Social Drinker, Alcohol Abuser, or Alcoholic: Which One Are You?

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Social drinker, alcohol abuser, and alcoholic. These are the three main categories of a drinker. While most people can drink occasionally without falling into the trap of abuse and addiction, there are those who have a harder time handling their booze.

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Often, what starts out as a weekend happy hour habit can eventually turn into alcohol dependence–and usually, you’re in denial. You don’t want to admit that there’s a problem, and thereby refuse critical help.

Still, when is drinking just a way to celebrate and socialize–and when does it cross the border into a full-blown addiction? Which kind of drinker are you? Social drinker, alcohol abuser, or alcoholic? Find out below.

The Three Types of Drinkers

1. The Social Drinker. This is a person who drinks only occasionally. They may go out and have a few drinks to celebrate or hang out with friends. They know how to handle their alcohol intake and will not experience problems or negative consequences of excessive drinking. Other people around them, like friends and family, also don’t have problems with their drinking. Furthermore, they’re not preoccupied with alcohol or having constant thoughts about when their next drink is going to be.

2. The Alcohol Abuser. This kind of drinker tends to take their drinking too far. They drink more frequently, and would find an occasion to drink when there’s none. And when they do drink, they drink heavily.

An alcohol abuser may also exhibit negative behaviors brought about by drinking excessively, such as attitude changes, fights, and occasional black outs. People close to them may also show concern about their drinking. Still, they have a sense of control that doesn’t make them an alcoholic.

3. The Alcoholic. An alcoholic is someone who already has an addiction and dependence on alcohol. They have experienced chemical imbalance in their brain that makes them unable to control their drinking or set limits on how much they’re supposed to drink at a given time.

Alcoholics often start out as social drinkers, then move on to become alcohol abusers. The transitions happen without the drinker even being aware of it. Pretty soon, the alcoholic will experience many different problems stemming from their physical and psychological dependence on alcohol. These problems include liver problems, legal issues, economic and financial issues, and a range of health problems.

For alcoholics, alcohol is the center of their lives. Their days are full thinking about their next drink, that is if they’re not already intoxicated. The problem here is they may also experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they don’t drink, and the withdrawal may push them to drink more and more.


If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction and are experiencing dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms, please seek help. Call our helpline at 09175098826.

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