Firstly, it suggests a line to cross from what society perceives as ‘normal’ drinkers to problematic drinkers. And that, somehow, a drinker‘s behaviour was acceptable one day but not the next (more on the normal drinker in Pep XX). And who decides where this line is drawn, and are ‘normal’ drinkers best qualified to set the bar? I would suggest it’s in their interests to position it high. After all, no drinker wants their behaviour to be seen as problematic and find themselves ostracised by the same society that encouraged them to drink in the first place.
And, because an ‘alcoholic’ is often ostracised, heavier drinkers fear being labelled as one. Which, in turn, encourages them to engage in behaviour that covers up how much they drink. And this denial often prevents the drinker from seeking help before further damage is caused.
Rather than lines crossed, I much prefer to describe drinking relianceReliance is a term used by Pep when referring to psychological or neural links between alcohol and a perceived benefit, such as joy or support. We use it instead of ‘psychological dependence’ to avoid confusion with the much more serious ‘physical dependence’, which can threaten health and life. More or dependency as a spectrum, in the same way as many other health conditions are. And as our drinking careers progress, our relianceReliance is a term used by Pep when referring to psychological or neural links between alcohol and a perceived benefit, such as joy or support. We use it instead of ‘psychological dependence’ to avoid confusion with the much more serious ‘physical dependence’, which can threaten health and life. More and dependency can grow (see Bag of reliances Pep XX). Meaning anyone (yes, anyone) who drinks regularly can, over time, find that their drinking becomes uncontrollable. Life experiences, personal circumstances and how many resources we feel able to dedicate to the habit determine how quickly we move along the spectrum. It is not, as some would lead us to believe, a genetic weakness (see Pep XX for more on addictive personality).