I used to work in restaurants and I often overheard a co-worker proclaim “I gotta get drunk tonight”. This was always on their last work day of the week. If someone turns to booze as a stress coping mechanism, I consider them an alcoholic.
Another co-worker, on a gas-drilling rig, and I were having a discussion about common causes of death. At one point I claimed that alcohol is responsible for more death than xyz (many years ago, I don’t remember the details). He got offended because I said something mean about booze. Taking that and the fact his first stop when he got back on dry land was the liquor store, I’m pretty sure he was an alcoholic.
I define it solely on physical dependence. So it’s whether someone can and does go two days or more in a row without alcohol. If you can’t/won’t do that, then that’s the tell.
I used to work in restaurants and I often overheard a co-worker proclaim “I gotta get drunk tonight”. This was always on their last work day of the week. If someone turns to booze as a stress coping mechanism, I consider them an alcoholic.
Another co-worker, on a gas-drilling rig, and I were having a discussion about common causes of death. At one point I claimed that alcohol is responsible for more death than xyz (many years ago, I don’t remember the details). He got offended because I said something mean about booze. Taking that and the fact his first stop when he got back on dry land was the liquor store, I’m pretty sure he was an alcoholic.
I define it solely on physical dependence. So it’s whether someone can and does go two days or more in a row without alcohol. If you can’t/won’t do that, then that’s the tell.