Are you a drinker, or a drunk?

[ConcernedCanuk]

.
.
.

or none of the above?

It took me decades to differentiate between drinkers and drunks.

Drunks - that is a person (imo) that cannot function without booze. They constantly wander around with booze in their hand, maybe in their pocket or what I call a "beer bag" - visiting other drunks who mostly associate with other drunks.

Drinkers - those that separate drinking from their daily life, jobs, family, other responsibilities but "party hardy" with friends they trust.

This is not a scientific study - SO

probably more realistic.

. . .

CC

[In_The_Wind]

1. Dabbler

I really don't drink as much as I once did.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. Same here, but ...

... I don't think I do ANYTHING as much as I once did.

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. "I don't think I do ANYTHING as much as I once did"

.
.
.

No kidding!

Well, I do visit the loo more than I used to . . . .



CC

[In_The_Wind]

27. There are still a few things do as much as I always did.

[img][/img]

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

34. Not even that ...

... but it's one of my "retirement celebration" activities to look forward to... one of these years.



well, that, and afternoon naps

[In_The_Wind]

35. Oh yeah!

I'm napping like a baby now. Frequently.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. We can't.

.
.
.

Well, the lucky ones can't.

We get HUNGRY,



or tired.



CC

[In_The_Wind]

28. Drinking improves my appetite sometimes.

[img][/img]

[Chan790]

2. Recovering.

Drinking is and was a bad time. I much prefer my other vices (adventure, gambling, high-speed, women) that don't leave me waking up like I'm waking the dead.

In terms of my approach to vice in general...the second. I'm a rock-star.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. LOL -read that wrong at first

.
.
.

missed the comma (,) in

high-speed, women

still lol.

CC

[pink-o]

4. Drinker.

Mom was a functioning alcoholic, and I was a bit worried I'd inherited her boozy proclivities. But for the last month, since returning from Europe and getting over jet lag, I've had no desire to drink.

So I guess I really can take it or leave it. Something that's always good to know.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. Social Drinker.

[pintobean]

6. I use to be a drunk

I was faced with a choice of my family or the booze. I went 18 years without drinking at all. Now, I will have an occasional beer or two. I haven't had as much as a buzz in nearly 23 years.

[MiddleFingerMom]

9. "Drunks" strikes me as an old-fashioned, harshly judgmental term..

.
.
.
There are more levels, but I would break it crudely into four levels:
.
1. Nondrinkers
.
.
2. Social drinkers
.
.
3. Functioning alcoholics
.
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4. Non-functioning alcoholics
.
.
.
And in my experience, I knew many, MANY functioning alcoholics who considered
themselves to be "social drinkers".
.
.
.

[TrogL]

44. Former barely-functioning alcoholic

[femmocrat]

11. Teetotaler.

(I looked up the correct spelling! LOL)

I come from a long line of alcoholics and didn't want to travel that highway to hell.

[DFW]

20. Me too, though no alcoholics in the family. I'm still too young.

When I was 7 years old, my parents gave a party at the house outside Washington. I saw their friends drinking all sorts of stuff I was unfamiliar with. The all let me try a sip of this or that. Whiskey, beer, wine, bourbon, etc. To each and every one of them, I made a face and said, YECCH!!!"

My parents explained to me that when I was old enough, I'd like those drinks, too.

I still hate the taste of all of them, so I am obviously still too young for alcohol. I'm only 61, so there's time, I guess, for my appreciation to materialize, but I might be waiting for Godot.

[MiddleFingerMom]

22. I probably don't drink as much as I should.

[DFW]

33. I think W.C. Fields held that very same position. n/t

[Generic Brad]

12. A water boy

That has become my beverage of choice.

[ConcernedCanuk]

32. Water gives me a gut ache.

.
.
.

Does not matter whether it is city water, bottled water, well water, rainwater - my body does not like water!

It's fine with coffee, juices of some sort, but body is very discriminatory about what I put into it.

Body is ok with beer, a little wine now and then, hates hard liquor like whiskey and rum.

So I listen to body.

CC

[pipi_k]

13. Neither, but...

I wanted to add that it's possible to be a "drinker" as opposed to a "drunk" but still be an alcoholic.

My father was an alcoholic. He never let alcohol interfere with his responsibilities to provide for his family, but when he got home, he was never without the ever-present bottle(s) of beer. At the dinner table. On his chairside table next to his recliner in the living room.

Visiting other relatives who also drank. He would often be drunk.

Anyway, I used to be what's considered a "drinker" in my younger years (got drunk with friends on weekends or whatever) but now I'm older it just doesn't have any appeal for me, and I doubt I have more than two glasses of whatever alcohol per year.

[elleng]

19. You're lucky to not have inherited the condition, pipi,

and fortunate that your father's condition did not interfere with his responsibilities.

Here's info I've shared elsewhere, for those interested: http://www.lakesidemilam.com/

[Doc_Technical]

14. I ain't drunk, I'm just drinkin'

[Mopar151]

51. I just take a little, every now and then......

What's wrong with your eyes?

[cherokeeprogressive]

62. I don't care... what the PEOPLE are thinkin'... Love that song. n/t

[Rod Walker]

15. I consume 3 or 4 alcoholic drinks a year, tops.

On the rare occasion that my gaming group proposes a toast of some type.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. welcome to DU and The Lounge, Rod

[Rod Walker]

17. Thanks!

[MiddleFingerMom]

23. Welcome, Rod!!!

.
.
.
Loungeaholism is not only not detrimental to your life... ir's probably GOOD for it!!!
.
.
.

[In_The_Wind]

25. Hello ~ Rod Walker

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Kennah]

50. Wow, must be some big-assed drinks if 3 or 4 can last a year.

[elleng]

18. If this is a serious question, there are answers here.

Alcoholism is a genetically transmitted condition that cannot be cured, but can be controlled.

http://www.lakesidemilam.com/

[MiddleFingerMom]

24. !!!

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.
.

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.

[ileus]

21. None for me thank you...

I tried to drink to be social for years...finally realized it all tastes like crap. Can you add sugar to adult beverages to make them tolerable the way some people do to coffee and tea? (both those suck ass also)

I suppose if a 8yo can't drink it neither do I.

I remember as a kid in the 70's payday Friday always meant a trip to the ABC store.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

26. Drinker.

[arcane1]

29. That would make me a drinker

I tend to think of drunks also as people whose personality completely changes after a few drinks, and they become obnoxious in some way or another

[ConcernedCanuk]

36. yup I agree.

.
.
.

I can drink and drink and drink, but rarely does my personality change.

Someone has to get in my face pretty aggressively for that to happen.

I've known too many people that get mean, obnoxious or right down maudlin after only one or two drinks.

Those are maybe not "drunks" (unless they keep doing it on a daily basis) - but definitely liquor intolerant.

I remember I had a girlfriend decades ago told me "I would never trust a man who couldn't drink".

She was on to something there,

CC

[nomorenomore08]

76. I do get like that occasionally. Not "mean" but definitely sad or angry.

For some reason, there's a certain zone somewhere in-between "lightly buzzed" and "wasted" where I can start to dwell on certain things, without the usual inhibitions that keep me from talking (or yelling) about them. Strangely, I don't get like this when I'm really drunk - in that case I'm generally having a good time - but rather when I'm moderately tipsy.

[Wounded Bear]

30. Used to be a drunk....

and I could be one again if I start thinking I'm just a drinker.

[Major Nikon]

31. If you don't drink, then all of your stories suck and end with, 'And then I got home'

-- Jim Jefferies

[KurtNYC]

37. 6 signs that you are dating an alcoholic

1. They want to pick up more booze on the way home from the bar (or they have more, or they ask if you have more) even though they are drunk.

2. They try to over-serve everyone else.

3. They know where all the brunch places are that serve on Sunday mornings.

4. Their hands shake in the morning.

5. They become depressed and angry when drinking.

6. To everyone else the problem is that the person "drinks too much" but to the alcoholic the problem is everyone else telling them not to drink.

If you can take or leave alcohol you should consider yourself lucky. It is a disease of which very few are cured. As addictions go it is one of the toughest because we are surrounded by alcohol advertising and places which sell it.

[Mopar151]

53. The first time you hear this song, it is chillingly familiar....

[Nye Bevan]

38. Discerning microbrew drinker (nt)

[HarveyDarkey]

47. Same here

I do craft beer reviews on You Tube. Those are often the only beers I drink that day.

[bigwillq]

39. Drinker!

I like to party hardy!

[EvilAL]

40. Usually a drinker, but starting today

I have 12 days off work, so I'll be a 'drunk' as per your description.

[ConcernedCanuk]

71. enjoy, but don't drive please

.
.
.

I learned the hard way decades ago after nearly killing myself hitting a telephone pole head on at 50 miles an hour.

If I need something, or want to go somewhere I use a cab - MUCH cheaper than resulting fines, increased insurance costs, and so on.

Safer too.

Be safe.

CC

[EvilAL]

79. Nah, I don't drink and drive,

I've stupidly done it before when I was younger, luckily nothing bad happened.

[WilliamPitt]

41. Yes.

[lastlib]

42. Oh, I'm a drunk....

the difference between a drunk an an alcoholic is--we drunks don't have to go to all those damned meetings!! or the 12-step programs......


(actually, I never touch the stuff! )

[ConcernedCanuk]

43. "we drunks don't have to go to all those damned meetings!!"

.
.
.



CC

[TrogL]

45. Saw some T-shirts like that in England

I'm not an alcoholic
I'm a drunken slut
Alcoholics go to meetings

[Kennah]

49. Me neither. I never touch 12-step programs.

[lastlib]

60. ...but I'm not as think as you drunkle peep I am........

[Joe Shlabotnik]

46. Drinker,

but I'm aspiring to bigger things.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Kennah]

48. I only drink 4 times a year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter

[pokerfan]

52. former functioning alcoholic, I think

It didn't destroy my life or anything. Never went through AA or anything. I just got tired of it, especially waking up with headaches. So I just decided one day to no longer have it in the house. Because if it's there, I will drink it. I will have a drink or two on special occasions (and yeah, I still love it) but I think I've pretty much made my peace with the stuff.

"I'm an alcoholic. I don't have one drink. I don't understand people who have one drink. I don't understand people who leave half a glass of wine on the table. I don't understand people who say they've had enough. How can you have enough of feeling like this? How can you not want to feel like this longer? My brain works differently."

[duuser5822]

54. I've always been a social drinker

Got to protect my health, ya know...

[In_The_Wind]

67. Hello ~ duuser5822

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Rowdyboy]

55. Former drunk now definitely a drinker...as I've aged my tolerance has lowered

Can't hang like I could twenty years ago and I don't regret it even a little bit. "Less" is most certainly the older man's new "more".

[nomorenomore08]

56. Drinker, and not a very heavy one. Alcohol is the least of my worries, substance-wise.

Never had a problem with it, the way I have with other things I won't mention by name.

[rurallib]

57. former drinker - afraid if I drank again I'd never stop

I quit @ 20 years ago, just stopped.
My family are big drinkers - parents both dead @60.
It was fun, but I realized what a horrible example I was for my kids and quit.

[AsahinaKimi]

58. I have a can of

Asahi Beer that has been sitting in my fridge for nearly 5 months. I rarely drink, truth be told. Maybe I will have a Tsingtao once every two months. I do like Milky Sake and Plum wine ..but rarely have it, perhaps once or twice a year. When I was younger, I was probably terrible.. having gone to so many parties. I think I got that out of my system by now.

These days.. I have discovered MiO...


which you can put into Water or Seltzer water. I also love Tea... Oolong, Pu Erh, Green tea, and love to use my Coffee machine to make fresh brewed coffee.

[tabbycat31]

59. I'm a social drinker

I can go months between drinks, but will drink at various occasions.

I hardly ever drink at home unless I'm with my SO and we get a bottle of wine.

[Tobin S.]

61. I'm a drunk drinker

Actually, I'm slurping on Diet Coke right now, but I'm going to break out the beers later. I usually have beer one night a week and don't get too carried away.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

63. and then there is a Dry Drunk

Last edited Sun Jun 23, 2013, 03:15 PM - Edit history (1)

What is a dry drunk, and the ‘dry drunk syndrome’ as it is sometimes called? It can best be described as someone who fits one of two conditions.

The first is someone who has given up drinking and drugging and not made any internal or emotional changes, they stay the same but the substance is gone. Or in the second case what was once someone abstinent and on a progressive path of recovery has slowly returned to chaotic and unrealistic thinking.

Being active in your addiction sets up many trains of thought, attitudes, feelings, and actions that are problematic. Simply removing the alcohol or drugs without changing these underlying factors will produce a dry drunk syndrome. The dry drunk really refers to a condition and not the person. It is important to recognize a reversion back to our old ways of thinking and acting, or lack of progress in moving forward in recovery.

The dry drunk can be a precursor to the beginnings of relapse, the AA Big Book describes this condition as being “restless, irritable, and discontented”. This set of attitudes can apply to anyone who is chemically dependent, or even those were not. Here are some of the attitudes common with the dry drunk syndrome.

more at link:
http://addictionrecoverybasics.com/what-is-a-dry-drunk/

[IrishEyes]

64. Teetotaler

I don't drink at all. I never liked the taste.

[grok]

65. binge drinker/drunk?

I definitely drink too much when i drink. Always in a safe environment. And I have beer and sealed liquor in the house which I never touch. It's for guests.

On the other hand, I do embarrass myself from time to time. Posted drunk the other day and had to self-delete.

[Kali]

66. I can do both

I have a tendency to overindulge in anything I enjoy. I have some addictive tendencies so I try to watch it.

In my old age I prefer to keep the drinking sociable and with people that can hold a conversation. But I know I am capable of overdoing it. I can drink most people under the table, but I get pretty obnoxious when I do it.

[Lil Missy]

68. Recovering drunk. n/t

[bluedigger]

69. Does taking a drink across the street to the dog park count?

Because I thought I was just conforming to New Orleans' French Quarter community standards...

[N.I.B.]

70. None of the above

I only drink about three bottles worth of wine throughout the year. I use to be your average social drinker when I was younger like most people.

[In_The_Wind]

72. Hello ~ N.I.B.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[N.I.B.]

73. Hello In_The_Wind

Nice to meet you.

[In_The_Wind]

74. I hope you enjoy being here.

[N.I.B.]

75. Thanks

It looks like there's a variety of folks with a Democratic common thread. If so it should be both interesting and enjoying.

I hope so anyway.

Cheers

[tavernier]

77. I have always followed a personal rule:

I never drink two days in a row.

It has kept me from being a daily drinker on the neighborhood cocktail circuit.

[Locut0s]

78. On the edge?...

Not sure which I'd place myself in.

When I drink it's all for the wrong reasons. I binge drink hard liquor by myself cause I feel down. But then even when I was doing a lot of that it was only on the weekends when I didn't have school or work. So I didn't fit into either one of these I never had a drink in hand 99% of the time and never associated with other drinkers. But when I DID drink it was for all the alcoholics reasons and I got shit faced by myself alone, which is definitely not a drinker. I'm trying not to drink now, with some success.

[ConcernedCanuk]

80. "I'm trying not to drink now, with some success."

.
.
.

I've quit totally a few times in the past - once for over 6 months.

But I'm retired now, and both me and body like beer - don't have to drive anywhere on a daily basis.

Always needed a huge caloric intake to maintain my 150# -

so why not get a bit of a buzz while doing it?

tried weed, but then I get hungry, sleep and get nothing done.

So - - that's where I'm at!

CC

[Locut0s]

81. That's a unique position though. For others it's a real concern...

You essentially can now risk being an alcoholic At least so long as you don't destroy yourself you're good to go. Being retired and living out in the beautiful wilderness you don't have a lot to worry about in terms of putting stress on others etc.. For those who still have to work or are dependant on, or have dependants, it's a different story. Here the label really matters.