Does social drinking lead to alcoholism? For some, definitely. For others, not so much. The reason is obvious – some people choose to increase their drinking to the point it becomes a problem – alcoholism.
Alcohol-related health issues among baby boomers are on the rise. Daily drinking can start off as a social event but turn into dependency, addiction experts say. So when does social drinking become alcoholism? As reported in www.bbc.co.uk.
In the United Kingdom it is estimated that almost one on ten men have drinking problems and slightly more than 3 in 10 women.
But it is the functioning alcoholic that can slip under the radar - before their health issues are severe enough to need treatment. A typical functioning alcoholic can manage to hold down a job despite having a very severe drinking problem that they have been incubating over a very long period.
Alcohol problems are difficult to understand because they do not occur overnight. They are hidden from view which makes functioning alcoholics a group we cannot easily help.
The majority of people who have alcohol-related health problems are middle-aged, which is a consequence of chronic alcohol misuse - many years of frequent heavy drinking, rather than binge drinking - a session of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a small space of time.
What is necessary are more alcohol classes and treatment for those who have drinking problems. Through alcohol education and rehabilitation people are able to get control of their addiction and get their lives back on track.