Drinking

[gustavofring]

I was thinking recently about in what ways I differ from most people's lifestyles my age, and it dawned on me that I rarely drink alcohol anymore because I rarely go out. Then the question rose in my head: does the occasional weekly leisure drinking and socialising for most people make it more easy for them to cope with life and people somehow? Because alcohol loosens their minds up and this somehow also positively affects their sober periods?

In my more social periods I also drank and went out and I generally felt a little better. Note, I mean not every day, but occasionaly, like once a week or so. And in moderation.

You always hear drinking is bad and there are plenty examples of people going too far and becoming alcoholics, but if I look around me I see that many college students drink and have active social lifes and are generally happy.

Your thoughts?

 

[Razzlecherry]

I'm only 18, so maybe I'm don't have the best input. I have experimented with alcohol in the past, it's been a few years. Definitely weren't experiences I am proud of.

I don't plan on using alcohol at all in the future, same goes for any kind of drugs. I'm not against drinking, or drugs. I don't think they should even be illegal. To his their own. But I just like to be in control, I like to hold onto my thoughts. And I'm not even that bitter, evil, negative a person. I don't think I really need it.

I'm a happy go lucky kind of guy, which is how I deal with my depressive thoughts. I try to have fun with everything I do, and I don't need a supplement to help me do that.

 

[EscapeArtist]

Yeah, I agree. Alcoholism is extremely common, but alcohol isn't the cause of alcoholism.. It's the reason a person is drinking (or so I always thought). Or it may become a problem when people start drinking to get drunk, versus drinking to enhance the environment (socially). I dont know i'm no professional

It's quite normal to have a few drinks with friends once or twice a week. People say it's to relax or loosen up or what not, so i'm sure it is to be able to open up more easily, and have a reason to.

 

[laure15]

I was thinking recently about in what ways I differ from most people's lifestyles my age, and it dawned on me that I rarely drink alcohol anymore because I rarely go out. Then the question rose in my head: does the occasional weekly leisure drinking and socialising for most people make it more easy for them to cope with life and people somehow? Because alcohol loosens their minds up and this somehow also positively affects their sober periods?

Alcohol has different effects on different people. Some people become calmer and more relaxed when they're drinking while others can become violent.
I'm ok with people drinking as long as they don't harm other people or themselves.

 

[gustavofring]

Yeah I don't become violent at all. I just become a bit silly and more loose.

What I talked about is not merely limited to the drinking itself, but also the general experience after being social and drinking. It makes you feel like you had a good time and like you "escaped the mind" a little. Maybe this is why so many people do it.

 

[aNOTfox]

Never thought of that. I don't drink at all so maybe that explains my anxiety XD. Although I'm pretty sure alcohol can worsen anxiety?

 

[Flanscho]

I don't drink. I know that I had chronic depressions in the past, so drinking would be a mighty stupid idea, no matter in what situation. Sure, of the people at the company I work at, I'm the only one who doesn't drink. But among my circle of friends, several others don't drink as well, so it's nothing anyone would really wonder about. Some people drink, others don't.

 

[theslowesthand]

I almost only ever drink alone, as i do everything else alone, so why not drinking alone?
And although i am kinda in the general "alcohol drinking" group myself, i do tend to view people who drink to "have a good" time as actually no "better" than hard druggies. Alcohol is certainly a drug, and people abuse it. They SAY it's "too loosen up", etc, etc ... but the fact is they are LAME, LOWLY, ANIMALISTIC, PATHETIC excuses for human beings. They are unable to deal with their thoughts/ego's/stresses WITHOUT drugs. Modern society (& therefore most people in it) is SICK and DECREPIT, and the rampant alcohol consumption is simply a symptom of that.

 

[aNOTfox]

Alcohol is a depressant so, bad idea.

 

[gustavofring]

I don't think there's anything wrong with drinking a beer or whisky with friends, or a wine at dinner. As long as it's moderate, and doesn't become an escape to life. Actually most times after drinking I feel sick of it, so that I can do without for a while.

When you look at it like you do, maybe it is indeed just a symptom of a sick society in which a bunch of apes numb themselves with substances to escape their crazy minds and drown out all the bad experiences of life. We have done so for thousands of years. It's really weird actually how alcohol is such a commonly accepted drug. Nobody frowns at it when people get huge stacks of booze at the supermarket but when someone smokes weed it's often immediately regarded with taboo by a lot of people. What a strange species we are.

 

[crazycatlady27]

i havent had a drink in a few years, it makes my anxiety worse and makes me violent and its depressing . also i have an alcoholic husband so my kids need one sober parent lol

 

[JackOfSpades]

For me the answer is yes. The effects from this or from some take as needed anti-anxiety medications do have huge carry over benefits for me. It's almost as if the ability to be relaxed that they grant me is something I am then able to recall when sober. Also, they allow me the ease to enter into social situations I otherwise wouldn't have. That then gives me more confidence when sober, because I know I've been in similar situations before and also because I can remember a mental place where I didn't care. The latter feeling like a mental state somehow retrievable from memory.

Edit: I very rarely drink, and have never been "drunk". And this is about very limited use.

 

[bcsr]

I was thinking recently about in what ways I differ from most people's lifestyles my age, and it dawned on me that I rarely drink alcohol anymore because I rarely go out. Then the question rose in my head: does the occasional weekly leisure drinking and socialising for most people make it more easy for them to cope with life and people somehow? Because alcohol loosens their minds up and this somehow also positively affects their sober periods?

In my more social periods I also drank and went out and I generally felt a little better. Note, I mean not every day, but occasionaly, like once a week or so. And in moderation.

You always hear drinking is bad and there are plenty examples of people going too far and becoming alcoholics, but if I look around me I see that many college students drink and have active social lifes and are generally happy.

Your thoughts?

I'm a light drinker. I don't drink often, and when I do, I don't ever get drunk. Drinking to get through social interactions, or drinking to cope, is a terrible idea. Relying on alcohol instead of working on the real issues isn't going to lead to anything positive long-term. It's only going to lead to alcohol dependency.

Drinking isn't inherently bad, but if you can't enjoy yourself without it, you've got a problem.

 

[coyote]

an expression often used in Alcoholics Anonymous is that alcoholics don't have a drinking problem, but rather a thinking problem

 

[Supernova]

At 29 I've never been drunk. Im not sure how I feel about that, I guess its a bit sad, but never felt the need to. Shortly after finishing school I shut out all my old friends due to going through stuff I thought they wouldnt understand so I never had anyone to go with anyway. I never developed a taste for alcohol, I just prefer pop/fizzy/soda whatever you call it. I find it hard to drink even 1 pint of beer (taste and its filling!) and last time I had some beer it came straight out of me and I don't mean pee or vomit! I have a lot of intollerances to things.

I have a glass of wine or two on Christmas day and thats about it really, my dad may buy some alcopops during christmas too, or cider maybe. Family don't really drink so we don't have it in the house, except beer my dad sometimes buys but I had to throw some cans away not that long ago as they were past their sell by date. I think we have some whisky/brandy in bottles never opened from years past.

I think I prefer to be in control so I don't bother drinking to drown my sorrows. Also I don't need the extra calories, I eat too much as it is!

 

[sullyS25]

Im a recovering alcoholic and drug addict Gustavo. I think you have a healthy way of viewing alcohol personally.

I used to think it was the answer to all my social problems and used it every night and when I wasnt sober it made my anxiety and depression worse. Because as was mentioned earlier, alcohol is a depressant.

I think in moderation it can be helpful but for people like me it is a very bad idea. I dont think it is a cure all though

 

[AdamE]

I have never dared touch alcohol. It would be far, far too easy for me to just lose myself in drinking, to start relying on it to get through scary situations. I don't mind other people drinking, or getting stoned (two of my house mates are hippies), but I'm afraid that I would quickly become addicted if I started taking any kind of stimulant. I don't even drink coffee.

 

[SM1010]

I like what alcohol does to me. It's essentially a miracle solution for my social anxiety.. if I'm drunk enough.

There en lies the problem though. Hang overs suck. So do DUI's. Also I'm a big guy 6'2 190 so it requires a lot to get me drunk. Oh and I don't even like the taste of alochol.

All those reasons factor into me rarely ever drinking. But every once in a while I'll go to a bar or two with some friends and get wasted and really enjoy it (as long as I don't have to drive that night).