Alcohol and Psychoanalysis- Problem Drinker

There are many questionnaires that have been developed for assessing problem drinking. One way to measure this is to look at the effects that drinking has had on your life. People who are social drinkers may occasionally suffer problems because of their drinking, but it is rare.

On the other hand, people with alcoholism *usually* suffer with problems as a result of their drinking. These problems may be in any area of life: medical illness, interference in relationships with family or friends, trouble at work, legal and financial difficulties, or emotional distress (depression, guilt).

So, trouble due to drinking is a good way to assess whether you have alcoholism. However, psychoanalysts also have another way to find out about this. A psychoanalyst is interested not only in the *results* of drinking, but also in its causes.

As anyone who has alcoholism can tell you, he or she suffers with an intense inner emotional drive to drink regardless of its disastrous results. It is the presence of this inner drive to drink that really defines alcoholism, not just the consequences of drinking. Looking at drinking this way, here are some questions to think about.

1. Do I drink sometimes when I really don't want alcohol, but just want to have relief from emotional stress?	Yes No
2. Even if I like drinking, is there an intensity to my drinking that can't really be explained by liking it?(Do I sometimes feel I "have to have a drink"?)	Yes No
3. If I am blocked from drinking by circumstances or by another person, do I become angry?	Yes No
4. Do I feel better just knowing I'm going to have a drink, even before I drink it?	Yes No
5. Are there certain situations that I know will lead me to drink (not physical situations like walking into a bar, but emotional situations like being frustrated)?	Yes No
6. If I cannot get a drink quickly, do I sometimes substitute some other activity (taking another drug, or gambling, or sex)?	Yes No
7. Does my drinking seem to substitute for a relationship with a person, for instance do I often drink if I am lonely?	Yes No
8. Do I drink when I feel badly about myself?	Yes No
9. Does alcohol seem to solve problems, at least while I am drinking?	Yes No
10. Does drinking help me feel more in control of my feelings?	Yes No
11. Do I tend to defend my drinking against those who say I have a problem?	Yes No

If you anwered yes to some of these questions, it would be worthwhile to talk with someone who is expert in alcoholism, and preferably someone who also is expert in understanding people's psychology. A list of psychoanalysts with a special interest in alcoholism and addictions is available on this website.

Written by Lance M. Dodes, M.D.