Is It Social Drinking Or Alcohol Addiction? How To Tell You Have A Problem And Reduce Your Drinking

Drinking is a great part of social culture. Most afternoons, evenings, and weekends are set aside for partaking in alcohol. It’s rare to attend an event or party that doesn’t have any alcohol. Booze lubricates social interactions, helping revellers feel mellow and amplifying the fun. Because of how integrated drinking is into every social vent, it can be difficult to the difference between social drinking and alcoholism.

Social drinking vs. alcoholism

There is no definitive way to determine the number of drinks that separate social drinking or alcoholism. Deciding to limit your drinking every time you go out or when relaxing after a hard day can be a great way to keep track but it’s not a guarantee that you’re not a problem drinker.

Social drinking is regularly consuming alcohol every time you go out or attend events. Even after getting drunk, it doesn’t disrupt physical life or lead to mental problems. Social drinking isn’t problem drinking or addiction. It’s characterised by only drinking for enjoyment, stopping at will, avoiding blackouts, and making conscious decisions even after drinking.

Alcohol addiction is a dependency that takes a long time to develop and it involves multiple factors. Studies show that alcoholism can be caused by genetics, high stress, depression, or exposure to alcohol from a young age.

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This is different from problem drinking, which displays risky behaviour after drinking. Problem drinking is using alcohol for:

Escaping problems or worries
Increase confidence in nervous situations
Boost self-importance
Bring about happiness

Social drinking may not necessarily lead to problem drinking but consumers can notice when they start. This is because excessive drinking leads to higher alcohol tolerance. The more alcohol is taken, the more alcohol is needed. Eventually, it becomes a problem to know when to stop drinking.

How to tell when you have a problem with drinking

Social drinking is just having a couple of drinks but remaining in control of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Alcohol lowers inhibitions but when it goes too far, it may be a sign of alcohol dependency or problem drinking. This can happen whether you drink all the time or only when you go out.

Signs of problem drinking include:

Missing important appointments because of drinking
Losing control of everything after drinking
Avoiding people to drink alone
Episodes of depression, anger, or violence after getting drunk
Taking risks that endanger your or others’ lives, such as driving under the influence
Spending too much money on alcohol
Drinking until a blackout frequently
Jeopardising relationships for alcohol
Feeling shame about your drinking
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Living with multiple hangovers

There are behaviours that may not be signs of alcoholism but are still habits you should avoid. Binge drinking, which is having at least four drinks within an hour, is alcohol abuse. Most times people binge drink because they’re relying on alcohol as an emotional crutch. It’s a sign of alcoholism when you can’t stop binge drinking. Alcoholism is being physically and psychologically addicted to alcohol, which is shown when you have withdrawal symptoms after stopping consumption of alcohol.

Withdrawal symptoms are nausea, anxiety, and abdominal pain within the first 12 hours after the last drink. After this comes hallucinations, fever, confusion, and increased heart rate. Seizures can occur two hours after the last drink but can happen at any time within 48 hours. Two to three days after the last drink can also lead to delirium tremens, which is the most severe form of withdrawal. It constitutes confusion, shaking, and high blood pressure and can be fatal. In extreme cases, patients can experience a stroke.

Can social drinking become alcoholism?

Social drinking doesn’t lead to alcoholism. However, problem drinking is a sign of alcoholism. It’s possible to mistake problem drinking for social drinking. If you start showing signs of problem drinking even when you only drink at social events, you may need to reduce how much alcohol you consume.

Alcoholism may need medical intervention. Addiction treatment is specialised to help deal with the physical effects of withdrawal and the mental health support needed. If you have a problem staying away from alcohol and have other mental health disorders, going to a rehabilitation facility may be the best option for treatment.

Problem drinking may not be because of alcoholism but if you recognise you have a problem and decide to reduce or stop your drinking, you may need to take steps to kick the habit. Taking alcohol can feel good but when in excess it becomes a toxin.

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How to reduce drinking

Certain habits can help you stop drinking or reduce it to only social drinking. However, this can be a slippery slope if you’re struggling with alcoholism. If you don’t have symptoms of alcoholism, you can try home remedies to reduce drinking, otherwise, you need to see specialists.

1. Count your drinks

Making an informed and intentional decision about how much alcohol you plan to take can help you control how much you drink. Sticking to your guns when you go out with your loved ones is important. If they try to coerce you to consume outside your limit, avoid drinking alcohol with them. When counting your drinks, it’s also important to ask yourself why you’re drinking. If you are using alcohol as a sleep aid or emotional crutch, you need to stop drinking or seek treatment.

2. Avoid bars

Constant proximity to alcohol can make it difficult to reduce drinking. Sticking to alcohol-free restaurants or cafes that don’t have cheap booze can help you monitor or control your drinking. When going out socially, choose locations or events that don’t involve drinking.

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3. Replace nights out with activities that you love

If you love going out to drink and dance with your friends, you may need to replace your outings with other social activities. Going to the movies, joining a book club, or learning an intensive skill can help you avoid nights out.

4. Cut out friends who don’t have your best in mind

Some friends may look down on your teetotalling. These friends will try to coerce you to drink or give you cocktails to make consumption sweeter. These are people who don’t have your best in mind. It may be difficult but you will need to reduce seeing such friends.

5. Switch to booze-free drinks

When you go out, take in beverages like tea, coffee, juice or mocktails. They’re just as satisfying without the effects of alcohol. You can also choose specific days to remain alcohol-free. For example, if you only drink on Fridays, when you go out on other days, stick to booze-free drinks.

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6. Keep less alcohol at home

It’s easy to sink into binge or problem drinking at home. Give away your problem drinks or store no alcohol at all at home. Recognising the drinks that you struggle to stop consuming and getting rid of them helps you control your habits.