The Dividing Line: When Do You Become an Alcoholic?

This week in the LA Times they published a story on recent research related to alcohol abuse.  The study indicated that many people who abuse alcohol at some point in their lives can cut back or stop on their own.

“We’re on the cusp of some major advances in how we conceptualize alcoholism,” says Dr. Mark Willenbring, director of treatment and recovery research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The institute is the nation’s leading authority on alcoholism and the major provider of funds for alcohol research. “The focus now is on the large group of people who are not yet dependent. But they are at risk for developing dependence.”

Many of these people need not give up alcohol altogether. The concept of so-called controlled drinking — that people with alcohol-use disorders could simply curb, or control, their drinking — has existed for many years. Evidence now exists that such an approach is possible for some people, although abstinence is still considered necessary for those with the most severe disease.

The article does go on to point out risk factors for alcoholism, but the content of the piece makes me think one thing: ruh roh – all those alcoholics out there are going to say, see, that’s me, I can cut back anytime I want on my own!

Far be it from me to say the research is flawed -and I think it does serve a purpose in that it focuses on identifying people in the early stages of abuse who might be able to address their issues before they overwhelm them and ruin their lives.  But I’m always thinking about that person who uses this type of research to write off their own addiction as “not that bad.”

To those people I say, if when you drink alcohol, bad things happen, chances are you shouldn’t be drinking alcohol.  It’s simple, doesn’t require a lot of scientific study, and makes perfect sense.