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Someone is a "problem drinker" when their drinking is causing problems. How simple is that? It's one of the best lessons I learned from my years working for the BACCHUS Network in the early 90's.
If you have a friend who consistently experiences negative consequences from his or her drinking episodes, then he or she is a problem drinker. This could include: injuries, incidences of violence, ill-advised hookups of any kind, damaged friendships/relationships, failed commitments, physical sickness, blackouts, violation of policies, getting in trouble with the law, and more.
College students tend to have a higher threshold of tolerance for problem drinking behavior in their friends. One thing we can all do this National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week is to question whether the problems our friends are experiencing when drinking are truly "normal college behavior." Is it normal to lose your job because you've missed work three times due to hangovers? Is it normal that he or she ruins romantic relationships repeatedly by going into drunken rages? How many problems will you allow your friend to have before you express concern?
Is your friend an alcoholic? I don't know. Actual alcoholism is a much larger mental and physical issue. I'm not even sure how alcoholism is diagnosed. But many people who are not alcoholics can still be problem drinkers.
The good news is that a problem drinker can take immediate and effective steps to change his or her behavior. You've heard the now-cliche statement that "the first step is admitting you have a problem." Well, sometimes this admission is what it takes to get a problem drinker back on a track of better choices. Maybe all he or she needs is a positive, constructive confrontation from a friend.
Do you know someone who experiences problems as a result of his or her drinking? If so, that person is a problem drinker. If you are truly a friend, you owe it to your friend to express concern and offer assistance.
