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Comment by DanBC | Hacker News Reader

I've said, several times in this thread, that there's a difference between dependent drinking and harmful drinking.

OP is clearly drinking at levels that are harmful, even if OP isn't dependent. OP is drinking well over the recommended 14 units per week, and OP thinks it's causing harm.

It is a mistake to think that only dependent drinking is harmful.

Harm is caused even if the person isn't dependent on drinking.

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I get it: harm can be caused even if the person is not drinking... My advice is this: eat, drink, love, wear your new clothes, enjoy life... don't waste it worrying about non problems...

Four to five bottles of wine a week isn't a non-problem.

We know it it's a problem because OP is asking for help.

Not sure where you are getting "four to five bottles." He said half a bottle to a bottle, so he's likely drinking around 3.5 to 4 bottles per week.

3 bottles of 8% ABV wine would be 18 units a week - already more than the recommended 14.

It's unlikely OP is drinking 8% ABV wine.

3 bottles of 14% ABV would be 31 units a week - well over the recommended maximum.

Please stop with the units and please don't pay attention to the BS the government is feeding you... Just get out with friends and enjoy life...

The guidelines are arbitrary and not based on anything scientific. Stop mentioning them like if he cuts down to 14 units, he's not harming himself, but if he only cuts down to, say, 17 units, he still harming himself.

You keep saying they're arbitrary. Please provide a link to the research used to set the limit. This would show that you've at least read it before dismissing it.

And if he cut down to 17 I wouldn't be mentioning the recommended limits. I keep mentioning them because other people keep saying OP's not drinking that much. OP's drinking more than double the recommended limits but more importantly OP has noticed harm is being caused.

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