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by Mrs.mezzo is a Wagnerian soprano on December 11th, 2006

Mrs.mezzo is a Wagnerian soprano

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Is there really such a thing as a "functional alcoholic" and, if so, can a person plateau there or does it always spiral downward?

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  • by ChrisDG on December 11th, 2006

    ChrisDG

    Though alcoholism is a disease and potentially a very serious one, it affects people in different ways and severities. So yes you can get functional alcohlics, I would imagine that these are in fact probably more common than non-functional (though I don't have any stats, so I could be wrong, just my opinion). By functional alcoholics I take it you mean those that still contribute to society e.g. work.

    And of course not everyone spirals downward, many get themselves out with help or without help form others, such as family, friends and organisations such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Others stay at the same level, or may stay sober but have occasioanl relapses.

    Since diseases affect people in different ways, and the nature of alcoholism is that it is not a disease that you can give someone some pills for and expect them to get better, means that sufferers are arranged on a very broad spectrum and so there is considerable variation in its effects on lives. So there is almost certainly always going to be a proportion of sufferes who are still functional and plateua, just as there will always be others who maintain a "downward spiral".

    Unfortunately society tends to stereotype alcoholics as people who got themselves into the mess and have noone else to blame but themselves, so it's tough luck on them. There is also a tendency to always view alcoholics as people who just drink and drink every moment of every day.

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  • by catlovr on December 11th, 2006

    catlovr

    My understanding is that a functional alcholic is one that continuously drinks alcohol but functions normally at the same time. A person can certainly live that way for quite awhile, but there are two problems. First, they need more and more alcohol to continue at their present level of intoxication, since the body adjusts to it as time goes by. Secondly, certain organs of the body are going to start breaking down with continued alcohol abuse over a long period of time such as the liver and kidneys. So eventually there absulutely is a downward spiral of the body if nothing else.

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  • by Keysha on June 25th, 2008

    Keysha

    Yes, there is such a thing. My father was a 'functional alcoholic'. From noon until bedtime, he drank beer. He would go through 12-18 cans a day. He never got drunk, never acted wrong, but he was an alcoholic. When he died, the whites of his eyes were yellow, from liver damage. That is not what killed him, but it was there. His SKIN had a yellow cast due to jaundice. He stayed that way for all the time I remember. Over 30 years, he was a 'functional alcoholic'.

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  • by Makoinfused on April 19th, 2007

    Makoinfused

    IDK, but i drink daily and i'm starting to feel like alcohol is killing me...but...i just dont care. I have no job but i recently graduated from college w/ a degree in biology.
    So...my honest opinion is if...your alive...your functional

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  • by Brew Guy wishes he was icefishing... on March 2nd, 2007

    Brew Guy wishes he was icefishing...

    I would consider myself a "functional alcholic". I commonly have a shot of tequila in my oj in the morning, a few beers at lunch and a case of beer after work. I also wouldn't consider it an addiction, it's a choice. I went sober for over a year 3 years ago to lose a few pounds and never desired a drink the whole time. I picked it back up again when some friends moved back into town and I felt like I lost enough weight.

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  • by nchntdmyth on December 15th, 2006

    nchntdmyth

    the first time i seen my father sober i was 17 (he wasn't a mean drunk or abuse us) any way he worked all the time just before he quit he would drink on his lunch break at least gallons or two of vin rose wine come home and between him and one of my brother-in-laws would polish off from a case to a case in half of beer. if you were to walk up to him on the street and start talking to him you would never know he was drunk

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  • by tomsims on September 5th, 2008

    tomsims

    A functional alcoholic is one so far gone that he can hide it part of the time, go to work, and in fact, work almost up till the day he collapses and dies of liver disease.

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  • by Candygirl on September 5th, 2008

    Candygirl

    Yes I have a close friend that is 38 and she has been drinking since she was 14 yrs old and she drinks almost everyday, but she is a very responsible person that has a full time job and keeps a nice clean home and always pays her bill and on time.

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  • by Anonymous on June 25th, 2008

    Anonymous

    My mother is a "functional alcoholic". She goes to work everyday. That's about the only thing that is quote unquote normal about her life. She does not clean, she does not cook let alone hardly eats. As soon as she off work,it's on, 1-3 bottles of wine a night. After her second large cup she is completely wasted and is the most hurtful belligerent person, spilling verbal abuse and blame to anyone in her path.

    My mother is in complete denial about her alcoholism. She thinks it's everyone BUT her. After two dui's and going to rehab may years ago she is worse off than she started. She thinks as long as she not drinking and driving she not an alcoholic.She also changed from beer to wine, don't know if that matter's at all either.

    I have wrote her countless letter asking her to quit drinking for me her daughter and for her grandchildren I even asked her just not to drink while we are around. She cant do it.

    I believe it will always spiral downward. I believe like in my mother's situation, being in denial you have to turn your back and walk away. The pain, hurt and pure sickness of an alcoholic will tear your life apart. No one deserves to deal with a person like this.

    She has ruined our family, my father is in a horrible spot. His hands are tied even though I feel he could do more i think spouses tend to be just a co-dependent as the alcoholic them selfs.

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  • by scubabob on March 2nd, 2007

    scubabob

    I've actually seen one in action, diving. I've been on a few trips to Tobermory with this man as part of the dive group. He couldn't find the wits to put on his gear unless he had a few belts in him in the morning. Scary, but true.

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  • by pwilly on March 2nd, 2007

    pwilly

    no...there isn't.a functional alcoholic is someone who is in denial about being an alcoholic & so he/she thinks it's ok to say they function,but yet still needs their fix every day as always.......hey you functional alcoholics if your reading this wake up & smell the coffee..YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC.........

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  • by Athrael on February 9th, 2007

    Athrael

    Yes. There are many functional alcoholics and Addicts - yes even functional meth addicts.

    Can an addict/alcoholic reach a point where they use and function for ever. Yep some (not all) do.

    Those who do reach the "sweet spot" where they indulge in their addiction yet remain in control (drug user, drinker whatever) are harder to diagnose as an addict/alcoholic and most often do not see themselves as such.

    Is the label then correct? I do not know. They are "addicted" to their drug of choice, yet their lives are not unmanageable. We are told in program that a symptom of addiction/alcoholism is our lives being unmanageable.

    Yet many will tell you that they were "functional" for years and years. Usually the ones who finally enter into program had a huge fall which "woke them up" to a problem. Until that time they did not see a problem.

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  • by Mrs.mezzo is a Wagnerian soprano on December 11th, 2006

    Mrs.mezzo is a Wagnerian soprano

    moved answer to comments section where it belongs ;)

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  • by Orangy on December 11th, 2006

    Orangy

    An alcoholic who is now sober (he will still be an alcoholic even though he no longer drinks), and has gotten is life together could certainly be functional, and he would not have to spiral downward.

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  • by Anonymous on September 1st, 2008

    Anonymous

    the bottom line is if you shake and have the DT's if you do not drink, you're an alcoholic. If you like to drink heavily but you are not physically addicted you might be a lush but not a "Functional alcoholic".

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  • by Khe82 on September 22nd, 2011

    Khe82

    I have drank a bottle or two of red wine almost every night for the past 12
    years, which is about 4-8 drinks, I exercise almost every day, work, raise my son, cook dinner every night, keep the house and laundry and garden, etc. In order, I did get one DUI 5 years ago, but it was after I caught the guy I was dating in bed with another woman, so......idk, I know I drink way over the safe limits for a woman, it's just a habit I guess, I also do get cranky and irritable if I am in situations where I can't have my wine, and end up kinda falling into bed rather than going to sleep, so yeah, it's probably not the best thing ever, I'm definitely an alcoholic or at least abusing alcohol, but I definitely function and have plateau.

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  • by koldkanuck on September 1st, 2008

    koldkanuck

    I was going to say yes using GWB as an example, then I gave my head a shake
    so, NO.

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  • by The Wise Guy on September 5th, 2008

    The Wise Guy

    When I was in 12th grade... I drank beer with my buddies every lunch break... I still managed to pass school.

    Then when the summer hit and I was working in construcion I would smoke a joint every lunch with the crew then drink my beer at night... I was very good at what I did.

    Now I'm in college studying industrial electronics... every night I still drink my beer, and every weekend I smoke my joint... I'm doing very good at school.

    I've been drinking since 15, started when I worked with my father a'Functional alcoholic''...

    So I would say that I'm a 19 year old functional alcoholic.

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  • by chicaboom on September 10th, 2008

    chicaboom

    Normally, I drink one or two glasses of red wine a night (most nights) and that satisfies me. Lately there has been a LOT more stress and responsibility than normal and I've had trouble adjusting. My husband had a heart attack on July 4 and had a stent placed. Three weeks later he had to go back in, via abulance) for three more, additional stents. I find myself consuming about a pint of vodka (on the sly; which is really what worries me more than the amounts)per week, in addition to the (approx)two bottles of red wine (weekly), which is "normal" for me. Actually, with the vodka, i drink much less wine; perhaps a glass every few days but
    i'm confused. I feel that my drinking is excessive and am uncomfortable with the "hidden" portion, however, can't deny that i am no less functional than i was before. We're in the process of a move and i've done 90% of it. With a "mild buzz" i feel much more motivated to pack boxes and get thing "ready to go". I NEVER, EVER drive after having even one drink! That's very important to me!
    I never, ever drive after having even one drink! i never, ever drive without wearing my seatbelt and making sure that each passenger does the same before I start the engine.

    my husband, who i love more than anything in this world, had a heart attack early in July and life for us has changed dramatically since then...
    i'm not sober now so whatever i have to say might be suspect but, at this moment. my husband (whom i love more than life itself) is sleeping away pain from recent oral surgery (he has only been to the dentist once in the past 45 years and the most recent was 20 years ago. He would not have been conviced to go in, let alone stay for treatment, without the help of a hefty dose of valium.
    i felt guiltly for getting him so "hopped up" but also gratified in that he stayed in the chair long enough for the surgion to do what was imeediately necessary.

    He's still terribly scared. we have an appt for him to see my dentist (a periodontist) in a couple of weeks. hopefully i'll be able to get him to go. He expected the "oral surgeon" to handle everything.(that was wrong) as did i. i'm sorry and i feel like i've already let him down. He's in terrible pain (the highest level he reported during his heart attack as "3", now he's saying "5".
    i've had three shots of vodka so far, so i don't know how "lucid" i can be expected to be but, In at least some way i feel like (with the amount of new and unexpected stress trust upon me; i have some leyway.I gotta take my sister-in-law's dog out (she's got the runs and will make a hard-to-clean-up mess if i don't take her out soon. of course she doesn't necessarirly
    "GO" just because i take her "out> we'll see this time,
    chica

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  • by Anonymous on September 5th, 2008

    Anonymous

    came across this by chance.. I work now and study difficult subjects at 38 years old.. i earn reasonable money.. I drink at least 6 x5% beers a night every night. .. I function yes but I know if i dont sort it out i wont.

    (a functional and realistic alcoholic)

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