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

Alcoholism is a disease and and an addiction. Its when alcohol controls your life in almost every way and the person is unable to quit drinking on their free will. A drunk is a person who drinks heavily…in my opionion its a person who is either borderline alcoholic or is in denial about their addiction.

They are essentially the same thing, the way I’ve heard it used. A drunk is another name for an alcoholic. Although, drunk could also just describe being drunk after drinking, whereas an alcoholic is someone who has a problem with excessive drinking.

‘a drunk’ is not too different to being an alcoholic really.

An alcoholic is dependent on alcohol and it is a mental addiction as well as physically feeling the need to drink. An alcoholic is likely to drink everyday and get withdrawal symptoms without alcohol, or else feel they need some to get through the day. It is an actual addiction.

A drunk, I would say, is someone who is regularly drunk (to the stage where they can’t control their actions), but may be different to an alcoholic as they are not dependent on the alcohol and can choose not to drink if they wish. If they get in this state regularly though, at times that are maybe not appropriate (e.g it is ‘normal’ to get drunk at the weekend with friends, but not 3pm on a weekday) then it could easily become alcoholism.

I think “A drunk” is a term that’s rather loosely used. I’ve heard alcoholics referred to as “drunks” in a manner that infers both terms mean the same thing. On the other hand you can say “I was at a party the other night, and some drunk started a fight”. In that case, the drunk in question probably had a few too many that night.

an alcoholic will drink excessively and have to admit they have a problem,they dependant on alcohol. A drunk is someone who enjoys drink, they arent dependant on it but still enjoy it and could still drink it everyday but not have to. They dont go to meetings..

no differnce…..

It’s like asking the difference between “High/Stoned” and a long term “Drug Addict”.