drinking alone

i think people take this "you're an alcoholic if you drink alone" business waaaaay too seriously. i'm going to say right here and now: just because you drink alone, you are not an alcoholic. duh!!! you're most likely an alcoholic if you have a constant physical or psychological yearning for alcohol. what the hell difference does it make if  you're alone or in a group?!

and on a related note, it seems to me that i have a couple friends won't drink if no one else drinks. which doesn't make any sense to me. if you want an alcoholic beverage, have one. maybe this is because i'm not purely a social drinker. for many years i abstained completely. and i had a strong enough will that people couldn't "convince" me to get a drink if i didn't want one. these days, i drink occasionally. but only when i feel like it. and if i feel like it, i don't understand how your getting a coke should deter me from ordering a martini.