I know for some this may be a sensitive issue, however, I just had an interesting conversation with a close friend of mine...
About 2 months ago or so, my friend was pulled over for drinking and driving... DUI consequences are a bitch..apparently. She's paid over $5000 thus far (wouldn't give exact figure), has a suspended license for 6 months, and had to take a "driver's intervention" course this past weekend. During the course she was "assessed" by a counselor for signs of alcoholism. The purpose of the session was to give an assessment and a recommendation of follow-up (if needed) to her ruling court.
A little bit about her background:
1) Drinks, at most, once a week... parties maybe once every couple of months.. depending on how much I can influence her![]()
2) Has gotten "drunk" (who hasn't); as they define it, had a BAC over 0.08
3) Has gotten sick from drinking
4) Has, on a few occassions, not been able to remember everything from the previous night of drinking
5) Has gone 6-10 months at a time without drinking
6) Never has and probably never will "do" drugs
For the most part, this is also my drinking history. So I was interested to her what her assessment was.
Now, I've always believed, and STILL believe that alcoholism is defined by dependency - a physical need/dependence on a drug. I would hardly define her as dependent. So she thought that the counseling session was going to be a breeze - they would tell her that she was fine, and this was a case of social drinking, and nothing more.
Not the case. After reading through her history, as I just described, the counselor assessed her as showing "dangerous" signs of alcoholism, because she has gotten sick from drinking before, yet she continues to drink. The counselor's recommendation was to abstain from all mind altering chemicals indefinitely, have her health insurance assess her "alcoholism", and to attend two AA meetings per week. WTF? This report was immediately sent to the judge that ruled in her case
Her story made me think of all my friends, family, girlfriend, and myself.... So by definition, apparently I'm an alcoholic too... and so are you
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oh, and BTW, she asked her counselor what his/her story was... her counselor was a self-proclaimed alcoholic who has only drank alcohol THREE times in his life!! He said that the last time he drank, he said something he shouldn't have and decided he was an alcoholic... !!
Her situation could have easily been mine, or my other friends, or pretty much anyone I know that has drank alcoholic before. Is this guy a quack, or is there some legitimacy to his assessment?



); as they define it, had a BAC over 0.08
. WTF? This report was immediately sent to the judge that ruled in her case
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...thats awesome
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