Topic: substance-abuse

Question: How do you know if someone is an alcoholic?

Answer (from Sherry Katz, LCSWCouples and Family Therapist, LCSW):
If the person doesn't see themselves getting drunk and out of control, and instead continues to drink.   Often along with this the alcoholic person minimizes or dismisses your concern that they're drinking more than for social fun.Also if someone manages their life around drinking as their priority.   Someone who is physically addicted to alcohol will want to drink even when there is no social activity going on or they are not in a circumstance in which relaxing with a drink is possible.Often the drive is so strong the person will keep their drinking secret if they know others wouldn't ordinarily drink at that time of day.

Answer (from Danielle JoelCompassionate Mental Health Care):
The clinical term for alcoholism is “Alcohol Use Disorder,” which is defined by the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (known as the “DSM-5”). There are 11 symptoms that are described in this diagnostic tool to help health care providers determine whether their patients suffer from an alcohol use disorder. 11 Signs of an Alcohol Use DisorderYou drink more alcohol or you drink over a longer period of time than you intend to.You have persistently wanted to and/or tried to cut down the amount of alcohol that you drink or stop drinking completely, but you have been unsuccessful.You spend a great deal of time seeking out alcohol, using alcohol, and recovering from the effects of alcohol.You find yourself having strong cravings, desires, or urges to use alcohol.Your use of alcohol leads to your inability to fulfill your obligations at work, home, or school.You continue to use alcohol even after your drinking has caused problems in your social life or interpersonal relationships.Your use of alcohol leads to a reduction in or disengagement with important social, occupational, or recreational activities.You find yourself recurrently using alcohol in situations that are physically hazardous to you.You continue to use alcohol despite your awareness that your drinking has caused or exacerbates a physical or psychological problem.You have developed tolerance to alcohol, which is defined as needing larger amounts of alcohol to obtain the desired intoxication level or feeling a reduced effect when you drink the same amount of alcohol.You develop withdrawal symptoms when you don’t drink alcohol, or you use alcohol (or a closely related substance) in order to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms include: sweating, fast pulse rate, hand tremor, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, hallucinations or illusions (visual, tactile, or auditory), psychomotor agitation, anxiety, generalized tonic-clonic seizures.A person who has 2 to 3 of the above symptoms is considered to have a “mild” alcohol use disorder.A person who has 4 to 5 of the above symptoms is considered to have a “moderate” alcohol use disorder.A person who has 6 or more of the above symptoms is considered to have a “severe” alcohol use disorder.

Answer (from 2nd Chance Counseling Service Online Addiction Therapy ProviderConvenient Online Addiction Therapy ):
Wikipedia states, Alcoholism In a medical context, alcoholism is said to exist when two or more of the following conditions is present: a person drinks large amounts over a long time period, has difficulty cutting down, acquiring and drinking alcohol takes up a great deal of time, alcohol is strongly desired, usage results in not fulfilling responsibilities, usage results in social problems, usage results in health problems, usage results in risky situations, withdrawal occurs when stopping, and alcohol tolerance has occurred with use.  Hope that helps.

Answer (from Sobha VakhariyaOakland County Psychotherapist):
Our culture "normalizes" drinking but a psychotherapist can diagnose someone with an alcohol problem.  They can use various scales as well as the diagnostic manual ICD-10 to assist them in making the proper diagnosis.

Answer (from Lauren Ostrowski, MA, LPC, NCC, BC-TMH, CCTP, CCHI tailor my therapeutic approach to each client's strengths and goals):
Basically, being an alcoholic means that someone really depends upon alcohol and does not function well or becomes sick if they do not have it.There is also this acronym that may help:Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking?Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?There is an online assessment from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence: https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-test/am-i-alcoholic-self-test There is other information on this site as well.