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Alcoholism

Which is better?

Answered by Jennifer Hamilton, LCSW, CADC

Question

Lets say a man is going to have 10 drinks in a 24 hour day. Is it better for that person to have 10 drinks at night and then wake up hungover and recover until the evening when they start again or is it better for the person to have a drink starting right from the coffee in the morning and then slowly all day long so they keep their blood alcohol level low and steady rather than crashing up and down. Someone I care about does this but they do not believe they have a problem because they never get drunk and the damage to the body comes from drinking enough at once to get drunk.

The research on this says that a male who has more than 4 alcoholic beverages in a day, has higher rates of alcohol related problems. The problems that result from intoxication would be lessened or eliminated by drinking slowly all day long. Drinking early in the day doesn't make the person have a problem, but it is usually a sign that they have a problem. Anyone who cannot consistently drink two alcoholic beverages a day and never more could be considered to have a problem with alcohol. That includes me since I do not and cannot drink in this way. I have, but I hate it. I want to drink more if I drink so instead, I choose to abstain.

About the Expert

Jennifer Hamilton

LCSW, CADC

Owensboro, United States of America

Specialties

Testing/Assessment, Anxiety or Fears, Child or Adolescent Issues, Divorce, Trauma and PTSD, Personality Disorders, OCD, Addiction or Substance Abuse, Mood Disorders, Parenting, Compulsive Disorders, Other, Spirituality, Chronic Pain or Illness, ADHD, Impulse Control Disorders, Relationship Issues, Women, Thinking Disorders, Depression, Finding Your Purpose in Life

License

my_license #0946