Yeah, when watching the show she only seemed to drink when something would stress her out. I think the diagnosis for alcoholism in used to often. When you have people who drink alcohol responsibly and then something traumatic occurs and use it to deal with stress as an alternative to real help. Bree wasn't Jonesing for a drink or spending 24/7, she would be fine and Andrew would do something and she would drink. I could see her going to meetings because her actions caused problems but she didn't need a sponsor as she didn't crave for it. Her husband was murdered and she was engaged to the man who did it. Before that she found out her husband was having an affair and her son was gay. Then her son is making life a living hell and threatened to accuse her of molestation, I'd give her a pass.

I've ALWAYS thought she was not an actual alcoholic. Unfortunately many TV shows, whether drama or comedy, have a hard time with the actual defining characteristics of alcoholism. Bree had a "problem". Self-medication, as you said. You sure can lean on it too much to the point of being dependent but there are differences between "needing" to kick back a couple at the end of the day at least for a while and true alcoholism.

I don't think Bree was a true alcoholic. I think she abused alcohol becuase of stuff going on around her and she used as a form of self-medication. She wasn't one to get a therapists and go on anti-depressants.

I have experience with this, I grew up with alcoholism in my family, and know a good friend that has the problem. I think the portrayal was pretty spot-on, for her type of alcoholism. See, different people often react differently to alcohol, or abuse it differently. Some people for example, may take care of everything they need to do, keep a clean home, keep themselves well groomed, but binge drink until they black out every so often. That is more of a functioning type. Then, there is also people on the other end of the spectrum, who are actually physically addicted to it, meanining they experience Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome ("the shakes", sweats, seizures, etc, very scary and deadly even), and may sacrifice putting food on the table or diapers on their kids in order to buy another bottle. I've watched a ton of Intervention, seen both ends of the spectrum, known people on both ends of the spectrum. That's what's so scary about alcoholism- it's available so easily, and it is so easy to form an addiction to it. I hope you never have to know anyone with it, as it is scary and quite sad to see. But at any rate, yes, again, I think that for that specific form of alcohol abuse- the acting was pretty accurate.