Alcohol Resources & Assessment

Drinking Habits

(Adapted from “How to Help a Friend With a Drinking Problem” by The American College Health Association)

In general, a person who is considered a moderate drinker does not drink every day and does not drink more than one drink per hour. A high-risk drinker is a person who drinks five or more alcoholic beverages (four or more if female) in one sitting.

Below is a general listing of drinking habits of social and problem drinkers, and alcoholics. It is not necessary for a person to have every habit to fit into a category, and some students may have some habits that are not listed. However, this list can give you an idea of whether or not a student has a problem and how severe it is.

A social drinker typically:

Drinks slowly (no fast gulping)
Never drives after drinking
Respects non-drinkers
Knows and obeys laws related to drinking
Knows when to stop drinking (does not drink to get drunk)
Eats before or while drinking

A problem drinker typically:

Drinks to get drunk
Tries to solve problems by drinking
Experiences personality changes, e.g., may become loud, angry, and/or violent, or silent, remote, and/or reclusive
Drinks when he or she should not, e.g., before driving or going to class or work
Causes other problems- harms himself or herself, family, friends, and strangers

An alcoholic:

Spends lots of time thinking about drinking and planning where and when to get the next drink
Keeps bottles hidden for quick pick-me ups
Starts drinking without conscious planning and loses awareness of the amount consumed
Denies drinking
Drinks alone
Needs to drink before facing a stressful situation
May have “blackouts”--cannot remember what he or she did while drinking although he or she may have appeared “normal” to people at the time
Goes from having hangovers to more dangerous withdrawal symptoms, such as delirium tremens (“DTs”), which can be fatal