I was brought up to believe that alcohol was evil unless it was served in a chalice...
When I was 16 and at the other end of the country in an aircraft hanger I had my first oppurtunity to drink alcohol, with the Andrews Sisters singing in the background I abided to their lyrics and had my first rum and coke
Just over a year ago I started to drink alcohol now and then and lately as part of my marketed effort to 'get out there' and spend less than all my life at my computer I started drinking about once or twice a week.
Certainly if you have SA/SP then alcohol can serve as a great intermediate step... it can give you confidence to be in situations you would otherwise never go to (Eg: Crowded bars, music events etc)
the benefits of alcohol are more than just the affect on ones mind... if you dont have friends then bars are one of the best places to meet people. having a drink makes you more approachable in that situation and being a drinker also opens up more oppurtunities for people to invite you out. Since I started drinking I get invited out by work mates way more often, initially 'for a couple of drinks' but now to all sorts of things
now I find that the occasional drink through the week can help me relax and clear my mind a little, and the occasional night out on the town is usually good for morale and exciting, never knowing what interesting conversation I might have
the trick is to knowing ones limit and not exceeding it or putting oneself in dangerous situations. if you can control your drinking then its not a problem
and as for those people who brought me up to think that alcohol was evil unless drunk from a chalice.... in case any of them read this forum I will post a photo of me out on the town two weekends ago :lol: