Some clarification on addiction

[Inquizitive1]

I was just wondering:  When does drinking or smoking become a habit?  When I drink, I tend to drink a lot (about 7-10 drinks) but I do not drink that often (about twice a month).  Does that make me an alcoholic?  Also with smoking, I can go weeks without smoking but if I have something to smoke, I do not last a day without smoking.  Am I addicted to smoking?  And finally I was wondering if there was such a thing as a caffeine addiction.  I always thought addition was reserved for dangerous substances.  I apprciate your response.

[laurel453]

one can be addicted to caffeine, of course and there are people addicted to bad relationships too...i would call addiction to each habit with an autodestructive pattern, that means to me everything that is dangerous or wrong for our health in whatever the way... ( mental/emotional/physical health ).

when does drinking or smoking become a habit ? well, when it's indeed a habit. Sorry, it sounds weird but for instance, i think you have a habit of drinking  alcohol ( 7/10 are quite a few :) )once or twice a month as you have already said. See that you can answer yourself  in that way ?

that is not to say you are addicted to drinking but you already have a pattern, a habit with alcohol and  it doesn't mean you are going to be in control for ever, i started the same way with ciggs and now i am a smoker, you see ? cause they are not healthy things to do, so...they can get out of way if you are not careful whenever you have a habit with them. I f you only drink when you go out and that's the reason for your drinking once or twice in a month, you have to see this. Because you can have a period of time when you'll be more anxious or just going out more and then.....bommmm from habit to addiction, it's not a fact, ok? but it could be the way to become addicted . just be careful.

i know that i don't have the habit of drinking, i go out and most of the times, i don't drink alcohol buuuut maybe i didn't drink because i had my DOC, my addiction , who knows ? just in case and for  being clean of it now, i have to be very, very careful of not making the  habit of drinking whenever i go out cause i know i can be in problems againn ( i'm an addict so....) if i can not go out without drinking alcohol, i'll have to stop going out  or start going with people that don't drink more that one glass, hahaha...'ll see what happens but i'm not going to make a habit of any of this stuff bad for me any more.
each one of us, at the end, is responsible of caring for ourselves..nobody iis going to do it. good luck.

[Billy__B]

There is a medicine i take for my ciggy habbit.  it is called Chantix and it is SUPER effective to quit smoking just kinda expensive. it sounds like you smoking isn't a prob for u though if u can get on and off of it like that. Just find out why it is you like to smoke.  stress orbecause u just like it? then solve that problem.  

Billy b

[Inquizitive1]

While my instances are not serious, I know and have heard about quite a few people who have gotten out of hand.  Some allowed their addiction to consume them, and the main reason they did not stop was because they did not feel they had a problem.  I do not agree that it is up to the individual to decide if they have an addiction because some are in denial and really do not think they are addicted.  Sometimes intervention is necessary.  Some people need their problem brought to their attention; others might need clarification.  

If I thought I could answer the question, I really will not be asking.  Nonetheless, thanks for your response.

[Kova]

Hi.

i think these things are debatable.  do you feel you have a problem?  do you feel out of control with these substances?  only you can really answer your question.

Kova