Is my boyfriend an alcoholic?

That is a question that is up to you to answer. Many people have a different view on what is an alcoholic. I was in the military and drinking every night was a way of life. I could function without drinking and never went to work drunk. I didn't see myself as a alcoholic, however others would have called me an alcoholic during that time. If you don't agree with his behavior then talk to him about it if he doesn't want to change and you can't accept him then you need to move on and find someone else.

Yes.

You need to find out if their's anything that has happend to him in the past or if he's depressed and down all the time.

People tend to start drinking all the time when their down, miserable or depressed. People have told me and famous people of the internet/news say that they became alcohol because they found it relaxed them by there brain being on the influence of alcohol and taking away their negative emotions.

(This next bit is actually going somewhere)

Then I found out first hand when I was 14 I was diagnosed as depressed with a mental illness (for a horrifying reason), but I had to deal with it. When I turned 18 and it was legal for me to drink alcohol I found that it made me happy, so everyday for a year I drank 12pm till 9-10pm, I was really happy and even more happy that I didn't feel negative about anything after all them years.

I didn't HAVE to drink everyday, but that's what made me happy but I was still happy when I wasn't drinking (like your boyfriend)

I stopped drinking completely when I got a job in a retail shop I love working and did a good damn job of it. I started feeling down again like I did before, and a month in to working I had a panic attack at the till, certain things send me in to panic like they did before I started drinking, where as when I was drinking they wouldn't phase me. I got sacked on the spot for being slow, so I told them why and they said thay can't have mentally ill people.

I would have been better of carrying on drinking, at least I still would have had a job :/

But the alcohol was just a cover, it wasn't solving what was their in the first place, I still don't know how to stop depression and panic attacks. But if you ask him if their are any problems or he is depressed you need to help him get to the root of it and sort it out, see a doctor and what-not.

If their isn't anything wrong which their most likely is then try and convince him to cut down a little or only drink in certain day or occasions, or balance it out with foods and workouts.

Sorry for the long answer,some of it isn't completely necessary, but it might be helpful if your boyfriend can relate to it and so he can see what can happen if he is depressed and he dose start work and quits drinking.

Good luck x

He's unemployed at the moment and drinks beer every night before going to bed. He doesn't get really drunk most of the time, just tipsy, but it bothers me that he does it every day and I'm also worried about his health. He can stay sober if he has to, but usually doesn't take days off drinking if it's up to him.

yup