So do you know these alcoholics who don’t get drunk every day but once a month (or once every 2 or 3 months) they lap up enormous quantities of liquor and drop down in a blackout?
Do they not even have a physical dependence? Because if they do, how come they can go without liquor for a month or however long their dry spell lasts?
Also, does anybody know if there is a word for this form of alcoholism in English? There is in Russian, and this form of the addiction is extremely common.
Clarissa's Blog 
I think the usual term is binge drinker (though I’ve also seen that term used of people who drink too much on a very regular basis).
Maybe ‘occasional (or periodic) binge drinker’ would cover it.
LikeLike
Yes, exactly, that’s the word!
Are they not even physically addicted at all?
LikeLike
I’m starting to be… kind of (read: extremely) sceptical about a lot of CW* about addiction.
I don’t have a workig hypothesis but the idea that everybody is equally prone to every kind of addiction (which seems to be the CW) doesn’t seem to work.
For bingers, I might hypothesize that they psychologically need the relief but a very big dose can last a long time. It’s like how some people have to let all their dishes get dirty before washing them all at once.
*conventional wisdom
LikeLike
Oh, it’s absolutely not true that everybody is equally likely to get addicted to any substance. You are right, there is much stupidity said on the subject.
LikeLike
Totally besides the point, but you will see CW referred to in regards to lasers, as in continuous wave (CW) mode of operation. I chuckled at myself reading cliff’s comment and my mind going to “skeptical about a lot of continuous wave about additction.” Us nerds like are easily amused.
LikeLike
I thought it was a TV channel at first.
LikeLike
I think I’ve also heard “payday drunk”.
The idea is that they stay sober until they have enough capital to drink themselves into oblivion.
LikeLike
I would say “going on a bender” but that describes the action not the alcoholism specifically.
LikeLike