Joy. People who like to drink a lot actually still have fun drinking. Alcoholics usually drink but not because they enjoy drinking.

Someone who drinks a lot could become sooner or later an alcoholic. 1) "The signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse are very similar, and are often just a question of degree or intensity. Typically, the last person to be aware that he/she has a serious drinking problem is the alcoholic himself/herself - they are in denial. Some signs and symptoms of alcoholism as well as alcohol abuse include: Drinking alone. Drinking in secret. Not being able to limit how much alcohol is consumed. Blacking out - not being able to remember chunks of time. Having rituals and being irritated/annoyed when these rituals are disturbed or commented on. This could be drinks before/during/after meals, or after work. Dropping hobbies and activities the person used to enjoy; losing interest in them. Feeling an urge to drink. Feeling irritable when drinking times approach. This feeling is more intense if the alcohol is not available, or there appears to be a chance it may not be available. Having stashes of alcohol in unlikely places. Gulping drinks down in order to get drunk and then feel good. Having relationship problems (triggered by drinking). Having problems with the law (caused by drinking). Having work problems (caused by drinking, or drinking as root cause). Having money problems (caused by drinking). Requiring a larger quantity of alcohol to feel its effect. Nausea, sweating, or even shaking when not drinking. A person who abuses alcohol may have many of these signs and symptoms - but they do not have the withdrawal symptoms like an alcoholic does, nor the same degree of compulsion to drink." Source and further information: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163.php 2) "Multiple tools are available to those wishing to conduct screening for alcoholism. Identification of alcoholism may be difficult because there is no detectable physiologic difference between a person who drinks frequently and a person with the condition. Identification involves an objective assessment regarding the damage that imbibing alcohol does to the drinker's life compared with the subjective benefits the drinker perceives from consuming alcohol. While there are many cases where an alcoholic's life has been significantly and obviously damaged, there are always borderline cases that can be difficult to classify. Addiction Medicine specialists have extensive training with respect to diagnosing and treating patients with alcoholism. - Screening: Several tools may be used to detect a loss of control of alcohol use. These tools are mostly self reports in questionnaire form. Another common theme is a score or tally that sums up the general severity of alcohol use. The CAGE questionnaire, named for its four questions, is one such example that may be used to screen patients quickly in a doctor's office. Two "yes" responses indicate that the respondent should be investigated further. The questionnaire asks the following questions: 1. Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking? 2. Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? 3. Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking? 4. Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?" Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism Further information: http://www.alcoholscreening.org/ 3) "5 Types of Alcoholics Identified More Than Half of U.S. Alcoholics Are Young Adults, Alcohol Dependence Study Shows" Source and further information: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/news/20070629/5-alcoholic-types-in-alcoholism-study