How do you know its a problem

[maddiecakes]

Regarding alcohol, H and I have had this discussion a lot about a friend of ours.  Friend drinks beer every night after work, and most of the day during the weekends.  Several nights a week he appears visibly drunk (slurring, etc.), other times he seems normal.  It doesn't seem to affect his job or personal relationships.  But he has an alcohol problem right?

I feel like this is something I need to sort through with DH suddenly drinking more frequently.  His opiate addiction visibly affected his mood and our relationship with each other, and created an environment that was unsafe for him, and where he would do things that are out of character.  Those are the reasons I see it as being a problem and why I feel strongly that I couldn't stay with him if he wasn't actively seeking help for it (regarding heroin).

With alcohol there seems to be less of a clear line, since it's legal, and common to have a few drinks in the evening and on the weekends and occasionally drink in more excess.  I guess this is new territory when you have an addiction, and any addictive behavior needs to be put under control and nipped in the bud.

[arch01]

I'm not sure there's really a straight forward answer to this. I have a drink basically every night-but I don't miss it if I don't have one. There's people out there that think that is a problem just because I have a drink a night. DH on the other hand never had just A drink. He was fully functional during the day-got to work on time and did a great job, took care of our son, etc. but would have several drinks each sitting, with few exceptions. He has a problem.

I'd say the same thing about having an alcohol problem regarding the friend DH went out with the night that ended with DH admitting he had a problem-this friend drinks a lot, and often heavy beers. Many times not remembering how he got home or events of the evening. DH and I often talked about this friend's drinking but never brought it up directly to him.

[flex]

If drinking or a hangover interferes with your life or if friends/family make comments about it, then it could be a drinking problem.