Answer: On first thoughts I would say that two “Duvels” per day would be no problem, three however is on the limit and four is no doubt too much. It is however difficult to draw a clear line between safe drinking with a favourable effect on health and too much drinking where the positive influence changes into a negative effect. Moreover, for moderate drinking different definitions are used. A number of extensively explained definitions can be found back on this site. Go to the search function and input keywords such as “moderate drinking”. You will then get a list with all the relevant articles concerning this topic.

It is just as difficult to determine when somebody is (getting) addicted to alcohol. First of all we should make a distinction between mental and physical alcohol addiction. When you are really looking forward to you daily glass, this could be a matter of moderate mental dependence. In case you consume a lot of alcohol this could lead to physical and mental dependence. Also here the question when we should talk about “drinking a lot”. On the whole it is said that one should drink more than eight glasses per day and this for many years before there is a physical addiction, although it is difficult to draw a very clear line. There are also that get dependent on alcohol with five drinks a day, while others only get into serious trouble when they more than twenty drinks per day for many years.
In case of physical dependence we are faced with two kinds of phenomenon : you always need more alcohol to obtain the desired (sedating) effect and your body protests as it were when it does not get any more alcohol. This protest is expressed by withdrawal symptoms : you feel lousy, you start shaking or you are in fear.
Mental dependence is rather when the drinker feels very uncomfortable when has not drunk anything. In that case we say that there is a strong craving for alcoholic drinks.

There are several causes why one person gets addicted to alcohol more easily while somebody else can apparently take it rather well. There could be personal factors playing a role, such as character traits, mainly drinking to react against stress or psychiatric problems. Heredity can also play a role and also the surrounding influence is rather important : the easier alcohol is being used, the bigger the risk of alcohol abuse. In these cases it is important to limit your own alcohol consumption, and to enjoy one or two glasses and stick to that. That way you are not taking any risk of suffering the negative effects of alcohol.

  |terug|mail|print|top|