June 29, 2007

Study Finds 5 Types Of Alcoholics

Research Also Shows More Than Half Of U.S. Alcoholics Are Young Adults

  • New research on alcoholism shows that there are five types of alcoholics in the U.S., and more than half of alcholics are young adults. Photo

    New research on alcoholism shows that there are five types of alcoholics in the U.S., and more than half of alcholics are young adults.  (CBS/AP)

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(WebMD)  New alcoholism research identifies five types of alcoholics and shows that young adults account for more than half of U.S. alcoholics.

The high percentage of young adults among alcoholics was unexpected, notes researcher Howard Moss, M.D., the associate director for clinical and translational research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

"While we knew that many young adults had problematic involvement with alcohol from our research on college-aged drinkers, we were certainly surprised by the proportion of alcohol-dependent individuals who fell into that young adult cluster," Moss tells WebMD.

In the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Moss and colleagues describe the five types of alcoholics. But before you read those descriptions, keep Moss' advice in mind.

"We hope that if someone suspects they may have a problem with alcohol that they talk about this with their health care provider," Moss tells WebMD. "If the health care professional is uncomfortable with assessing alcohol problems (and we hope all such professionals are comfortable with these assessments) the individual should ask for a referral to an addictions specialist for an in-depth evaluation," he says.

Moss and colleagues studied data from 1,484 U.S. adults who took part in a national survey conducted by the NIAAA from 2001 to 2002. The study focused on alcohol dependence and also included questions about personality, family history of alcoholism and other substance use.

The researchers applied the survey's findings to the U.S. population. They estimate that in the year before the study, nearly 8 million people in the U.S. met the standard for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence.

Alcoholism is the nonmedical, popular term for alcohol dependence, notes Moss.

The study describes five subtypes of alcoholics.

The young adult subtype accounts for about 32 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They're young adults who rarely seek help for alcohol dependence. About 24 years old, they became alcoholics by age 20, on average. They drink less frequently than other alcoholics, but they tend to binge drink when they drink. This is the largest subtype.

The young antisocial subtype comprises 21 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They are 26 years old, on average. More than half have antisocial personality disorder. They tended to start drinking at 15 and became alcoholics by 18 — earlier than other subtypes. They are
more likely to smoke tobacco and pot. The young antisocial subtype and the young adult subtype don't overlap, Moss tells WebMD.

The functional subtype accounts for about 19 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They're generally middle-aged, working adults who tend to have stable relationships, more education, and higher incomes than other alcoholics. They tend to drink every other day, often consuming five or more drinks on drinking days.

The intermediate familial subtype makes up nearly 19 percent of U.S. alcoholics. Nearly half have close relatives who are alcoholics. Alcoholics in this subtype typically began drinking by 17 and became alcoholics in their early 30s.

The chronic severe subtype is the rarest subtype, accounting for about 9 percent of U.S. alcoholics. This subtype mainly includes men, has the highest divorce rate, and frequently includes users of illicit drugs.

"When most people think of alcoholics, they think of middle-aged men with a profile similar to our chronic severe subtype," Moss tells WebMD. "Our data shows that alcoholism is more a disorder of youth than previously suspected."

Moss warns that while some alcoholic subtypes may function better than others, "in all cases, alcohol dependence must be viewed as a severe disease with a significant adverse impact on health and well-being."

By Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang, M.D.
© 2007, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

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Add a Comment See all 57 Comments
by foxnewsucks June 29, 2007 5:52 PM PDT
Yeah, this is a bunch of garbage! Another report without any substance. I think I need another drink!
Reply to this comment
by dan9111 June 29, 2007 6:22 PM PDT
No, there are only 10 types of alcoholics. Those whose see numbers in binary and those who do not.
Reply to this comment
by dakotaclark June 29, 2007 6:48 PM PDT
Well, this study lacks any mention of the most common form of alcohol dependence, and therefore, a SIXTH type.

The SIXTH type is the person who is self-medicating regardless of age or ***...

In nearly all cases people who self-medicate do so as a result of untreated mental health issues such as PTSD, Depression, Anxiety Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, etc.

In the case of the "5 types" there is a very strong probability that nearly all of the types might be self-medicating, in addition to the other characteristics listed.
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by roach9703 June 29, 2007 6:53 PM PDT
That's nice,except for one thing. They need to, like Paris Hilton, realize that they can NEVER drink again ( period ). How they do that is irrevelent. No therapy can help these people until or unless they quit.
Reply to this comment
by chinesespy June 29, 2007 7:12 PM PDT
just cuz i beat my wife when i'm plastered doesnt mean i'm a drunk
Reply to this comment
by chinesespy June 29, 2007 7:12 PM PDT
just cuz i beat my wife when i'm plastered doesnt mean i'm a drunk
Reply to this comment
by chinesespy June 29, 2007 7:13 PM PDT
just cuz i beat my wife when i'm plastered doesnt mean i'm a drunk
Reply to this comment
by rational_1 June 29, 2007 9:09 PM PDT
Hey chinesespy,

Stop drinking before posting here - you're so wasted you keep pressing the submit button!
Reply to this comment
by michellem99-2009 June 29, 2007 10:29 PM PDT
I think the the thing to do is ban drinking ads on TV. They banned the smoking ads on TV in 1970. They aim those ads at the young and it does send the wrong message. I HATE BEER,BOOZE. No I don't drink. I have health issues. It is banned in our home. 5 TYPES. Never heard of such a thing. There is the drunk,socal drinker and nondrinker. I am 52. If you buy a 12 pack and bent on drinking the whole pack that night then youre one who must never drink. People do things drunk that they would never do sober. A drunk maybe funny abd most would just hahaha. Well it is no joke. It is the booze talking.Then the hang over. Cleaning up the mess. So sorry you don't need that drink.
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by mizpah63 June 29, 2007 10:34 PM PDT
Let's assume the research is accurate, and also assume that the five subtypes are legitimate. What value has the research? Will it have any bearing on how alcohol dependent individuals are managed medically or socially? This seems more like an academic exercise in data anlysis without any stated hypothesis.
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by incog-nito June 30, 2007 12:51 AM PDT
They should do study on how much money is being spent on frivolous and stupid research.
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by michellem99-2009 June 30, 2007 1:21 AM PDT
They have a story about computer game playing. And their worried about that. When there are people getting drunk and driving drunk which is very wrong. They get drunk and beat their loved ones.THAT DRINK is partly why my aunt/uncle lost custody of me after my Mum walked out. That drink. They were drunk. Blood everywhere as their were fighting and I was so scared as a lil child with special needs. For years I was fed bread and water so they could drink and yes I was abused and to this day Dad will not believe his sister could have tied me to the bed so they could drink as I did have the marks as the cops saw, and then foster homes. I don't push it with him as he was not there. She never had kids and now dead.
Reply to this comment
by erasmus6 June 30, 2007 2:01 AM PDT
My husband's dad was an alcoholic, his brother was an alcoholic and his sisters I'm pretty sure are also alcoholics. They say when you have a parent that is an alcoholic, you either become one or you are totally against drinking, period.
I call my husband a "would be" alcoholic. He "would be" an alcoholic if I let him. There is no booze aloud in the house, except at Christmas. He will have some drinks when he goes fishing with his buddies but other than that he knows I will crush his skull (hahaha) if he starts drinking. There ain't no way I will go through what his mother went through with his dad.
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by incog-nito June 30, 2007 3:10 AM PDT
I used to drink regularly and thought nothing of it, until I realized I could put away a bottle of wine easily. One day I decided that alcohol doesn't do anything for me, and I have not had any since. That was 6 years ago. When you think about it, you don't need alcohol for anything. It doesn't really do anything but makes you feel groggy and sluggish and sometimes very sick. Now I like my mind to stay clear and alert, to think and make decisions and relax without anything clouding it up. It may sound too easy, considering the stories I hear about people struggling with alcohol. I don't have the answer, but for me it's the simple realization that there's no need, no good use for alcohol, and then just stop, not think about it, and move on.
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by erasmus6 June 30, 2007 3:29 AM PDT
incog-nito

If you were an addictive person you probably wouldn't have been able to give up the wine.
If an addictive person stops one addiction he will usually find another.
I have managed to stop my husband from drinking but food is another matter. He eats like there's no tomorrow!
Reply to this comment
by r9119111 June 30, 2007 8:22 AM PDT
chinesespy:

I'm not saying you are an alcoholic, but doesn't it seem strange that you find it necessary to beat your wife? Would it be acceptable to you if she abused you in the same way? Could it be there is something wrong here? Then, if there is something wrong, might it be helpful to look for a solution?
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by tmkgls June 30, 2007 11:24 AM PDT
I am now 47 years old. I drank as a teen and young adult, stopped for many years, started again in my mid 30's, and now have finally stopped again. I hadn't considered myself an alcoholic as I was functioning just fine - even got an Associates Degree at age 45. I now know I am an alcoholic - according to the article a functional subtype. I wasn%u2019t ever taught that the way I drank, approx. 4 times a week and getting quite drunk each time, was a type of alcoholism. I had thought I had to drink all day every day to be an alcoholic. I finally realized on my own that I cannot even have one drink as there is no such thing as ONE.

Drinking, to me, is to get very drunk. That is alcoholism. I know I always will be an alcoholic and will have to be sure never to have even one. We need to be taught more about these subtypes and how to live without the need for alcohol. I have an addictive personality and my biggest problem was not knowing how to make friends or talk to strangers without the false %u201Calcohol courage%u201D. A sad existence but one I am learning to fix. I wish it would be possible to make alcohol illegal but they tried that once and it didn't work. The world would be much better off without it.
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by erasmus6 June 30, 2007 2:02 PM PDT
Actually they forgot one. The "Weekend Alcoholic".
My Uncle never used to drink during the week when he worked but come the weekend he would binge drink. He was told he was a "weekend alcoholic".
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by cmp271 June 30, 2007 3:00 PM PDT
When you run the booze instead of it running you you know you are not an alcoholic.

There are allot of syptoms people need to realize show they are dependent on booze. It is very surprising to find out who does this. Why do we need to deaden our senses.

It is also a way of living that gets out of hand. It was fashionable to have the before dinner cocktail and drinks, and a few after dinner.

It is best to just say no.
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by michellem99-2009 July 1, 2007 1:44 AM PDT
The govt makes money from booze sales. When it was made illegal they got their paws on booze in the 20s 30s . I hate it. Nobody needs it just as they don't cigerettes. They will do what ever it take to drink,smoke get high. I would rather buy a book to read. Most drink when they are told they should not. It not good for the body. If you have any ,just pour down the sink, It not worth it. Booze aint your friend but the devil's drink.
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by normsw July 1, 2007 4:38 AM PDT
So far. almost all of these posted comments are coming from those who understand little or nothing about alcoholism. "If you haven't lived it you won't really understand it." This applies to researchers as well as the non-alcoholic. I was down and out from alcohol at 27 when I last took a drink. I'm 74 now and still sober by the grace of a Higher Power. (Sober alkies will "get" this statement.) All the research in the world will not eradicate this social disease which has had a hold over mankind ever since he learned to utilize the products of fermentation centuries ago. "It takes one to know one."
Yes , the abused wife/child/friend/boss/creditor will see the EFFECTS of the disease, but still never fully comprehend the workings of the alcoholic'c mind. Forty-seven years of sober experience with alcoholics confirms my belief.
One more point: Prohibition did nothing but drive drinkers underground, probably increasing rather than decreasing alcoholism's rate. It's not a moral issue; it's a sickness of the mind, body and spirit.
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by pwrslm July 1, 2007 7:38 AM PDT
What these people need to recognize is this; its not just a problem with alchohol. There are several substances that are abused, drinking is just one of them.

ANY mood altering substance can do it. Some folks pop pills, others smoke pot, and still others do Cocain or Heroin. They all are the same crutch in our minds. It is our responsibility to understand these things, and those of us who have addictive problems to act and refrain from using mood altering drugs.

Yes, alchohol "is" a drug.
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by dukeudevil July 1, 2007 8:08 AM PDT
Legalize marijuana!

(Hey, it's certainly no worse than booze.)
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by mjpage July 1, 2007 10:26 AM PDT
I think it's a stretch to interview 1400 people and apply their answers to all of the 8 million plus alcoholics in the United States.

I would like to know how they chose the people to be interviewed and what specific questions those people were asked. Because one important consideration here is the fact that only people who know they have a problem with alcohol would even be able or willing to answer a survey about alcoholism. What about the millions out there who don't acknowledge that they have a problem? Were people chosen at random and the interviewers then made the determination that the subjects were alcoholics? Or were these admitted alcoholics who willingly and honestly answered the questions?

It seems to me like this study wasn't randomized correctly and so the results are not very relevant.
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by flizzleblat July 1, 2007 3:24 PM PDT
Must be a bunch of alkies posting here - most of it has little to do with the actual topic. Kind of reminds me of a meeting...

To me, this is useful information in educating the world. Many of us have a mental image of an alcoholic and figure anybody that doesn't fit that image isn't qualified. I'm not an alcoholic because I don't drink alone, or I don't drink mornings, or I don't drink every day, or I don't go to jail, or I don't go to jail very often, or I still have a good job and a wife and...

Have you ever heard the line "you don't look like an alcoholic", or "she can't possibly be an alcoholic, she's too young"?

The research is useful in helping whoever reads it learn that an alcoholic is not what Hollywood painted. I think that has value.
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by somebloke July 1, 2007 4:18 PM PDT
What a crock! I have spent the last decade of my life studying sociology and psychology as a double major at university. Allong with this comes studies of social deviance, and substance abuse councelling. This study isn't new...its just part of a larger trend.

Here's the truth: there are 2 types of alcoholics. Those that drink from physical dependance and those that drink from social/emotional dependance. PERIOD that's it! What age you are makes no difference, what gender you are makes no difference, your income level makes no difference because alcohol doesn't care where you work or go to school. While it is true that some groups are at greater risk for being socialized into alcohol use, and there is a link between genetics and likelyhood of dependance, that doesn't mean necessarilly that everyone is an alcoholic. An alcoholic is still an alcoholic, and a social drinker is still a social drinker.

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by somebloke July 1, 2007 4:21 PM PDT
This studies and the countless others just like it (that my professors and colleagues laugh at as well) are part of a greater social trend whereby Americans in particular are falling into a routine of victimization and disease/illness. This social trend is typically associated with poeple grasping any excuse they can for not taking responsibillity for their own actions and decisions, as well as a strong desire for corporate interest to market drugs and treatments to people who honestly don't need it. They would have you believe that anyone who ever takes a drink is some sort of alcoholic, and believe me...that's not true. In fact, if there is no real link between your drinking to any problems you may have or have had, then its almost safe to say that you aren't an alcoholic. If you've lost a wife or job because of drinking, or it damaged a relationship, or its placed you in a position that you can't accomplish something without it...or you flunked school because of it, then you are an alcoholic. If you're 21 and life is peachy, but you sometimes get buzzed with your buddies from the fraternity or sorority...you're not an alcoholic you're just an average college student.

Don't let them convince you that you're a victim, or that you have a disease just because you're not entirely socially inept...don't be afraid to let your hair down and have a cold one with your friends.
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by grammawhamma July 1, 2007 5:36 PM PDT
This study is a waste. There is one type of alcoholic....the person that can not control their drinking but their drinking controls them. As far as sub types...I think there are as many sub types as there are alcoholics. My husband's family were all big drinkers in denial...they taught their children that if you drink at home you are an alcoholic but if you drink at a tavern you are a social drinker. What nonsense...this only caused drunk driving. Alcoholism is a disease and it is affecting people younger and younger. In my small town most bars will serve minors. The legal age to drink is 21 but you can become a bartender legally at age 18. This makes no sense to me.
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by somebloke July 1, 2007 5:53 PM PDT
Its only labeled a disease so that it can be "treated." No matter what level or type of alcoholic you are, you make a choice everytime you take a drink. Its assinine to trivialise the real illnesses in this world that people are afflicted with by labelling alcohol abuse a "disease."
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by grammawhamma July 1, 2007 6:25 PM PDT
somebloke...I disagree. It is as easy as just don't take that next drink in the beginning "before" that drink controls you. However, once alcohol controls your life it is a disease. Do you think alcoholics want to wake up in their own vomit, shaking so bad they can't hold a glass of water with out spilling it. Alcoholics don't want that first drink of the day....they need it. Alcoholics can't just quit cold turkey without help. D.T.'s can be life threatening without medical intervention.
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by chiefbttlwsh July 1, 2007 6:54 PM PDT
People who believe in "alcoholism" are either people who were told they "have a problem" (and believe them) or are "very close" to someone who does.

The problem isn't drinking. Drinking is a symptom of something else. Maybe your stupid, maybe you have no coping skills, maybe you have nothing better to do, maybe you are anti-social...whatever

YOU ALL LACK DISCLIPINE.

Get a life and quit blaming your problem on something "you cannot control"--This is more of the pussification of America.

AA is a cult.
You are all fools.
Have fun at your self-help support groups.
Reply to this comment
by grammawhamma July 1, 2007 7:51 PM PDT
chiefbttlwsh...yes, people who are alcoholics or are close to an alcoholic believe alcoholism is a disease. Since obviously you just think it is a matter of self control shows you know "nothing" about it. I'm a nurse that has taken care of people in D.T.'s. I have also taken care of people dying of end stage alcoholism. Some were quite young and some married with little kids standing around mommy or daddy's death bed to say their last goodbye. It is a horrid death. I know what I am talking about...it is a disease and one that kills!!
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by judyhelen1 July 1, 2007 8:02 PM PDT
I was 37 years old when I went to my first A.A. meeting. I was told that I have an allergy to alcoholic - if I drink one drink, I need to drink an entire bottle. It is a physical, mental and spiritual disease. I got a sponsor, bought a Big Book of A.A. and worked the 12 steps. I will be celebrating 24 years of sobriety on July 14, 2007.
I stay sober one day at a time. I ask my higher power to help me stay sober in the morning and I thank Him every night.

It doesn't make a bit of difference to me about types of alcoholics. Lots of people die from this disease and have ruined lives because of alcohol.
There is a solution and I found it in A. A.

Anyone with a drinking problem can contact A.A.
from their phone book or e-mail: www.aa.org
Reply to this comment
by bandobando July 1, 2007 8:13 PM PDT
By the definition of disease(which is very broad), every person on this planet is diseased.

I have to agree though, you aww whacka disispwin.
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by somebloke July 1, 2007 9:34 PM PDT
Judy...no one dies of "end stages of alcoholism" ...they die of things like kidney failure as a result of years of drinking...or from alcohol poisoning (drinking too much at one time.) Yes DT's can be quite harmful and even life threatening in extreme cases but there's a slew of drugs and treatments all of which are available (usually on the taxpayer's dime) that are ment to treat the withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholism isn't something you eventually die from like Lou Gherrig's disease...are you sure you actually work in the medical field?

Also, if you have an "alergy to alcohol" which is just a silly notion, it would mean you COULDN'T drink it. There's no such illness where one drink forces you to drink the whole thing to keep from getting sick...you're thinking of Lay's potato chips: nobody can eat just one.

While AA has improved the quality of lives for many individuals its important to remember that its also just a tool for religious fundies to convert "sinners." The program needs to modernise and remove all the christian hooplah.
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by somebloke July 1, 2007 9:41 PM PDT
I'm sorry, that was GrammaWhamma who was the nurse
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by bohdawg July 2, 2007 12:48 AM PDT
Alcoholics, alcoholism, etc is what it is to the people who have it. Those of you who post things in here talking about self control and discipline and all that are pathetic. You obviously don't have a problem with alcohol as some others do so you don't understand it yet instead of opening yourself up to what others are going through you are close minded and talk down to others. Its just like someone who abuses any other drug. They become addicted to it and they can't do without it and it can get to a point where they go through extreme withdrawals. Everyone has some sort of character flaw, bad trait, etc. These could all be considered diseases to other people. Obviously some people have nothing better to do than post idiotic messages on these. I hope when something bad happens in your life the people around you don't treat you like you are treating the people on here.
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by incog-nito July 2, 2007 12:48 AM PDT
If this is a "disease", then I guess any addiction to anything is also a disease. Didn't they just tried to call video game addiction a disease also? Next thing you know they'll come up with a special therapy or drug to treat "Video Game Addiction Syndrome". How about watching too much TV? Aggressing driving? Diseases too?

I can sympathize with people with alcohol problems lacking the support to overcome their habit. Breaking an ingrained habit can be very difficult for any one of us (God knows I've tried with my habits), and they need all the help and support they can get. But call it what it is, a habit, not a disease.
Reply to this comment
by grammawhamma July 2, 2007 12:53 AM PDT
somebloke...Technically I guess you are right. Alcoholism causes the things that will kill you as you stated. (Google end-stage alcoholism and you will find over 2 million sites describing the symptoms and eventual death.) Cigarettes don't technically kill you either then, they just give you the lung cancer that will kill you. Jumping in a blazing inferno won't kill you...you will just die from the burns caused by the fire. Need I go on?? You complain about tax payer dollars being spent on treating DT's etc. and then you complain of AA (which has a pretty good track record of success and is free) because it incorpates religion. You yourself stated AA has improved the lives of many individuals...so what is it to you if the religious aspect works? AA does not have to remove the Christian "hoopla" just because you think so.
Reply to this comment
by bohdawg July 2, 2007 12:54 AM PDT
I only think they label it as a disease because it has those withdrawal symptoms when its extreme. Normal habits don't have those. i'm no doctor.
Reply to this comment
by incog-nito July 2, 2007 1:19 AM PDT
bohdawg: Except for certain hard drugs like heroin, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are nowhere near extreme (don't ask me how I know). Nobody ever died from the effects of quitting alcohol. I had much more trouble trying to quit caffeine, each time getting a massive headache, feeling groggy all day, unable to function well for at least a week. Why don't they call caffeine addiction a disease too? Then again maybe they will in the future too.
Reply to this comment
by erasmus6 July 2, 2007 2:12 AM PDT
somebloke

"If you're 21 and life is peachy, but you sometimes get buzzed with your buddies from the fraternity or sorority...you're not an alcoholic, you're just an average college student."

"...don't be afraid to let your hair down and have a cold one with your friends."

WRONG. If you have an addictive personality this is how it starts.

People need to start having fun by doing other things besides drinking. It is like an epidemic.

It seems like everybody has a drinking problem these days. Where I used to live I was surrounded by people that drank. The neighbors on one side were always drinking. I went over and knocked on the door one day and the wife came to the door, she was drunk and her kids were running around everywhere. The neighbors on the otherside, the husband had a wine room outside, where he made wine. He spent most of his nights there drinking it. The neighbors across the street, the husband had his beer every night. These people were all alcoholics.

A friend of mine and my two sisters-in-law started drinking wine when they got home from work. What started out as a glass or two ended up being the whole bottle. I have to give them credit, they figured out they had a problem before it got out of control.

What starts out as a few drinks with the buddies, for some that is all it will be, for others it is the road to being full blown alcoholics.

Reply to this comment
by acauble1 July 2, 2007 4:35 AM PDT
I weigh just a few pounds shy of 300. Yet people accuse people like me of causing so many ills of society. Granted, not to my face, but in their minds (tiny as they may be).

These hypocrates, usually healthy looking younger adults, (college aged), are the ones that strike me as having livers that are more pickled than most cucumbers at a salad bar. They're the ones who are more likely to binge drink and/or smoke cigars, cigarettes, or joints at various social functions to gain acceptance among their piers.

Last I checked, there is no such thing as "driving while obese" or "second-hand obesity".

So if there's any vice that is less harmful to others, (other than yourself), it is unhealthy food and unhealthy food intake.

Given a choice of addictions... food addictions are far less harmful to a society than alcohol and other drug addictions... by a wide margin (no pun intended).

No, this is not an excuse to make a midnight run to Krispykreme, but this is just an FYI to the hypcrates who look down on others with severe weight problems as 'less-than-human'.

The younger people with alcohol addictions do not tend to have the physical appearances that advertise their addiction. They tend to look healthy, energetic, sometimes with a trendy/preppy appearance. On the other hand, people who suffer from food addiction are quite noticeable as their waist-line clearly shows their addiction.
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by acauble1 July 2, 2007 4:52 AM PDT
alcoholics are a drain on society and should be put in prison
Posted by markjessup at 01:28 AM : Jul 02, 2007
............

AGREED!

And replace all those marijuana users that are currently in prison! Why?? Here's a pop quiz:

1. When was the last time someone stoned was accused of beating the krap out of their spouse and/or children?

2. When was the last time someone stoned caused a major car accident, killing one or more innocent people!

3. When was the last time a group of stoned people started a riot that caused thousands of dollars in damage to public or private property?

4. When was the last time a group of stoned people started a bar fight?

ANSWERS:

1. NEVER
2. EXTREMELY RARE
3. NEVER
4. NEVER

Now anyone who knows the business of politics knows exactly why alcohol is legal and marijuana is not.

And that's just how FVCKED UP our society is in this country.
Reply to this comment
by iceman_1960 July 2, 2007 6:00 AM PDT
"alcoholics are a drain on society and should be put in prison"
- Posted by markjessup at 01:29 AM : Jul 02, 2007

On what charge ?

And how would you define "alcoholic" so precisely that you would have enforeable laws about it ?

Or should we just bring back Prohibition ?
Reply to this comment
by missingamerica July 2, 2007 11:28 AM PDT
People who deal in absolutes are a drain on society and should be put in prison. ('Cept me.)
Reply to this comment
by Kitty Lady July 2, 2007 12:41 PM PDT
I have had as many alcoholics in my family as teetotalers. The worst one is a nephew whose father dropped dead in front of him when he was 9 years old. He had no counseling because in those days, he was not even considered. He is now 37 and is a complete mess. He does not think he has a problem, but the entire rest of the family does, and none of us are rich enough to have him hospitalized. He no longer drives because they took awaay his license years ago. He is an excellent craftsman, but cannot keep a job. One of life's losers, I guess. Tis sad, but true.
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by dmk3 July 2, 2007 3:47 PM PDT
Possibly it is called a disease becausse of what alcohol does to your body. Just a guess. As far as not doing any of those things when you are high from weed.YOU CAN'T! YOU ARE HIGH! POSSIBLY HAVE NO CLUE OF WHERE YOU ARE!YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR KEYS (THAT ARE IN YOUR POCKET) AND IF YOU DO YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR CAR BECAUSE YOU ARE IN YOUR BATHROOM LOOKING FOR IT! AND I HAVE 2ND HAND OBESITY BECAUSE I LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO EATS ALL OF THE TIME AND I AM GREEDY.

I think there is one type of alcoholic, the one who can't control the drinking. Not because of lack of discipline, just can't control it.
Reply to this comment
by toldyouso21 July 2, 2007 5:21 PM PDT
Possibly it is called a disease becausse of what alcohol does to your body. Just a guess. I think there is one type of alcoholic, the one who can't control the drinking. Not because of lack of discipline, just can't control it.
Posted by dmk3 at 03:47 PM : Jul 02, 2007

One of the commonalities of alcoholics is not only an addiction disorder, but often there is an obsessive compulsive component. What ever they do, they tend to do to the extreme and do a lot of it. Often those with such a problem would simply switch addictions if they could not practice their one of choice. A study in the late 1980s showed those with addictive personalities were just as apt to do drugs or have sexual or gambling addictions as have an alcohol dependency. The theory is that there is some sort of biochemical imbalance that incorrectly latches on to the fixation and fix of a stimuli and then pursues it to excess and cannot stop. This is why it is considered a disease. The cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases are the end result of alcoholism but the disease is the obsessive nature of wanting to do something so much and so often, until it is destructive to one's life.
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by dmk3 July 2, 2007 5:29 PM PDT
toldyouso,
did you type that verbatim, if so which magazine and article. you seem to have an answer (a lengthy on at that) no harm just wondering are you a philosopher of all things?
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