IS IT POSSIBLE THAT I’M AN ALCOHOLIC?

Q My wife has told me that she thinks I’m an alcoholic but I don’t think that’s true. I do not have a craving for alcohol all the time.

What happens is that once every two or three months I have a beer (I don’t drink spirits) and it’s like I am unable to stop. I then become argumentative and once I’m in an argument I can’t let it go.

While I don’t think I’m an alcoholic, I know that alcohol definitely has a bad effect on me sometimes. But it only happens occasionally. When I drink on these occasions it’s usually because it helps me relax.

Most of the time I feel very tense, and I also have ADHD. Derek, email

A Alcoholism is a complicated problem. Some people who struggle with alcoholism drink every day, others on weekends and others go on binges where they abuse alcohol for a period of time and then don’t drink for a while.

It may be that your problem with alcohol has a chemical as well as a psychological origin. The alcohol may trigger a chemical process in your body that creates such a strong urge to drink that it’s impossible for you to stop.

This can be amplified by the feeling of relaxation, which is so great that you keep on drinking just to have that wonderful feeling of not being so stressed all the time.

A two-pronged approach may be best here – medical and psychological. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting an implant or patch that helps reduce the craving for alcohol.

There are pros and cons, which your doctor can explain to you. You can also discuss the possibility of medication for your anxiety.

It would also benefit you to consult a psychologist to get some help with learning to relax without the need to have a drink.

A psychologist can also help you figure out if there’s a subconscious reason for your episodes of drinking and being argumentative.