Alcoholism manifests itself in many different forms and in varying guises. Whether you're an alcoholic or not doesn't depend on where you drink, when you started drinking, how long you've been drinking, who you drink with, or even how much you drink.

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The real proof can be found in the answer to the question: What has alcohol done to you?

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If it has affected your family relationships, your relationships with friends, former or current employers; if it has an effect on your daily schedule; if it has affected your state of health; if it determines or affects your sober state of mind or peace of mind; if alcohol dominates your thinking in any way - then it is likely that you have a problem.

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Aging comes with many crises, and almost all of them involve some form of loss. Children grow up and leave home. Someone moves to a smaller house. Friends are farther and fewer. Someone has to give up their job. Bodily health is less robust, and the powers of the soul are diminished. A life partner of many years dies.

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Sometimes these changes in circumstances worsened a long-standing habit. Where before one drink before dinner could be a sociable pastime, it now became a relief that was looked forward to all day - and one drink became two or three and even more.