alcoholic,’” Benton says. Or he might make excuses like, “I only drink expensive wine” or “I haven’t lost everything or suffered setbacks because of drinking.”

But he isn’t doing fine, says Robert Huebner of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. No one, he warns, “can drink heavily and maintain major responsibilities over long periods of time. If someone drinks heavily, it is going to catch up with them.”

 

What Are the Signs?

What is heavy drinking? Women who have more than three drinks a day or seven a week are “at-risk” drinkers. For men, the limit is four drinks a day or 14 a week. If you drink more than either the daily or weekly limit, you’re at risk. You’re not alone -- one in four people who drink this much already has a problem or is likely to have one soon. Overall, as many as 20% of alcoholics may be highly functional.

A drink count isn’t the only way to tell if you or someone you care about needs help. Here are some other red flags. Someone who needs help may:

• Say he has a problem or joke about alcoholism
• Miss work or school, get into fights, lose friendships, or have a DUI arrest
• Need alcohol to relax or feel confident
• Drink in the morning or when alone
• Get drunk when he doesn’t intend to
• Forget what he did while drinking
• Deny drinking, hide alcohol, or get angry when confronted about drinking
• Cause loved ones to worry about or make excuses for his drinking.
•  

  Risky Behavior

  Functional alcoholics may seem to be in control, Benton says, but they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sex, or blacking out.

  Heavy drinking carries other risks. It can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, some forms of cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and high blood pressure. Heavy drinkers have a higher chance of dying from car accidents, murder, and suicide. Any alcohol abuse raises the chances of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, fetal alcohol syndrome, and car accidents.

   

  How to Get Help

  Benton says treatment for a high-functioning alcoholic is the same as for any other type of addict. A doctor can point you to help -- whether it’s from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist. Organizations like the American Society of Addiction Medicine can guide you to help, too.

  Outpatient programs make it possible for you to get treatment during the day but live at home. The most in-depth care allows you to live full time at a treatment facility. These setups can also work along with 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Relating to other people with substance abuse issues may help an alcoholic break through denial and begin to recover.

 

There really is no answer to this. With my husband, we reached a long term agreement, and I will be happy as long as he sticks to it for the most part. He agreed not to drink on certain days of the week, to avoid hard alcohol, and to only buy a certain amount of beer each week. I would say that it takes a long term pattern of moderate drinking to convince anyone, and even then there is still the possibility that the person will relapse. But I believe complete abstinence should be a last resort.

You got it. 

There are also "recovered" alcoholics.~  they ababstain, are sober, but can't drink even one drink or they may repalse. 

IMO - alcoholic is someone who losses control over alcohol.  Specially when they start drinking. 

Also - if someone thinks they may have a problem - they already have a problem. And maybe they are not an alcoholic yet ~ but they are on a path to it.  

BTW - i know i have issue with alcohol. Before RNY - i was a social drinker. But i could have it or leave it.  I did not care either way. Now - i want a drink. Really want it. But for now i can still control how much or how often i have it. But I know that i have an issue. I am not an alcoholic, but unless i am really careful, i could be one in no time. 

My ex was functioning every-day-get-drunk-alcoholic.  Until he was just an alcoholic. No job, no home... working only enough to get the fix (few years after we divorced).  He was "functioning" because he always had some stupid woman (including me) that enabled his addiction and took care of day to day responsibilities. He worked  and drunk.  He had some "sober days" but not many. Eventually i had enough. So his third wife.

Now he texted me telling me he's getting sober. 

 

From Mayo

Alcoholism is a chronic and often progressive disease that includes problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to get the same effect (physical dependence), or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking. If you have alcoholism, you can't consistently predict how much you'll drink, how long you'll drink, or what consequences will occur from your drinking. 

The answer will vary from person to person.  DSM4 says for men more that 15 drinks a week you are and alcoholic.  That term alcoholic in the most basic sense means your body will have physiologic changes from withdrawal of alcohol.  Visible withdrawal symptoms vary too.  How much, how long, how big is the person and so on.  With past work, I have seen symptoms of withdrawal within hours of stopping alcohol to never seeing symptoms.  Usually DT's (Delirium tremens) happen near day 3 of withdrawal.  It is a serious condition and needs to be managed in a medical setting.  Hope this helps.