Whatever your condition or position you have questions. Please understand, it is impossible for me to address every question from every person to visit my site, but I will attempt to list the ones that were important to my early and long-term recovery and to those I have assisted in their journey to freedom from addiction.

Q: How can a person tell when someone is an alcoholic or drug addict?

A: When a person begins to choose drinking or using over things that used to matter more they likely have a problem. When a person crosses over that line of addiction is different for everyone, but you can usually tell by the choices that they make.

Are the things that used to matter becoming less and less important and alcohol or drugs or playing a larger role in activities they engage? If this is true then they are likely on the doorstep of addiction.

Q: What if a person only drinks now and then or on special occasions, but when they do drink they always get very drunk?

A: We call this a "binge" or "periodic" drunk and they can be more dangerous than the person who consumes daily. This person can suffer from blackouts and alcohol poisoning, which can lead to very serious health issues. They have yet to develop a level of tolerance and, because they only drink weekly or on occasion, are less likely to admit they have a problem.

I had a friend who once said "Not every time I drank I got into trouble, but every time I got in trouble, I was drunk". This type of person has a problem whether they are willing to admit it or not.

Q: Can an alcoholic or drug addict ever "safely" drink or use after they have gotten clean or sober?

A: An alcoholic or drug addict is a person who has lost the ability to control their usage. Once they have passed over into this degree of addiction casual or social usage is all but impossible. The Big Book of AA states "over any considerable period things get worse never better".

This is especially true of the person who has years of sobriety. Somehow the body seems to remember where the person has left off and once the person goes back to drinking or using they usually get to where they would have been as if they never left rather quickly. It seems the mind and body are trying to make up for lost time. This can be very dangerous and can lead to acute alcohol poisoning as well as escalated legal, family and social problems.

Q. What if a person only drinks beer or wine and does not drink the "hard stuff" can they also become alcoholics?

A. Alcohol is alcohol regardless of how it is introduced into the system. I will say that it is easier to consume 4 shots (6-8 oz.) of whiskey than it is to consume the same amount of alcohol in 4 cans of beer. The person who consumes the whiskey will likely get drunk quicker, but both drink for the same reason. It is within the reason they drink and their body's ability to metabolize (process) the alcohol that is the real concern and usually an indicator that the  need for alcoholism treatment has already arrived.

Most people start out drinking beer or wine, but those who will become alcoholic will soon require more affect than the beer or wine alone can produce. They will eventually build a tolerance and something with more alcohol content per volume will be necessary.