(1) I feel as though alcohol dependence are the same thing but with different names. As if calling a color of something red, then to call it rouge. T o be dependent on alcohol, you need it everyday to

(1)

I feel as though alcohol dependence are the same thing but with different names. As if calling a color of something red, then to call it rouge. T o be dependent on alcohol, you need it everyday to function, you lash out at others when you have not had any, or it makes you physically ill if you have not had any within a certain period of time. To me, substance abuse is not on such an elevated level as dependence. With alcohol abuse, you know that you really should not drink and drive, so you do not. With alcohol dependence, you know you should not drink and drive, but you do it any way. 

This was not during college but I did have partner several years ago that did have a substance dependency. At one point, it was so bad that she wanted to sell all personal items and self harmed because I would not buy her her drug of choice. It does a lot of damage to people and the ones that love them. Though I have never known anyone that has had any type of issue with alcohol, I feel as though substance is equal to the trauma it can do to people.

(2)

Whew!! This was a great question to ask because at one point, most of my family have been college students.  I asked them about their memory of binge drinking in college, and got plenty of answers.  Apparently, my family is a family of drinkers.  Their experiences all differ, but most of them said that they are not alcoholics and slowed down mostly after college.  As an 80s college student, we binge drank all the time.  Probably every weekend.  Of the friends that I communicate with now, none of us have become dependent on alcohol.  Personally, I binge drank even when I went into the military and never became dependent on alcohol.  I believe you can binge drink and not become dependent on it.  I think that everyone is different.  If you have certain responsibilities that you have to take care of, dependency on alcohol is not an option.  I cannot ensure that alcohol abuse will never become dysfunctional. Ignoring your limits can contribute to alcohol dependency.

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