Quote:
Originally Posted by tore
To you who know alcoholics, how are they with alcohol? Do they drink a little every day or is it a lot? Are they often completely wasted?
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It's not so much that they want to get wasted every night or day. It's the fact that their body has developed a need for it, as is with most addictions. Even if a heavy alcoholic wants to go a week without drinking, his body does not agree.
I have one older friend in particular that drinks every single day, no question. Never missed a day the 5 years I've known him. He drinks anywhere between 12-24 American light beers per day. He doesn't act beligerent most of the time, but does end up pretty intoxicated by the end of the night. He does work, so he can afford to maintain his habit, which is equally as bad as it is good. This is by far the worst case of alcoholism I have ever encountered first hand. His body can physically not go a prolonged period of time without literally shutting down. He's in his mid 40's but looks early 60's, has had 9 DUI convictions to date, has done numerous stints in both detox centers and jail/prison and can never legally posess a drivers license or permit in a certain US state ever again. It's just unbelievable to me that alcohol has had such negative effects on his life and he has still never given up drinking.
I never thought someone could become that hardcore of an alcoholic from beer only, I was under the impression that alcoholics that bad off were heavy liqour drinkers. Overall, I think alcoholism is a battle between the body and the mind. The mind may not want to drink, but the body HAS to, and will power prevails.