re: What constitutes alcohol addiction

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The inability to control your drinking once you have the first drink.

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I would say this is tougher for most people that have ever regularly drunk than most would care to admit

Two unmistakable signs: 1) if you have a bottle ready for the tomorrow morning, or 2) send it up the south end because your esophagus is burnt out.

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and being or getting 'sick' isn't necessarily part of it...imho

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For addiction? It absolutely is and is basically the only criteria

Abuse is another matter.

I have a very stressful job. I don’t crave it at all during the day but by the time i get in the truck on the way home I'm ready for a drink. Probably have two bourbon drinks a night during the week 30oz yeti cup though. Never wake up with a hangover. On the weekends usually get pretty slammed but never affects work productivity

When you always order a "drink" even when you're not trying to get a buz or have fun

Lots of responses I agree with. I’m 47 and drank mostly beer since I was 19. Would always drink heavy when at parties, get togethers etc. About 4 years ago I discovered Vodka. Worst thing I could have done. On beer I would get drunk but not passed out drunk like with the vodka. Wife got breast cancer and somehow found myself drinking more and more to deal with the stress Would never drink before or during work but would kill it on my days off to the point my family could never rely on me for anything on those days. When I knew there was a big problem was my wife asked me to please stop drinking and I did for very short periods but would always go back to the bottle. Woke up after a blackout night and wife basically said it’s me or the bottle. Checked myself into rehab and the last 8 months have been great. I was such in a damn haze I never knew how much destruction I was causing around me. So I count myself fortunate that I never lost my family, job or anything else that was important to me. And by the way I never really considered myself an alcoholic until about a month before I went to rehab

when you purposely switch up visits to liquor stores in your generAL area.

when you stop to get gas on the way home from partying but end up buying beer instead.

pour beer in cereal bowl instead of water.

1. Physical withdrawal symptoms.

2. You do dumb shite while drunk. To the point where it is negatively effecting life. Like a DUI or an accident. Cheating. Missing work. You have these changes but can’t or won’t stop the behavior (drinking).

3. Life revolves around it. You’re only fun activity is drinking or drinking is a huge component. You only hang out with drinkers. You go out to the beer fridge and it’s low and that is unacceptable to you. Like a smoker. My folks smoked when I was young not one night did they go to bed with out cigarettes for the morning or at night. They drug their arse out of the house at 9-10 pm if they realized they’d run out. If you are that way about beer/alcohol in the house?