Alcoholic vs. Enthusiast

My body prevents me from being an alcoholic, and I'm pretty grateful for that to be honest. I didn't start drinking until I discovered Belgian beer when I was 23 years old, and I guess not drinking until then kept my tolerance down. The thought of drinking a 4-pack of 90 minute or any other "big" beer makes me shiver, the same way I shiver when I watch The Wire and see McNulty downing Jameson like it's water.

I find that my body chemistry takes me from slight-buzz to sick with hardly anything in between, so anything more than 2 beers at a time is extremely rare for me. That said, I still failed that test with a score of 3 because there is a history of alcoholism in my family, and I do find myself "more in a hurry" to get my first drink of the day than I used to. I'm OK writing that off though since that first drink is also my last about 90% of the time.

 

Could? Yes, probably. Would? Unlikely.

 

i am absolutely not an alcoholic…alcoholics go to meetings.

 

I find some of the classist arguments here a bit startling, as if what you drink is any indication of illness. Drinking rot-gut wine or rubbing alcohol just means you're an alcoholic and poor. You could drink just as much 18-year old scotch and nothing would change, save your social perception. Just because you can afford a regular supply of craft beer doesn't absolve you of being an alcoholic. In some senses it's like the case of crack versus cocaine. If you do crack every day, you're a junkie; if you do coke every day, you're a playboy.

I've been drinking a lot of canned seltzer water lately because I have been cherishing lucidity. Cracking a can satisfies a lot of inculcated cravings through just holding onto a cold, sweaty can, although I do catch myself wondering why I haven't caught a buzz from time to time.

 

I do the exact same thing ... I love the taste of beer and have 2 everday. When I find something I like I stock up on it. I probably have enough beer on hand to last me the next 6 months.

I never drink with the goal of getting drunk. I drink to enjoy the beer.

 

Enthusiasts start up or join websites...alcoholics drink.

 

Well if you go see a physician this is what they will ask..

1. Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking?
2. Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
4. Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

The CAGE questionnaire, among other methods, has been extensively validated for use in identifying alcoholism. CAGE is considered a validated screening technique, with one study determining that CAGE test scores >=2 had a specificity of 77% and a sensitivity of 91% for the identification of alcoholism.

Now I am a 2/4 but have never needed an eye opener. That is the most sensitive question of the 4. If you answer YES to #4 then you need help (Well other than New Years Day). Maybe I need help being 2/4... Anyway this is an old questionnaire. There have been some studies stating that 1-2 drinks of wine per day are good for you.

A newer method defines heavy drinking as 15 or more drinks (at 5%) per 7 days. That is pretty easy to get to for craft drinkers. I am drinking a TWEAK from Avery as I write this at 17.81%. That's pretty much 3 drinks in one. One thing is for sure, if you drink a lot over a long period of time you are at risk for cirrhosis...taking into consideration your genetics and other things.

Being a craft beer enthusiast and physician with way too many beers in my cellar and way too much knowledge about the downside of cirrhosis, I have recently found that I need my own limit. It is 15 drinks per week at 5%. I feel that it this a pretty reasonable guide .... at least for me.

 

Anything can be overdone or underdone. Life is what moves along in this construct we have called TIME. The absolute miracle of existence and awareness, and all of these electronic capabilities that now are taken for granted, have allowed us all to communicate and learn exponentially. No one that drinks too much and or wrongly doesn't know the truth. There are many insidious forces all around us, but I think finding some positive strong positions to champion helps keep these negative forces at bay. At the end of the day, one always chooses which route to take through the maze!

 

Enthusiast is a hobby. Alcoholic drinks whatever the hell they can find to get drunk. Now you can get drunk on your hobby, just know when to stop and know your limits. If you have 400 bottles in the cellar it doesn't mean you are an alcoholic it means you collect and honor well made beer. IF you have 40 cases of a cheapass adjunct lager in your house or more so 40 empty boxes, then you are an alcoholic! Its all about pacing and control! Yes, even the those of us who have lots of beer in the cellar will have a shit show from time to time but you have to know when to stop. Simple as that!

 

Now THAT was deep

 

Yes, it's inherently wrong to consume a 4-pack of DIPAs in one sitting (most of the time).
#1 - Diversity is important. Throw in a stout, weizen, or tripel now and then.
#2 - Moderation is key... don't drink all of your DIPAs at once!
#3 - Save some for tomorrow afternoon. Or next week. Or share with friends!

 

Alcoholic = Some aspect of your life is suffering due to your consumption.

/Thread.

 

Yeah, but it might be your liver, which you don't realize until it's too late. That's my paranoid fear.
Not that it stops me from drinking. Ahem.

 

Enthusiast - knows his/her limit and respects it

Alcoholic - know no limits, nor does he/she show respect for him/herself or the people who may be impacted by the habit

 

The amount of alcohol which causes long term health problems is smaller than the amount that causes short term dependence. I suspect most of us fall in the 'Long term health problems' category.

 

You can look for validation all you like...for what better place to look than on a board where everyone talks about beer, shares pictures/stories of their "hauls" and daily show pictures of WBAYDN...many of us showing several pics a day...day after day.

You'll read through this topic and find the intellectuals who are offended by buzz words (alcoholic) and their broad definitions. Some will scream from the top of a box (SN IPA Mixed Pack) that moderation is the key and although your body may only process 1 or 2 beers efficiently, "I can drink 8 or 10 with no problem". Some will use simple logic, some will curse and ridicule...some...will just sit back, read and drank another beer.

Like I said at the beginning of my rant, you can look for validation all you like. BA is like a circus...everyone is not a clown...but...you'll find a lot of clowns pretending to be the Ring Leader.

It's hard to evaluate everyone else on this site unless you know them personally however if you are honest with yourself concerning your drinking habits...you'll know the answer.

 

A sophisticated slush...winos get the same treatment, as does anyone who has a nicely stocked bar.

Most enthusiasts, regardless of their hobby...golf, fishing, beer, wine, food, music...all have one thing in common...a deep immersion in their passion. Most tend to come off a little nuts regardless of what it is they are enjoying but with alcohol there is some inherent dangers.

Passion is what drives many of us but some prefer to ride in the back seat...neither seat in necessarily bad.

 

So I've been in trouble since the mid 1980's(wish I could remember).

 

You will not experience a traumatizing circle of teary-eyed family and friends saying that your enthusiasm has affected them negatively in the following ways...

 

If we work hard enough, we can be both!