What Makes One an Alcoholic????

Question by saphirespice: what makes one an alcoholic????
i have a serious question about alcohol. i want to know from all types of people what makes an alcoholic? like what would you consider an alcoholic? how often would you say would’d have to drink? or how many drinks? would you be an alcoholic if you drank twice a week, but got messed up each time but not to the point of puking or anything? just curious, thanks in advance!

Best answer:

Answer by MsKitty
I don’t think its about how often you drink or what you drink. I think it has more to do with if alcohol effects your life or others’ in harmful and negative ways. Also, if you are dependent on alcohol…that is usually a sign that you have a problem. Another thing is if your personality changes when you drink, or if you tend to forget things that you’ve done when you’ve been drinking. These are all clear signs of alcoholism.

Answer by bluzchick1_04
Risk factors
Steady drinking over time can produce a physical dependence on alcohol. Drinking more than 15 drinks a week for men or 12 drinks a week for women increases the risk of developing dependence on alcohol. However, drinking by itself is just one of the risk factors that contribute to alcoholism. Other risk factors include:

Age. People who begin drinking at an early age — by age 16 or earlier — are at a higher risk of alcohol dependence or abuse.

Genetics. Your genetic makeup may increase your risk of alcohol dependency.

Sex. Men are more likely to become dependent on or abuse alcohol than are women.

Family history. The risk of alcoholism is higher for people who had a parent or parents who abused alcohol.
Emotional disorders. Being severely depressed or having anxiety places you at a greater risk of abusing alcohol. Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder also may be more likely to become dependent on alcohol.

If you yourself are concerned, it may be a problem.