Are You an Alcoholic if You Drink Every Day?

Alcohol is dangerous for any person who does not check the intake. Alcohol disorder is a condition where the person is addicted to the poison for a long time. It is a type of long-term addiction which can be lethal for your life.

If consumed in a greater amount. it could even lead to a deadly disease. For people who don’t drink often and only drink on certain occasions ask the following question – Am I an alcoholic?
Let us rephrase that and ask the right set of questions. The real question is – are you an alcoholic if you drink every day?

At some point, there is a high chance that you may turn into a regular drinker in the future. It also depends on the quantity of what you drink and how many times you drink in a day. The greater the quantity of alcohol you drink in a day, the greater is the chance that you are showing the signs of being an alcoholic. There could be many reasons why people chose to drink such as after a tiring day or they could be going through extreme depression and misery. According to different authorities, low to moderate drinking in a day does not make you an alcoholic person.

How do you know that if you are dependent on alcohol or not?

Many people often ask how they could know whether they are addicted to alcohol or not. According to researchers, it is not necessary that if you drink daily you are being dependent on it. But there are certain situations which could turn on the alarm sign for you:

Family history

You will surely be called an alcoholic person if you drink daily because you have a family legacy attached to it. If alcohol is common in your family there is a high chance that you would also turn in to one.

You feel the need for alcohol

If you feel the need for alcohol and cannot do the daily tasks without it, there is a high chance that you are getting addicted to it.

Using alcohol on purpose

If you drink alcohol on purpose such as to cope with something then you are being dependent on it. People drink alcohol to cope with stress, depression, and anxiety and this is where it gets dangerous for them.

The Dissimilarity between Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

People always mix these two words and take them as the same but there is a difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. You should know that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence both can be harmful for you. Alcoholism, if not controlled in earlier stages can be turned into alcohol abuse and then ultimately to alcohol dependence. Alcohol abuse is being called when a person drinks more than moderate levels which can ultimately have adverse effects on his life. His mental and physical life can get affected badly; also the relationship with his family and friends can be ruined. The person is not able to work properly and he would be less productive to the community or the office/workplace. Alcohol abuse turns into alcohol dependence and that is where it gets more dangerous. A person who is addicted to alcohol now may not work until and unless he does not drink. The persons who become dependent on drinking have certain characteristics which are the following:

• A person who gets dependent on drinking may only drink one of his favorite brands and refrain from using others.
• You will hang out with only those friends who drink regularly and will go to the places where drinking is allowed.
• A person who gets dependent on alcohol now has a high level of tolerance. Previously if you drink two cocktails per night but now your mind and body are asking for more because they are getting used to it. The level of consumption increases by the time and ultimately you would get so dependent on it that you may not live without it.
• People who get dependent on drinking may display mood swings. Getting angry or agitated becomes a possibility.
• A person who has decided to quit alcohol permanently from his life, it may not be easy for him/her to do so. There are alcohol withdrawal side effects such as nausea, headache, and dizziness.

How to quit alcohol or how can we help someone to quit it?

A person whose life depends on alcohol may not be easy for him to give up on it and without the supervision of a professional, it cannot be done easily. Giving up on alcohol cannot be done without the help of your loved ones because they are the ones who will be going to keep you motivated throughout the journey until you get rid of it.

If your loved ones are being dependent on drinking you should first let them know the consequences they will have to bear if they do not control it. Also, you should then tell them that alcohol is just a waste of money as it does not bring any good to you.

The people who get dependent on alcohol stake their relationships and if not controlled, there is a high chance that their friends and family may choose to leave them. Alcoholism affects your mental and physical life negatively so there is a high chance that if you do not quit, you will face the consequences.

How much alcohol you drink has nothing to do with being an alcoholic. It is all about whether you are dependent on alcohol or not. If you find excuses to drink such as in the times of sadness, failure or celebration then you are dependent on it. You may not get good sleep without alcohol and that is your excuse.

A person who wants to quit drinking alcohol should make a chart and keep track of his drinking. This way, he would get to know how much alcohol he is consuming per day. It is difficult to quit alcohol immediately but you can gradually cut the consumption. Quitting alcohol or limiting the intake can change your life in a positive manner.