Asked by David Tanguay ^(9,600)
David Tanguay 15 days 11 hours ago. (More question by this person)

What's the difference between a drunk and an alcoholic?

Answer from Andy Carloff ⁽¹¹¹⁾
Andy Carloff 15 days 10 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
How much fun you have with booze. If it's a medium amount, you're a drunk. But if it's a lot, you graduate to alcoholic.

Answer from Paul Schroeder ^(2,366) 15 days 10 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
The AA meetings?

Answer from Paul Schroeder ^(2,366) 15 days 10 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
Actually in lawsuits against nefarious Insurance companies who don't cover alcoholism as a medical condition the courts found that alcoholism was 'willful' self neglect rather than an outside disease and found that non coverage for treatment WAS legal.

So,if you see a drunk laying out in the street he's not sick,he's stubborn!!

Answer from Mark Parsec ^(16,695)
Mark Parsec 15 days 10 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
Great question, David. It is really a matter of semantics. As a recovered alcoholic there is not much difference between the two terms other than the willingness of the individual to admit that they are an alcoholic. Among alcoholics there is frequently an inclination to refer to others or one's self as a drunk. The term is understood... the person has lost their ability to control their drinking and their life has become unmanageable.

Answer from Steven Rogers ^(5,163)
Steven Rogers 15 days 2 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
aa

Answer from Gitesh Trivedi ⁽²⁴⁾ 14 days 6 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
Alcoholic represents Habitual not present situation and drunk represents present situation not general.

Answer from Gregory Lewis ^(1,502)
Gregory Lewis 13 days 4 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
Saying that a person is a drunk is different from saying "he's drunk." When I think of "a drunk," I think "alcoholic." I have lived with alcoholics, and maybe the only difference is how much of a secret they can keep their sickness. Staggering, slurring, excessively happy or excessively morbid, uncontrollable outbursts tend to characterize the drunk.

It's not too funny when your family members have a reputation as the town drunk.

- G

Answer from Brianna Popsickle ^(2,452)
Brianna Popsickle 10 days 4 hours ago. More questions answered by this person)
One is a great uncle, the other is a friend-of-a-friend.

Answer from Susan Campbell ⁽⁹⁾ 10 days ago. More questions answered by this person)
A drunk has a habit; an alcoholic has an addiction. The latter always tends to be more physiological , while the former is more psychological.