[Fred Schmidlapt]

Am I addicted to alcohol?

My PCP says I am, and I must stop drinking.

I told him that I drink a glass of wine with dinner every night, and usually 2 drinks later as I watch TV / movies on my way to bed. I have done this for ~20 years.

Given my body weight, I time these so my BAC never exceeds 0.06% so I can always legally drive.

But he says that nobody can drink three drinks a day without being addicted. Then he gave me a 30 minute lecture on withdrawals.

I guess I am in denial, and I know that denial is standard among alcoholics. I just don't see how I can be an alcoholic if I have never gotten drunk.

I stopped drinking the third week of November.

How long do I wait for these withdrawal symptoms to kick in? I thought maybe 6 to 8 weeks, but so far I have not had any.

[TishaBuv]

I don’t know much about alcoholism, but good for you for quitting, and sending you support.

[LadyShadow]

Sending you support too. I am an alcoholic in recovery, and I used to drink like that a long time - then it got worse and worse over time.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

I also do not see how you can be an alcoholic if this is a practice that dates back 2 decades without any worsening or escalation, and, since you have never been drunk (!!!). I think he is plain wrong attaching the label of alcoholism based solely on the number of drinks per day. I also think that you are not having withdrawals precisely because you weren't an alcoholic to begin with.

That said, it is good that you quit and that you got so easily and painlessly adjusted to being a non-drinker. There was an article in the New York Time several days ago: red wine is not good for your heart. Read the article if you are a subscriber: Is Red Wine Actually Good for You? How the Drink Affects Heart Health - The New York Times

"Today, more and more research shows that even one drink per day can increase your chances of developing conditions like high blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm, both of which can lead to stroke, heart failure or other health consequences, she said.

And alcohol’s links to cancer are clear — something the World Health Organization has been stating since 1988.

That’s a very different message from the one patients might have heard from their doctors for years, Dr. Cho acknowledged. But the consensus has shifted.

No amount of alcohol is safe, the W.H.O. and other health agencies have said, regardless of whether you’re drinking wine, beer or liquor."

...

"And for most people, it’s fine to enjoy a glass of wine every now and then, Dr. Cho said."

***

Like you, I have never been drunk in my life. Unlike you, I never consumed so many glasses per day. But I used to try to drink 1 glass of wine per day believing it would be health-protective. The thing is, I did not particularly enjoy it and it felt like a chore. Then last year my internist, during the annual physical, told me that there is no evidence that it is good for you; she explained that, simply put, many healthy people tend to drink wine with dinner so there is correlation but not causation. No causation whatsoever. So she said "drink wine if you enjoy it". I stopped drinking at home and since I like cocktails and do not particularly like wine, I now drink a cocktail if I am out celebrating with someone, which is rare, but when I do, I really enjoy it. I will drink wine if I am in a good company still, but I no longer buy it and no longer drink it "for health". I know better now.

[Fred Schmidlapt]

Thank you folks.

[shovelhead]

I agree with post by Tart Cherry Jam
I'm a recovered alcoholic & if your body is dependent on alcohol, you will have withdrawal. When you're an alcoholic, u constantly have serious issues. Mine would be losing jobs, tickets from police, homelessness. Bad health, the list goes on and on. It really doesn't sound to me like you have a problem with alcohol, at all.
If u noticed your tolerance increases and u need more drinks than u did before...that's one warning sign. The crap does sneak up on you and then u rely on it. If u can take it or leave it, you're OK.
Also u say you've never been drunk. I used to drink for sole purpose of getting falling down, blackout drunk. Sounds like u use alcohol to simply relax & enjoy. The way it's supposed to be used responsibly.

[mote.of.soul]

You're not an alcoholic buddy, you sound like a very moderate drinker, a responsible drinker and enjoyer of wine. I don't know what this PCP is talking about. I'm an recovering alcoholic, I know alcoholics and alcoholism. I mean, as you say, you've never even been drunk! And good on you too.

[Fred Schmidlapt]

Thank you one and all

[shovelhead]

Can I give u one more tip... besides noticing if u need more alcohol daily.
If u have a stressful day or problem & tell yourself, "I can't wait to have a drink"....That is a warning sign. Because then you would begin relying on alcohol. Stay great!

[3rd rock]

If you're addicted to alcohol then withdrawal symptoms start just hours after your last drink. I personally experience the onset of withdrawal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, sweating, shaking) something like 6-8 hours after my last drink, depending on how much I've had, and they can get bad enough that I have to visit the emergency room. I also drink a lot more than you do, up to a liter of hard liquor a day (I'm on the waitlist to get into detox and treatment). Based on your lack of withdrawal symptoms I don't think you're addicted in the clinical sense. However, I'm not a doctor. And the only real person who can judge whether you're addicted is you.

[Deejay14]

Its pro ably a case of dependence vs. addiction. If you were talking to a primary doc, he may not know the diffence