| The Happy Alcoholic Still Creates Problems | | | | In terms of impact on self and others, reaching criteria |
| | | | | for any level of drinking increases the risk of academic, |
| There is a myth that suggests a person’s | | | | vocational, social, familial or marital problems. Further, |
| excessive drinking is not consequential to him or | | | | children of parents who consume alcohol to the point |
| herself or those around them, if they remain in good | | | | of reaching criteria for any level are at risk of social |
| mood. | | | | and school related problems during their childhood as |
| | | | | well as social, vocational, marital and parenting |
| In realty, excessive alcohol consumption can be very | | | | problems in their adulthood. |
| harmful to self and others, regardless of one’s | | | | |
| mood or attitude towards the drinking. | | | | It does not matter if the regular drinker is of good or |
| | | | | poor mood, the result of their consumption, only that |
| Categories of alcohol consumption include light, | | | | they reached criteria for being categorized as a |
| moderate, heavy, abusive, and binge. These categories | | | | regular drinker at any level. Drinking, in and of itself |
| are differentiated by quantity of standard alcoholic | | | | increases risk of poor outcomes for self and others. |
| beverages consumed and pattern of consumption. | | | | |
| While some persons may believe that beer is less | | | | Hence, when adult children of alcoholic parents enter |
| consequential than wine and that both are less | | | | counselling for martial, social or vocational problems, |
| consequential than liquor, this is but another myth. A | | | | they may have a very difficult time understanding the |
| beer yields the same alcohol equivalent as 4 ounces | | | | relationship between their parent’s drinking and |
| of wine and the same alcohol equivalent as an ounce | | | | current issues. Further, parents who bring their children |
| of liquor. Hence it really doesn’t matter what form | | | | to counselling for social or academic problems may |
| the alcohol comes in, just the number of standardized | | | | resist and have difficulty believing or accepting that |
| beverages. | | | | parental alcohol consumption is a contributing factor to |
| | | | | their child’s problems. |
| By definition for men, approximately 6 standard | | | | |
| alcoholic beverages per week is categorized as light | | | | At the very least, regular alcohol consumption by a |
| drinking, 12-14 as moderate, 24-26 as heavy and 36 or | | | | parent is time away from relating with the children and |
| more as abusive. Rates for women are calculated as | | | | provides a role model of acceptability for regular |
| being about 2/3’s that of men. Furthermore, | | | | alcohol consumption. This role model is often the |
| abusive drinking infers that that level of consumption | | | | jumping off point for the child-come-teen’s alcohol |
| places the drinker at a high likelihood of contracting an | | | | consumption and not a marker of the limit of |
| alcohol related physical disorder, such as liver disease, | | | | consumption. Hence teens of parents who consume |
| diabetes and Korsakov’s syndrome. It is | | | | alcohol on a regular basis are at risk of greater |
| noteworthy that any level of regular drinking increases | | | | consumption and alcohol related problems. Family |
| the risk of these and other associated diseases, but | | | | members of even the happy alcoholic will worry about |
| that the more alcohol consumed on a regular basis, the | | | | their drinking and driving, health problems, finances, |
| greater the risk. | | | | vocational stability and relationship issues. |
| | | | | |
| Binge drinking is defined as five or more standard | | | | If you are facing difficulties with your child, or you are |
| alcoholic beverages at least once per month on a | | | | an adult facing difficulties in your life now, take a look |
| monthly or so basis. The risks associated with binge | | | | at alcohol consumption patterns in your family. If there |
| drinking are injury and death, the result of | | | | is a happy or unhappy alcoholic, chances are that is |
| misadventure, accident/poor judgement, loss of | | | | contributing to the problem and this needs to be |
| consciousness, falls and violence. | | | | explored and addressed. |
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