How Many Drinks a Day is Considered an Alcoholic?

How much is too much?

You head out to a party and take ‘too many drinks’. Who decides that you have had too much to drink? Who decides whether you are an alcoholic or just an occasional drinker?

In today’s world, alcohol consumption has become a debatable concept. Many adults enjoy a drink or two at a social gathering and there are others who have made it a habit to come back home from work and drink like a fish.

Just because you are drinking, it does not make you an alcoholic. You are in a situation where you enjoy a glass of wine or a can of beer. There are some people who are drinking wine and beer on a daily basis. This may be harmless, but the question is – how many drinks a day is considered an alcoholic?

Gendering Alcoholism

A couple of confused and curious individuals ask the same question every single day. They want to know whether have two or three drinks a day is considered being an alcoholic or not. Now the trouble is that in most cultures, you will find that people drink a glass of wine with their food.

In France, the locals drink apertif before their meal. There are people travelling to different parts of the world for wine and cheese tasting. This is not a problem but developing a daily habit can be troublesome, especially when it puts your health at risk.

As per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), women should not drink more than seven drinks in a week. They should limit it to three in a day or seven in a week. On the other hand, men are allowed to drink fourteen drinks a week and four in a day.

This is clearly a case of gendering alcoholism. Now the concern is that some men do not have the ability to hold their drink and tend to get drunk easily. They showcase violent behaviour after 3 drinks.

As per the researchers, a person who is dependent on alcohol or whose body has become accustomed to the alcohol, he may not even feel the effect after having too many drinks. This is because the body has become tolerant. These are the set of people who are at a higher risk of getting alcohol-related problems and health issues.

What the experts say

The experts have said that drinking more than what NIAAA has specified puts the person’s health at risk. What are the risks? There will be health issues and social issues as well. In health problems, your vital organs are getting affected. In social issues, you are getting alienated from the society and are pushing away your loved ones.

When a person is not in his/her senses and is intoxicated, they are not able to think straight and tend to behave badly or act funny.

Researchers have gendered alcoholism for a reason. Women tend to have a low water content in their body as compared to men. That is precisely why the drinks should be limited. It can affect her reproductive system and overall health. Additionally, an alcoholic woman is considered to be a problem maker in the society.

Even men have to face complications as too much alcohol can damage the liver, heart and even the kidneys. This holds true for both men and women. An interesting and scary fact is that it can diminish your sexual desires and overall stamina.

People think that drinking alcohol gets you in the mood to indulge in sexual activities. This is not true! Alcoholics have a list of excuses that they talk about to hide the faults.

The truth is that alcohol is a depressant and it will diminish your urge to have sex. In fact, the use of too much alcohol can take away the power of getting an erection. Sexual intercourse should be satisfying but due to your alcohol drinking habit, it will no longer be fun or interesting.

This way you will drift away from your partner because most alcoholics are suffering from a condition called erectile dysfunction. It could be caused by stress or even the consumption of too much alcohol. This is a myth that drinking alcohol gives you confidence and sex life improves drastically. It is a clear myth!

Are you a moderate drinker or a full blown alcoholic?

This is a tough one to answer. Considering you are still living in a shell, we would like to ask you a couple of probing questions.

• For women: Do you take more than 8 drinks a week?
• For men: Do you take more than 15 drinks a week?
• Are you dependent on alcoholic?
• What if you had to quit alcohol? Will you be able to do it?

Now these were some of the questions you need to answer. As a woman, you should limit the drinks and not have more than 7-8 drinks a week. A full-blown alcoholic drinks on occasions and even without any occasion. They drink while they are sad and find reasons to open the bottle of wine/any other spirit.

As a man, consumption of 14-15 or more drinks is considered to be an alcoholic. There are some people who drink on a daily basis but they cannot be called dependent or alcoholic. If these people are not dependent, alcohol withdrawal will be easier.

If you are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, then this can only be treated by a doctor.

In case you go out and feel the urgency to order a drink to feel better, then you are probably an alcoholic. If you find lame reasons to open a bottle and start drinking middle of the day, then there is a serious drinking problem.

Alcoholism is a condition where the person does not give up on hard drinks and has a physical need to drink. They do not think about their personal equations with people or the important body organs. They are only bent on drinking more alcohol each day.

Put an end to alcoholism and start living a sober life. There is no fun in being intoxicated all through your life. Once you forget the feeling of being high after drinking, you will be able to make better sense of your life.