I calculated seven to 10, because I, like many of my friends, both male and female, like to have a glass of wine or something while cooking dinner, or just to relax.
On weekends, it might be a little more.
I wondered about people like me, those who are not binge-drinkers but not teetotalers. If I look forward to my drink, am I on the road to alcohol abuse?
Based on my research so far, this is a grey, grey area.
Lois Thomson-Bowersock, a Texas board and internationally certified alcohol and drug counselor based out of The Woodlands, said as a rule of thumb, it probably wouldn't even cross a person's mind to question it unless she or he actually does have a problem with alcohol.
Ack.
And then this: "Persons with drinking problems are generally seeking the mood altering effects of alcohol," Thomson-Bowersock said. "So, it is very common to hear an alcohol abuser say they have a drink or two to unwind, relax or to take the edge off."
Uh oh.
But on the other hand: "The significant indicators of alcohol abuse in the daily drinker are more accurately determined by what happens to the person if they DO NOT drink and if they are able to maintain long term abstinence from mood altering substances," Thomson-Bowersock said.
What's the problem?
If you want to delve deeper, you can take something called the CAGE questionnaire.
Do you drink daily? Do you ever worry or wonder about it? Why or why not?
