Q about appropriate alcohol consumption

[SJ]

Too drunk to answer this question. Yes I know it's Tuesday.

[Here]

Drinking in moderation to unwind and relax is fine. Drinking heavily to forget is not good. They cant cope without it.

[Deleted]

I think it may have been a cry for help, but more of the depression kind. Maybe try to help her make some other choices that will help her cheer up.

She may also physically feel better if she cuts down which will also make her feel better overall. I used to drink more but it affected my sleep which obviously made me feel crappy during the day.

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2012 20:36:55 GMT -5 greekypie said:

Oct 2, 2012 20:32:09 GMT -5 casmgn said:

What is the context? They like to have a couple glasses of wine after a really bad day?

Yes, basically this, only it happens like 3x per week consistently.

ETA - and she drinks alone.

I did this while I was writing my dissertation. LOL. I was aware that my alcohol consumption had increased, but I wasn't worried about it. Now I'm back to my normal consumption; I haven't had alcohol since Saturday.

I don't think there's anything wrong with 1-2 glasses of wine 3x a week, even if it's alone.

[theintended]

Oct 2, 2012 23:23:49 GMT -5 SJ said:

Too drunk to answer this question. Yes I know it's Tuesday.

Favorite.

[obladi]

Um no this does not sound like an alcohol problem to me at all. And I don't see it as any sort of cry for help either. Don't most people drink to feel better? I mean, I like the way wine tastes too but it does make me feel better, more relaxed.

[Deleted]

You don't have to be an alcoholic to have a problem with alcohol. If she feels like she's drinking more than she'd like because she doesn't know another way to cope with her stress, then it's a problem for her.

[ijack]

Oct 2, 2012 20:32:26 GMT -5 Kore said:

Alcohol pretty much always makes me feel better. I don't think I have a drinking problem. I don't *have* to drink, nor do I downplay or hide my drinking.

same same

[aurora]

I agree with all the others that I wouldn't jump to alcoholic from what you wrote, or even "has a problem with drinking." I know having a glass of wine or two helps me to relax after a rough day sometimes.

However, I also think that intuition is worth considering. Not in a "stage an intervention STAT" type of way, but if you're worried about your friend you could always follow up by asking non-judgmental questions. For example, the next time she says she's had some wine to help her get over the day, you could respond with "I'm sorry you've been having a rough time lately. Do you want to talk about it?" - so, not focusing on the alcohol itself, but on the root cause of why she's down. It could be that her answers give more insight.

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2012 23:23:49 GMT -5 SJ said:

Too drunk to answer this question. Yes I know it's Tuesday.

:heart: :heart: :heart:

[evans]

Oct 3, 2012 9:14:30 GMT -5 aurora said:

I agree with all the others that I wouldn't jump to alcoholic from what you wrote, or even "has a problem with drinking." I know having a glass of wine or two helps me to relax after a rough day sometimes.

However, I also think that intuition is worth considering. Not in a "stage an intervention STAT" type of way, but if you're worried about your friend you could always follow up by asking non-judgmental questions. For example, the next time she says she's had some wine to help her get over the day, you could respond with "I'm sorry you've been having a rough time lately. Do you want to talk about it?" - so, not focusing on the alcohol itself, but on the root cause of why she's down. It could be that her answers give more insight.

I would agree with this. You know your friend better than we do.

[bunnysmom]

Oct 2, 2012 22:40:32 GMT -5 @buckybells said:

I'll be the dissenter and say that it depends on the person and the conversation. I think jumping to "you're an alcoholic!" based just on what you told us would be silly. But if the conversation you had was addressed as though she was being serious and confiding in you - or if she someone who this behavior is out of the ordinary for - or if she's showing other signs of depression or struggling to keep up with life - then maybe there is cause for concern.

I guess I'd say most people probably "drink to feel better" so that alone is meaningless.

I absolutely agree with this. Maybe we can't jump to the conclusion that she's an alcoholic with the details you gave, but certainly there's a reason why you feel concerned. If what you described is unusual for your friend or if she feels particularly overwhelmed, yes, you're right to be worried.