The Myth Of “Normal” Drinking

Alcohol is poison — even in moderation

There’s a prevailing myth that when it comes to alcohol, there are two types of drinkers:

Normal drinkers — and alcoholics.

The “normal drinker” generally refers to anyone who drinks alcohol at a mild to moderate level, and doesn’t have the outward circumstances usually attributed to problem drinkers — like DUIs or legal trouble, loss of job, strained relationships, daily dependence, or binge drinking.

The problem drinker, or “alcoholic,” typically has one or more of the above issues — but they may have a laundry list of other problems associated with alcohol.

So when does one cross the line from normal drinking to alcoholic drinking?

AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder)

First, let’s do away with the term “alcoholic,” because even Alcoholics Anonymous doesn’t have a working definition for the word.

There’s no magic threshold, set of standards, or membrane to pass through that makes you an “alcoholic.”

Alcohol use and abuse exist on a spectrum — AUD (alcohol use disorder) — that goes from mild to moderate to severe.