Are You a Social Drinker?

I was asked this question today: “Are you a social drinker?” Doctors will ask that question, as do others.

I had some trouble with the question. At most university events where alcohol is served—graduation, fund-raisers, even tailgates— I don’t drink at all. Alcohol is served all the time at these venues.

If I am in company with people I don’t know well or trust, I won’t drink, either.

If I’m with family or close friends, I sometimes have a beer or glass of wine—but just as often or more so, I pass.

Anyway, I kind of condensed all of this and gave my answer—it boiled down to “not so much.”

Later, I looked into how some authorities define social drinking.

There is some variety in answers.

I found the answer from the Betty Ford Foundation a bit unsettling: “Question: How do you define social drinking? Answer: Social drinking may be that drink or two that soften the harsh events of the day or release one to relaxed sociability or just allow you to see the humor of it all.” For a rehab place, that sounds like rationalizing your problem away. Well, by that definition, I am not a social drinker.

Urban Dictionary defines social drinker in these terms: “A person who only drinks alcohol in social settings where there are already other people drinking.” Okay, I fit that definition.

Alcoholrehab.com gives a definition that comes closest to my wife’s definition. I would answer “yes” here:

“One way to describe a social drinker would be to say that these are individuals who: * Only drink occasionally. * Do not feel the need to drink alcohol in order to have a good time. * Never get into trouble because of alcohol. * Don’t do or say things they regret while drinking. * Do not spend a lot of time thinking about alcohol. * Feel no need to control their intake. Such individuals never drink enough to worry about having to cut back.

Compare that pretty narrow definition to The Free Dictionary, which defines social drinker in these terms: “social drinker: A person who consumes alcoholic beverages in moderation–ie, ≤ 2 'standard drinks'/day, often in a socially acceptable situation.”

Hmmm, I’m not sure what a “standard drink” is, and this definition sets a limit of two-per day.  

Finally, Psychology Today offers a pretty generous definition: “Social drinkers are those individuals who drink in low-risk patterns. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), ‘low-risk’ drinking for females consists of no more than 7 drinks per week and no more than 3 drinks per sitting. For males, it consists of no more than 14 drinks per week and no more than 4 drinks per day. 

Okay, if that’s the definition, my answer (mostly no) seems okay.

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On a serious note, I don’t see a consensus definition of social drinking here, and these are in some way or other authoritative sources. If you want to share a definition, e-mail me at m-leroy@illinois.edu. If I get enough replies, I will update this post (and will post your reply only with your permission).