Is my friend an alcoholic? Please help, I think I'm just being paranoid!

Question

Hey everyone, I'm sorry if this is totally unnecessary and overthinking things, but I just want to make sure everything is ok and YA has never failed me before :) My friend (female) and I live together in the city working and usually 3-4 times a week she takes a bath with some candles and watches a movie (we have a TV in the bathroom, weird i know but it's pretty nice i guess)

So whenever she does this, she always mixes herself some cranberry juice and a shot of vodka (and then squirts some lime onto it after, but thats irrelevant). She drinks this slowly throughout the movie and sometimes 2 of them (never more than that, at least that ive noticed)

I know that's not a lot of alcohol at all, but I just feel like doing it on the majority of weekdays is pretty frequent. She is also a social drinker like will go out and party on some weekends (she never goes overboard though, usually just tipsy at parties). At our apartment, she usually is just a little bit more giggly and relaxed. She did this during the school year too; we go to a pretty tough school and she still has almost a perfect GPA doing this. Also has plenty of friends and stuff, so no real signs of alcoholism, i just thought that drinking alone was the first step of that

I know shes always really stressed out with school work and her job is ridiculously demanding, but there have to be better ways to get out stress dont you think?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Dear God man, take caution.  Call the white coats to come lock her up straight away.  Speaking of straight, I wonder if they have any of those cool straightjacket thingies.  You're gonna need one for her to corral her superhuman strength.  I don't know if anyone ever told you this but vodka, cranberry, and lime - that junk metabolizes as methamphetamine.  She's got the itch, man...got it bad.  I wouldn't be surprised if she's out in a dark alley right now performing on a genteel gentleman for money to buy crack.  Call the SPCA, man.  That's just unnatural.  What did that orangutan do to deserve that?  After all he was just trying to ride the bike...

Answer 2

Go to the AA web site and read through their material.  It will give you a better handle on what might be going on.  Drinking alone is not a good sign but ummmmm.  See what you think after doing some research.

Answer 3

anything done in moderation isn't considered an alcoholic,if your friend needs a drink for every occasion then you might want to re think your impression of an alcoholic.research insists that if you drink at least one drink a day ,then your considered an alcoholic,but there is a difference between a social drinker,and a drunk.if you are really concerned,then ask her if she HAS to have a drink when the time accurs,and if she say's yes ,the talk to her about slowing down,if she say's i dont have a problem then denial is the first step to alcoholism

Answer 4

I think you are overreacting WAY too much.  So she likes to enjoy some vodka in her juice while she watches a movie...not a big deal.  

Answer 5

I'm sure she would be glad to know she has such a concerned friend, but she is honestly fine.

You don't see her drunk, or wasted, or it is so infrequent you didn't mention it.  Alcoholics almost always will get drunk.

2 drinks a day is actually healthier for you than 0 drinks.  Her vodka bath movie nights are a perfect way to relax after a hard day.

Further, alcoholics will drink to the point that their social, financial, and academic lives suffer.  With a near perfect GPA, and a demanding job, this is far from the case.

You mentioned drinking alone.  This is one of those general, "You may be an alcoholic if..." questions.  It's alright to drink alone, especially if its only a few drinks.