Social Drinking Vs. Problem Drinking: Identifying The Difference

From raising a toast with champagne at weddings to having a glass of wine with dinner, drinking alcohol is a normalized practice in American society, most commonly used to relax and celebrate. While not all instances of drinking are problematic, it’s important to understand your limits when using alcohol and be able to determine whether you may be abusing it.

April is Alcohol Awareness month — and in recognition of the effort to raise awareness around alcohol misuse, Recovery Centers of America is committed to helping you understand whether your drinking habits are healthy or problematic.

Here’s how to distinguish between different types of drinking, as well as the ways you can seek treatment if you or a loved one has a drinking problem.

What Is Social Drinking?

Social drinking is when one consumes alcohol in a social setting or during a social event. This could be anything from small-scale events, such as attending a birthday party or getting drinks with co-workers, to larger events such as Oktoberfest or a New Year's Eve celebration. While social drinking may look different for each person, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) characterizes alcohol use as "moderate" drinking if a female consumes one drink per day or a male consumes two drinks per day.

Social drinkers typically enjoy alcohol to relax, fit in and celebrate, but do so in low-risk patterns and on rare occasions. They have the ability to control their drinking, know when to stop drinking, do not regularly get intoxicated or black out, and never drive under the influence.

What Is Problem Drinking?

Problem drinking does not necessarily mean that a person has an addiction to or dependence on alcohol, but more so defines risky or unhealthy behaviors associated with their drinking. They may also drink to reach a desired state of mind, such as increased comfort in social situations, general feelings of happiness, feelings of relief or escape from problems or worries and feelings of importance.

On the other hand, there are those who have a physical and psychological addiction to alcohol, which is defined as alcoholism. Below, we outline the signs and symptoms of both types of problem drinking.

Signs of a Drinking Problem

• Avoiding social situations and daily responsibilities.
• Episodes of depression, anger or violence.
• Taking dangerous risks that can impact your life or the lives of others.
• Not knowing when to stop drinking, getting drunk or blacking out.
• Driving under the influence.
• Getting arrested due to behavior exhibited while intoxicated.
• Losing relationships.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

• The inability to stop or control alcohol intake after starting to drink.
• Obsessive thoughts about alcohol.
• High tolerance of alcohol and the need to drink a large amount to feel the effects.
• Displaying behavior that is uncharacteristic to their sober personality.
• Repeating unwanted drinking patterns.
• Losing relationships and friendships.
• A sense of denial that their drinking is a problem because they can still perform or succeed professionally and personally.
• Using alcohol as a reward.
• Engaging in risky activities or risky behaviors.

Strategies To Help Overcome Alcohol Addiction Or Substance Abuse

Seek professional help. If you are having trouble cutting back on alcohol or think you may have an addiction, Recovery Centers of America is here to help. The addiction treatment center offers a wide variety of resources and treatment options to help you combat your addiction. You can enroll in inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab or a telehealth addiction treatment program to get the necessary support, information and services needed to detox and quit drinking.

Find support. Overcoming your addiction or drinking problem is not an easy task — but the good news is, you don’t have to go it alone. Having a support system of family, friends or like-minded peers can help you stay motivated and accountable during your journey. Apart from the resources of a reliable treatment facility such as Recovery Centers of America, you can also benefit from the structured community support of a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

Focus on the task at hand. When you’re in recovery or trying to create healthier drinking habits, it’s important to not take on too much too soon. Instead of thinking about the big picture, take things one step at a time. If you expect too much from yourself, you may fall short. Remind yourself to stay grounded in the daily life of recovery, beginning with acceptance and making progress gradually over time.

Record your progress. Keeping a journal of your recovery and tracking when you are tempted to drink can help you identify triggers — and help you to start avoiding them. You can also create goals during your recovery and measure your progress from time to time. This will allow you to celebrate your success and milestones, and feel more confident continuing your ongoing journey.

If you or a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, call Recovery Centers of America now.