Recently, a friend, a recovering alcoholic, told me she had a "high bottom", a term I was unfamiliar with. Too proud to ask, I later looked it up and learned that "high bottom" connotes an alcoholic who recognizes the problematic nature of their drinking early on and decides to pursue recovery before hitting a more severe low.  

Well, it was news to me and it got me to thinking. 

Last year, because of medical issues, I eschewed drinking for more than 4 months and was proud of the "streak" and didn't really miss it, except possibly for social reasons. Truth be told, my friend Paul was pivotal in terminating the streak :)

Now, I do not drink at home and usually limit myself to one glass of wine when out for dinner

I know someone who doesn't remember what they had for dinner after 2 glasses of wine. I have a very high functioning neighbor who has not had a drink for many many years. Then there are those who enjoy "Day Drinking", while others wait until 5:00 and still others declare "It's 5:00 somewhere" before they sup. I also have oenophile friends who bring expensive fine wine to dinner and pay not inexpensive corking fees to imbibe (I wonder who dreamed that up?).  

All that being said, Prohibition is long gone and alcohol is legal. It's complicated: Do we all have a "High Bottom"?