I think Dean definitely using booze as a coping mechanism, but I don't judge him for it. I think it's pretty damned understandable, given his life.

I think sometimes his reliance on it goes up and down, depending on circumstances, but drinking is, IMO, pretty far down on the list of shit that's wrong with him. I don't think he's living to drink. He's for sure using it to numb himself down, but...well, dude, his life has SUCKED. Sure, it would be better for him to take a nice jog or journal or talk to a shrink, but really. Not gonna happen at this point in his life.

I think there's a difference between drinking a little too much, a little too often, especially since Dean lives basically, as a soldier, and being a functional alcoholic. Might be a SLIM diff, but still.

Marcia, is your post alcoholic, or functioning alcoholic?

I'm trying to consider if Dean is addicted to alcohol or dependent on it. Does he have a physical craving and a mental obsession for it? Or does it to help him to minimize/endure the nightmares and to sleep better?

Having had an alcoholic as an in-law (a completely non-functioning one) and a best friend's dad who was one (an entirely functioning one), I'm having a hard time putting Dean and "alcoholic" in the same sentence.

From the AA Big Book, page 20:

"Then we have a certain type of hard drinker. He may have the habit badly enough to gradually impair him physically and mentally. It may cause him to die a few years before his time. If a sufficiently strong reason--ill health, falling in love, change of environment, or the warning of a doctor--becomes operative, this man can also stop or moderate, although he may find it difficult and troublesome and may even need medical attention.

"But what about the real alcoholic? He may start off as a moderate drinker; he may or may not become a continuous hard drinker; but at some stage of his drinking career he begins to lose all control of his liquor consumption, once he starts to drink."

If I thought Dean was an alcoholic, I wouldn't call him (or anyone) post-alcoholic, because once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. There's no "post". But there is "recovered", meaning clean and sober.

I would put Dean in the hard drinker category as described above, as that's where I think he fits better, especially if he can drink in moderation now.

I agree, Morgana. I've had alcoholic close family members and friends; I see a difference.

ETA:

Could Dean become an alcoholic? Oh, yeah, I can definitely see that as a strong possibility, dependent on life. He's at HUGE risk. (I'm not talking season plot-point, per se; just in general.)

I think by fictional diagnosis qualifications, Dean has had a drinking problem, and probably continues to drink too much. Trying to map that onto real world specific diagnoses will likely fail, because...fiction.

I don't know what the word is for someone who felt they had to drink 50 drinks a week to get by. It may not be alcoholic in the real world, but it isn't healthy.

Maybe Dean's self-medicating. If I were in the life, I'd need to refill my Xanax prescription asap. (And then I'd be dead soon thereafter, 'cause salt-and-burn does not loom large on my resume.) Drowning your demons probably looks like a reasonable option when you know half a dozen or so by name.

I don't understand the concern about Dean's drinking. My guess is he's drinking a whole lot less than he used to, certainly than before Sam went to hell and immediately thereafter, and not only is he holding down a job and involved in decently healthy relationships with Lisa and Ben, he actually seems to be getting some enjoyment out of them.

It was the least interesting thing about the premiere to me, in the sense that I didn't even think about it until it was brought up here.

Amy, I'm not really concerned with his drinking; like I said, SO many more issues.

But I like over-analyzing! It's in my nature!

For me, mostly I'm just discussing semantics.

he actually seems to be getting some enjoyment out of them

I'm waiting to see this. I think he's getting reward, but that opening montage was too sad, and the look on his face when Lisa asked him if he was okay was not one of simple enjoyment.

For me, the drinking leapt out right away. It was in the montage twice, IIRC, and then we jump to him in a bar, and then we see him drinking again. It was a tone-setter for me.

Like I said, I know plenty of people who habitually have a beer every night with dinner, etc. So maybe I just know a lot of heavy drinkers? It just didn't strike me as problematic at all.

I probably sound cranky, but I'm feeling pretty lonely in my enjoyment of the episode, and my anticipation for the season.