Didn't really read the rest of the thread because I'm kinda tipsy (ironic, I know), but I would say that true alcoholism is when you are dependent on alcohol to get through the day or do normal tasks, start showing withdrawal symptoms if you don't drink alcohol, or you let alcohol affect your relationships, schoolwork, regular work, and other social interactions. When people joke and say they are alcoholics because they are in college - that's just binge drinking on a regular basis, not alcoholism. Real alcoholics wake up and NEED to have a drink or else they are miserable. It's basically the equivalent of being addicted to cigarettes, except the withdrawal can be deadly. It's pretty brutal. Having more than one drink a night regularly does not make you an alcoholic. Hell, I do that most nights, but I'm not dependent on alcohol for anything, and have no problem going extended periods of time without it.