A couple of drinks could be harmful drinking, but it is nowhere near alcoholism.<p>To get a medically supervised withdrawal in England you need to be drinking 40 units a day - that&#x27;s a litre of 40% spirits <i>every day</i>. (That number drops if you have severe and enduring mental illness, or are female).<p>Binge drinking - having most of the week alcohol free and ten having a bunch of drinks over a few days is associated with increased risk of sexual violence; unplanned pregnancy; STDs; accidental injury; etc, and the the alcohol harms on top.  But uaving those drink free days is somewhat protective.<p>Drinking a couple of drinks everyday makes the alcohol harms much more likely, and reduces the other risks. (It depends how big those drinks are.)