Alcohol - A Discussion

[shazza]

I feel more comfortable discussing this with you guys rather than my real life friends.

Why do you guys that drink to intoxication like alcohol and the drunkeness? What do your hangovers entail? Do you ever have much regret? Why is society so accepting, and Saturday night's designed for it, of getting shitfaced?

And how about some of you here that remain sober? What are your reasons for this? Have you had a history with getting drunk before? What made you quit?

I'm quite sure we have had topics in Mt. Moon and stuff before about the joys of getting drunk, but I wish this to be a more serious discussion.

I cannot announce this to my real life friends, for if I do so would be cursing my own ambitions and putting a pressure on me. I have to do this for myself. I want to stop drinking. Three drinks max if I endevour to go out (3 is a magical number and anything over goes from a "little bit" to "too much", making one susceptible to having 15). But many people who decide "that's the last time I'm getting drunk" are just directing themselves to failure.

• I want a leaner body mass, and alcohol will not help that. I'm going back to building muscle and reducing body fat - and alcohol is only empty, fat calories.
• It's bad for my organs and shit. Obviously.
• My father is an alcoholic, and my mother was one in denial. I have an addictive personality.
• I want to develop genuine confidence when going out in the nightclubs, without needing 15 drinks to wear a mask and be someone I'm not. I want to learn to socialise with strangers and in that setting without alcohol.
• Costs a shit load.
• When I'm drunk I don't wobble or usually vomit these days; it's like I'm on auto pilot and going through a bipolar episode.
• And my hangovers usually don't include sickness or headaches; just very depressed and melancholy.

And I don't enjoy it as much. But I don't want to tell my friends my plans; I want to just have a couple and chillax without them noticing.

I can do this. I have a strong mind. I can do anything I set my mind to. I've lost 25kg. I've developed a far more emotional awareness (though not as of late).

..I hope I can, anyway.

[Drusilla]

Well, I come from an alcoholic family as well, on both sides. I do drink socially, usually when I go out with friends, which happens once every few months. I'll have one or two and stop, because I'm the one who has to drive. I also take medications that should keep me from drinking at all, but oh well.

I've never had a hangover, even when I used to drink heavily. Lucky genes, I guess. I do regret some things that I did while drunk, but it's all in the past now.

[DarkestLight]

You want a discussion, I'll give you a discussion.

I have undergone a drinking Renaissance. All before I was 21, I never had a single drink. After that faithful number was achieved, I drank so hard and so much I'm positive I've had some irreversible damage done to my body. I'm thankful for this extreme metabolism I have, that's possibly what saves me every time I go out. But to go through your post and be completely constructive..

Why do you guys that drink to intoxication like alcohol and the drunkeness? What do your hangovers entail? Do you ever have much regret? Why is society so accepting, and Saturday night's designed for it, of getting shitfaced?

I do it now because I like it. I used to do it to fit in because I felt I was so completely last in society-always having older friends, watching them do it, trying to understand what it felt like. Nowadays, I know what I like to drink (So I'm not downing everclear -.-) and how much to drink of it, so its a good refreshing sensation that leaves me buzzed after I know I've enjoyed a night out dancing or at a show or whatever the case may be.

I've never had a hangover. I never will. I've come to accept that and its great I never have regret because even when there are nights where I don't make it home, I wake up with a story to tell. Im usually passed out on a train-or outside my apartment door, or somewhere, with all my belonging and a few pieces of paper with notes scribbled on them that I wrote chronocalizing things that happened to me that led me to this spot.

Society is known for being a partyish lifestyle on the weekend because of the standardized work week, and the stresses that are implemented at work that then send off messages to "go get a drink after work". For college kids and twenty somethings, this is further ingrained by the media and movies we see that exemplify this. Wild parties, awesome things happening, we are taught this, and so we do this so we can have said things happen to us. That's how I see it. Saturday is the perfect day since usually there's no work on Sunday.

And how about some of you here that remain sober? What are your reasons for this? Have you had a history with getting drunk before? What made you quit?

I did quit drinking for a year and a half, and that was because it was getting completely out of hand. It is expensive, yes, that is aggravating-especially for me since I don't drink beer. 5 mix drinks is like 50 damn dollars here in NYC. Couple that with trying to finally get my shit together in real life, get good job, pay off loans, and I knew that being drunk every day wasn't gong to help me or my girl's life.

Shazza-I'd recommend these few points-they helped me out a bunch to control-limit and in the end enjoy drinking with full awareness of what I'm doing.

1) Stay away from margaritas. They have the most calories I ever seen. I'm not a calorie counter, but I just happened to glance at a menu and saw that a Bahama Mama has like 290, and a damn lime margarita has like 550. That kinda shocked me.

2) Change your outlook. Now, I'm not quite sure why you feel melancholy when you wake up the next morning, could be your liver just pushing out that toxic fluid and your body is too tired to really function, but I'd say just note the few good things you can and that'll snowball into being a better day. Even if you just roll out of bed and go "Sweet. I'm alive, and I am gonna take a shit, which'll be awesome."

I dunno. I found making that positive attitude helps with any crappy morning.

As for the socializing aspect, I understand that totally. Was really hard at first to not drink before speaking. Water works just as well as a drink when you start talking to people.

But in all honestly, I do hope you'll continue to strive for what you really want to accomplish by doing this - and possibly then be able to control your drinking amounts-and use them as a bonus to you enjoying your night, rather than the necessity of your night.

Once you set your limits, you're right, you can do anything. Good luck n_n!

[Unbraced]

You can do it.

Watching this guy might help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYxJ9...next=1&index=9

3:51 if you want to skip the other stuff.

[Heald]

I started drinking when I was 13. Of course it is normal in the UK for most teens to have at least gotten drunk by the time they are 15-16. But by 13 I was drinking beer, bitter, lager, ale. I am particularly an ale man. Between 5-13, I would occasionally be given a sip of beer or wine. I guess that someone thought that would promote responsible drinking 'the European way'. However, being a full-blooded Scot, I took to alcohol like a bear to honey.

From about 14 onwards, I would spend two or three nights a week with a couple of friends chilling in some field or park or whatever getting shit-faced off some ill-gotten beers (either purloined from one of our parents' stocks, bought with fake ID or at a shop that never bothered to check ID). I did it because it was fun. I did it because I was bored. We eventually upgraded to pubs and bars that never checked our IDs until we did eventually turn 18. 18 was kind of a turning point for me: I honestly thought that alcohol would lose its charm; it wasn't illegal any more, there wasn't really a thrill. But anyway I carried on drinking, and the fact I could now get it far more easily probably helped increase my weekly intake (when I had a medical when joining university, the doctor asked what my usual alcohol unit intake was (a pint of beer is like 2 units). I told him about 10 units. He asked 'Per week?' and I laughed, 'Err, per day actually'. He wasn't impressed). I only ever get shit-faced in social settings, and only when my buddies are getting shit-faced with me. I see no charm in getting shit-faced for the sake of it.

Beer has probably affected my weight in one way or another, although I'm usually doing a couple of sports that helps offset the effects, but yeah, beer sucks if you're planning on losing weight. I staved off beer for a month for health purposes and replaced it with more calorie friendly drinks such as gin.

I've been gradually replacing the beer in my life with weed. Probably of all the times I'm not 'sober' nowadays, 60% of the time it's because of alcohol, 40% because of drugs. I find its a good balance, and as long as you can control the munchies, weed can be the weight-loss alternative to alcohol.

Hangovers are a reason I don't drink as heavily any more. I have a lot going on in my life and a hangover leads to a wasted day the next day, and these days I cannot afford to lose a single day. It isn't worth it. It's not that hangovers make me feel terrible (although depending on the poison the night before, they can) but they just make me so lethargic that I can't be bothered to do anything.

I don't see drinking as a vice and I don't think I have a problem. At the end of the day, it's my body and my life, and if I was told if I carried on drinking, I'd be dead by 70 but I'd live until I was a hundred if I stopped outright, I'd rather carry on. It's fun, I enjoy the taste and feeling and frankly beer is part of my life.

[Unbraced]

I started drinking when I was 13. Of course it is normal in the UK for most teens to have at least gotten drunk by the time they are 15-16. But by 13 I was drinking beer, bitter, lager, ale. I am particularly an ale man. Between 5-13, I would occasionally be given a sip of beer or wine. I guess that someone thought that would promote responsible drinking 'the European way'. However, being a full-blooded Scot, I took to alcohol like a bear to honey.

From about 14 onwards, I would spend two or three nights a week with a couple of friends chilling in some field or park or whatever getting shit-faced off some ill-gotten beers (either purloined from one of our parents' stocks, bought with fake ID or at a shop that never bothered to check ID). I did it because it was fun. I did it because I was bored. We eventually upgraded to pubs and bars that never checked our IDs until we did eventually turn 18. 18 was kind of a turning point for me: I honestly thought that alcohol would lose its charm; it wasn't illegal any more, there wasn't really a thrill. But anyway I carried on drinking, and the fact I could now get it far more easily probably helped increase my weekly intake (when I had a medical when joining university, the doctor asked what my usual alcohol unit intake was (a pint of beer is like 2 units). I told him about 10 units. He asked 'Per week?' and I laughed, 'Err, per day actually'. He wasn't impressed). I only ever get shit-faced in social settings, and only when my buddies are getting shit-faced with me. I see no charm in getting shit-faced for the sake of it.

Beer has probably affected my weight in one way or another, although I'm usually doing a couple of sports that helps offset the effects, but yeah, beer sucks if you're planning on losing weight. I staved off beer for a month for health purposes and replaced it with more calorie friendly drinks such as gin.

I've been gradually replacing the beer in my life with weed. Probably of all the times I'm not 'sober' nowadays, 60% of the time it's because of alcohol, 40% because of drugs. I find its a good balance, and as long as you can control the munchies, weed can be the weight-loss alternative to alcohol.

Hangovers are a reason I don't drink as heavily any more. I have a lot going on in my life and a hangover leads to a wasted day the next day, and these days I cannot afford to lose a single day. It isn't worth it. It's not that hangovers make me feel terrible (although depending on the poison the night before, they can) but they just make me so lethargic that I can't be bothered to do anything.

I don't see drinking as a vice and I don't think I have a problem. At the end of the day, it's my body and my life, and if I was told if I carried on drinking, I'd be dead by 70 but I'd live until I was a hundred if I stopped outright, I'd rather carry on. It's fun, I enjoy the taste and feeling and frankly beer is part of my life.

...

Dude, I don't now if the UK is just messed up or If i'm living in the eye of a drinking hurricane, but GET SOME HELP!

[MToolen]

Well, I've never touched alcohol. It just doesn't entice me. Being married in a small town as a full-time student, I don't really go out and party and never really have. I know people that do and, yeah, the stories are funny, but I am perfectly fine without that in my life.

My dad used to drink but stopped about the time I was born. He also switched from the Catholic Church to being Baptist about the same time, which may have had something to do with that. I've been told that both sides of my family have a hereditary addictive personality and I've seen that in my life from time to time and I know I can push myself past it.

Money is, frankly, a good reason for me not to drink (or smoke or any number of things) and I'm also quite content with hiding behind that excuse. I enjoy knowing that I'm provided for and that I have what I can control under control. I don't look down on those that party and drink because, as Heald said, that's their choice. And being sober is my choice.

Shaz, I wish you luck in quitting or toning it down, but only if that's what you want to do. In any outcome, I hope you find some means of joy.

[Telume]

I never drank, never found a reason to. And you'd think the deaths of my aunt and uncle who I was really close to would throw me into depression and force me into drinking. Nope, not even that. I guess I just have the will power whereas other people fail. Aside from 1 sip of Jack Daniels my friend invited me to, I've never really touched alcohol.

Why? Simple: Aside from when you're partying, what reason is there to touch alcohol? None, I just don't see the appeal and the taste doesn't help any it just makes me want to stay further away from it. Does this mean I won't ever drink? Probably not, but, I've not yet gotten myself shit-faced or anything nor do I find myself dependent on it.

The key to quitting is simple: If you really want to do it, then use that as your motivator and find some support (which I guess you've done in TPM). But, you also need extreme will power and mental fortitude. It boils down to how much you really want to do it and there are going to be times where you're really tempted but, that's part of the process. You just gotta find a way to keep it going and most importantly DON'T GIVE UP.

[Asilynne]

"Dude this isnt livejournal!"

Haha jk. Anyway to answer your discussion, I have alcoholic drinks on occasion, but Im not really a drinker. I, like Will, waited until I was 21 to drink, and when I did it just kinda seemed like "whats the big deal". Though its fun to have one sometimes when going out with friends to get a bit tipsy and giggly, largely I think I dont make it a regular habit, or binge drink til I cant remember jack shit because of the following reasons:

1) I dont like not being in control of myself, and I dont like the idea of not knowing what I did the night before. Part of this is because I dont want to make a fool of myself but also I dont want to be taken advantage of in any kind of way. I have something to lose and I dont want to lose it and not remember it, or to someone non-deserving, and getting drunk til I black out is not the way to protect that.

2) Alcohol tastes like shit. This is why when I do have a drink, Im a pussy and usually order some fruity or chocolaty girly drink to disguise the taste, and if not then I just have a glass of wine (because I do like the artistic way of pairing wines with food ^v^)

3) I am a cheap date. Translation: it doesnt take much alcohol for me to get dizzy and borderline drunk. One glass of wine will do it, 2 pussy drinks, and even less if I havent had anything to eat. I have a high metabolism, but a very low tolerance lol. When I drink on an empty stomach even half of a mudslide will start to make me dizzy (I know, its really sad). I once had a shot of tequila and was pleasently tipsy the rest of the night. (Tipsy= dizzy/fuzzy, when you turn your head the world spins, drunk=holes in memory, sick to stomach and/or throwing up, in my definitions)

4)I am a nerd. And so are a lot of my friends, I probably still wouldnt be a drinker if I had friends that were (my sisters are definately drinkers but I can hang out with them and not splurge), but I think the people you hang out with tend to influence what you do for fun, or you hang out with people that like to do the same things as you, but whichever way it works, if your best friends dont drink it makes it easier not to if you arent very interested in heavy drinking anyway.

All in all I think it comes down to I dont feel the compulsion to drink. Ive also got far more important things to do with my life than waste money/time/brain cells on heavy drinking, and I have a lot of other hobbies whether they be social or solitary that take precedence over drinking. A night of heavy drinking really doesnt feel as good as say playing soccer, or Sushi night with friends, or karaoke, or reading/drawing/seeing movies/doing college work the list goes on.

Reguardless of your reasonings for wanting to tone down the drinking, if your friends start noticing your not drinking as much and try to pressure you to drink more you will have to tell them. True friends will support you in your choices, especially if they are bettering yourself. My dad used to drink a lot before I was born, but one time he was in the hospital drying out, and the doctor told him if he kept going the way he was, he was going to die within the year. During this time, of all the 'friends' my dad had, none of them came to visit him in the hospital, the only one who did was his boss who my dad thought was a total asshole, and it turned out he was a better friend than all the dumbasses he went drinking with, because he cared to see my dad get better. Not dissing your friends, just you shouldnt be afraid to tell the people that should be supporting you what you want to do to make your life better.

Good luck!!

[Jeff]

I never drank before I was 21 and by the time I reached that age, like others, figured what's the point. I just haven't drank since then either. I also went to three weddings last year and didn't have a sip of alcohol at any of them, not even a champagne toast, for various reasons though.

At the first wedding, I sat next to a woman who was already a bit tipsy, and she took my champagne glass from me saying "I think you're a little too young for this". Me and both of my parents told her I was 24, so she gave it back, putting it right between our spots on the table. She ended up drinking all of her champagne before the toast though, and grabbed my glass to do the toasting, probably without realizing it was mine. Of course she proceeded to drink all of that too. The second wedding was dry, and the third was my sister's, and my parents couldn't afford a champagne toast for everyone.

So yeah, never had a drink in my life.

[ChobiChibi]

Unbraced, I don't think you should generalize the UK like that, since I too am a Brit and have hardly touched the stuff in my life

In all honesty, I've probably only had a tiny sip of Malibu and a shot of some lovely fruity cocktail that a German barman made us in Bavaria. Honestly, I think I acted a little tipsy afterwards due to the fact I was like "Ooh I'm drinking alcohol teehee", but probably wasn't anywhere near intoxication.

I don't see the appeal of alcohol at all. I do just fine without it. I used to get really uncomfortable with people drinking around me, mostly because they wouldn't understand why I don't want to drink, or try and force it on me, but luckily I have good friends that eventually learnt not to hassle me and that it's my own choice. Heh, sometimes when we're out, people think I actually am drunk, when truthfully I'm just having fun.

My bf used to be one of those people that tried to force it on me, but thankfully was one of the first to realise how headstrong I was about it. He even stopped drinking for a while, but it didn't last. I don't mind it when he drinks, in fact, he's hilarious. Last night he came back to mine completely smashed and decided to spray himself in my deodorant without shaking it first, so was covered in little white flakes. He also tells the truth a lot whilst drunk... lol...

Part of my dislike of alcohol comes from my dad. I remember him stopping drinking when I was really young because he was diagnosed with depression, I guess. I dunno, mum always told us he was "poorly". But when I was 16, he started drinking again, really heavily. I can't stand it. It obviously clashes with his medication and he becomes an absolute prick when drunk. Just before I went to uni, he didn't have the money to pay for his medication, so instead decided to get wasted. I mentioned something about money which made him flip. He wouldn't talk to my mum for 2 days and refused to be in the house when she was. On the first night, he sat outside for ages and started a fire in the garden with white spirit to keep warm. The second night he trashed our house, including throwing a bookcase down the stairs. He got sent to hospital by the police, he discharged himself and the police arrested him. He was sorry at the time, but what really bugs me is the fact that he hasn't learnt from it at all. We live in a pub, which makes it so easy for him to drink and I hate watching him do it. I'm not gonna be surprised if he dies quite young if I'm honest, and sometimes I genuinely think I hate him.

So yeah... Drinking in moderation and not forcing it on people I don't mind... But getting wasted every day when you're not mentally fit to be able to handle the alcohol, I don't like... Sorry to be depressing ._.

[Magmar]

I love drinking, but I usually don't get drunk. I mean, I'd say 80% of the time I'm stoned and 20% buzzed from booze, when I'm fucked up. I don't really "munch" and in fact despite the fact that due to rotten genetics I'm balding at 23 -_-;; I still maintain a healthy social life and a pretty healthy body. It's all about taking care of yourself and knowing your limits. I may get retardedly stoned but I don't get retardedly drunk, and I don't smoke cigarettes at all.

[Unbraced]

Unbraced, I don't think you should generalize the UK like that, since I too am a Brit and have hardly touched the stuff in my life

I know,stereotypes are wrong. And plus, you brits are too full of tea to get drunk.

edit: 400th post

[Oslo]

I come from a small town and take my word for this: there is absolutely nothing else to do there but drink and get high. If it weren't for substance abuse, I probably would have drowned myself at the conservation authority. And yeah, nowadays I still drink to get drunk, but I'm smart enough to know my limits and don't get myself into sticky situations. My brother had to get his stomach pumped a couple of years ago and my friend was roofied a few months back, so I'm always conscious of the potential dangers and consequences when I go out.

To be honest, the whole clubbing experience does lose a bit of its shininess after a while. There's only so many times I can go to the same bar and dance for three or four hours to Top 40 dance mixes before it feels a little repetitive. Nonetheless, I'll admit that I can't stand people who get judgy about those who drink, especially because, in my experience, many of the haughty folks haven't really tried it themselves.

And fortunately I don't get hangovers. I went out with some friends just last night and my housemate got all kind of icky, though. I had to run out and buy him some Pepto at Shoppers this morning.

As for your goal, shazza, I absolutely respect why you'd want to give that whole scene up. Good luck. Fingers crossed and if you succeed I'll have a celebratory shot moment of reflection for you.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I can empathize with Heald, as Belgium is also a beer country. Drinking age is 16 here, but it's also an 'adolescent-sport' to get shitfaced at the age of 14. So lots of teens are already introduced to alcohol when they're just starting puberty. Drinking is a social habit here just as well as anywhere, and we have a very vivid pub-life in belgium aswell.
We get drunk on friday and saturday evenings, mostly shitfaced. The other days are casual drinks after work, school, etc. Weekend is mostly party or dancing, week is mostly pubs.

Also:

I come from a small town and take my word for this: there is absolutely nothing else to do there but drink and get high. If it weren't for substance abuse, I probably would have drowned myself at the conservation authority.

On the topic of weed, though. Indeed my weight has gone down from smoking and it's lovely to combine alcohol and weed with friends. The biggest problem is that weed can further expand the negative thoughts that shazza was talking about. It just strenghtens your emotions, even if it's bad ones (had to quit smoking for half a year because I went overboard, really overboard). Weed can be very dangerous when let out of control, so learn to limit if you're not sure how much you can handle.

So in general, I'll never stop drinking. Though I'm always the drive and can't drink that much, I like the taste of alcohol and the times I spend when consuming alcohol, since it's mostly with mates, collegues or family.

[Dark Scizor]

Edit: Essay concept.

I started drinking at the age of 11 when I went to my first few house parties. People start early in the UK, we started even earlier, the funniest thing was that my friend who had these parties, his parents' encouraged it...God knows why.

Along with regular house parties in the following years, we also had this local disco held at the grounds of a local Rugby club every few weeks for an Under-18 night. Between the ages of 12-15, it was clubbing before you were able to go clubbing, everyone from Year 8-11 would just make shit-mixes from booze stolen from cabinets and the like, pre-drink and get up to all sorts of stuff. Hell, the woods nearby were just a great excuse for underage sex and whatever else. This was eventually stopped because we had some kids from schools from the city (we were in the countryside) who'd come along and try to start something...they'd get their arses kicked and when all the fighting started becoming a regular thing, the night was abandoned. House parties continued in full though.

First time I went out to a club was at the age of 15, the club is notorious for letting in people who look underage, but getting in at 15 was just funny. Where I live, you end up changing regular haunts as you get older, so when I was 16-17, I regulared another club on Thursday evenings (as opposed to Saturdays) as that was the best night. I eventually added the club people tend to start going to at the age of 17+ on Saturdays when I reached that age, occasionaly visiting the first club for shits and giggles...or if certain friends wanted to go. Greatest thing was that I never got ID'd for a club until just after I turned 18.

Nowadays at the grand old age of 21, I don't drink as much as I used to, partly because I'm kinda bored of it to be honest. I still drink on nights out because it does enhance things, but I went through the academic year of 2008/9 without drinking, so I can do without, but I am less inclined to go clubbing when I do so...though I still had a great time when I went out and people thought I was taking pills haha.

I drink because it just makes things fun, I've never gotten shitfaced to the point where I can not remember a night or end up burdening someone else. I do get ridiculously drunk, but I've never had any problems with handling my drink. Even when binge drinking something like 4 treble JD/cokes, 4 double vodka/energies, random shots like absinthe and whatever else, I don't end the night completely out of control...hopefully I have not jinxed myself by saying that. I only really drink spirits because they are lower on calories than beer, which I'll only really drink in a pub on occasion.

Hangovers aren't terrible after my year of abstinence, but I can not handle anywhere near as much as I used to be able to in terms of volume of nights that I can do in a week. When I was 15-18, 3-4 nights out in a week would not have been a huge problem, nowadays, a night out means that I have to write off the next day, which is probably the worst thing about it all. The hangovers I have are not usually awful as I'll drink a litre of water before I sleep on most nights, though I do sometimes end up with some degree of the standard, dry mouth, headache, and stomach reflux on occasion, of which reflux can feel the worst if food and drink do not settle the next day. I have had days where I've drunk unholy amounts and woken up fine, and other nights where I'll drink an average amount and feel pretty bad in the morning. The hangovers may not be bad, but like I said, I'll have to write of the next day, which can be simply because a slight hangover makes me feel exhausted and lazy.

I don't usually regret things I do on nights out, because I accept that it is a part of alcohol consumption and it's just funny to laugh about it the next day, obviously I'll think to myself that I was a complete dick to someone or should have acted differently when chatting to someone, but I get over it quickly. I don't drink for the sake of drinking though. I may have a casual drink every so often, but more often than not, alcohol is reserved mainly for nights out. I can't do or see the point in what a lot of people do and drink a single pint or two when hanging out with others.

Apart from the year I took away from the sauce, and disregarding hangovers, money is another reason I do not drink as much these days. If I am at home, it's £5-10 for a taxi to down, £5-10 back, then around £30-40 on drinks. It's slightly cheaper at uni, but I'm still spending £30ish a night. There are better ways to spend my money, like on better food, luxuries, or saving for big things like holidays.

Another factor is sports and keeping fit. Like I said with a hangover, I have to write the following day off, this means one less day of training. When this adds up, it can make me a lot less competitive in terms of ability and drive.

Drinking isn't a necessary part of life. It definitely enhances things when needed, but it is one thing many people can live without for a multitude of reasons. I enjoy it, but I don't need it and it loses some of its charm after 10 years. If someone doesn't want to drink, it isn't a big deal. If people can't accept that, then leave them to it, chances are that drinking is still a new thing to them and they don't realise how routine it can become with time. This was especially prevelant in people who I met at uni who have only started clubbing at the age of 18.

If you're going to quit, don't talk about too much. People who do that often fail. Just do it. The year I quit, I didn't plan on stopping until I was about 2 months in to not drinking and thought I'd continue the trend. Obviously you should plan out the reasons and benefits, but don't go too deep.

Oh, I thought I might add that I think drinking games are totally gay. What's the point in prolonging the inevitable on a night out with a boring as shit game? If you're going to ruin yourself, just get it over and done with. When people at uni insist on playing games, I don't really take part, or I won't drink when asked. I like to do things in my own time.

[abunaidesu]

The first time I ever tasted alcohol was on my sixth birthday.

I am turning 21 in two months and the excitement that used to stem from the proximity to my 21st birthday dwindled a while ago. I will definitely be relieved because I will finally be able to purchase wine for cooking, but I don't really care for it besides that. I've never had issues obtaining alcohol while underaged, so perhaps this fact is the major contributor to the dissuasion of my excitement? Oh well.

And don't get me wrong, I still love getting hammered and doing stupid shit once in a while, I just don't go out of my way to make it happen as often as possible.

[shazza]

Well, you guys are giving a brief history with alcohol so I shall do the same.

My mother and father have had a pretty extensive history with alcohol. My mother never considered herself an alcoholic, and at the time I believed her and did not put no such label on her. I don't know much of my mother's past, and I want to learn more, but I can imagine she abused alcohol quite often in her younger years. As she raised me, while she did not drink as much quantity and as frequently as my dad, she was quite a lightweight and used alcohol as an outlet to vent her frustration with life. She was not happy having moved from Melbourne to a country town; nor was she happy with the situation she was in. She was notorious at inability to walk and passing out, and as I reflect, it is very sad indeed.

My father drinks every night, and gets tipsy at most; it's his normality at night. But, for him, it is his way to be more relaxed, more creative. I might have developed this from him? Who knows. Either way, in all my 21 years of life, I can count on one hand where he wasn't drinking. In May 2007, he decided to try and lay off the drink as the doctors warned of his liver. However, a week later my Grandfather -- his father -- passed away and that was a relapse.

My first instance was alcohol was when I was two years old. According to tales, my mother had left her glass of champagne in a place where I could reach it. And, without having prior no ability to sip out of a glass, I sculled the glass and passed out for about 16 hours.

As I grew up my mum would give me sips of alcohol ocassionally. During the 1997 AFL Grand Final, when I was 8, my mum said that if St Kilda win I can have a can of beer; they lost, but I got it anyway!

I didn't start drinking, and essentially binge drinking according to my limits (which increased as I did it more), when I was 16. I wrote in my diary a few days before I started that I don't want to get addicted, abuse it all the time etc. Well, soon enough I was drinking every weekend to intoxication. And having not much experience, a 6 pack would suffice.

As I grew, so did my limits. I enjoyed being able to outdrink people; it gave me an ego boost and satisfaction to begin outdrinking those that started before me. It was probably because I lost weight. In September 2007, before a Bullet for my Valentine concert, I drank a bottle of 700ml Jack Daniels in 50 minutes. I reached alcohol poisoning and passed out, having vomited and did not make it to the concert. In early 2008 when I was losing weight, I was getting drunk off much less. But as my weight stabalised, I returned to my previous limits and probably improved, if anything.

So with the drinking age being 18, backyard parties and the excitement of it turned into the standard pubs, and though I was doing it quite often, it was never the same as underage drinking. The novelty wore off, but it was becoming the automatic thing to do on weekends, especially around most of my friends. As I lost weight and got more attention, it was such a confidence booster. My height of confidence was probably from August 2008 - February 2009.

Last winter I was getting the depressive hangovers, too. So I do think it has something to do with Winter Blues and alcohol just further depleting my serotonin. Just this February, my friends and I played 100 shots in 100 minutes/Centrion. Nobody else got there except me; everyone else vomited. I liked that feeling, yet in the long run, that is excessive and egostitical pride over things that matter not in the long run. I like the competitive feeling to outdrink someone. That's half the problem! I drink so much because I like to prove I can drink so much. And awareness is half the battle.

Knowing my history, as well as my own parents background, and now the depressive hangovers and the desire to be healthy give me a great incentive to do this. I will.

[Crystal Mew]

I don't drink, and honestly I'm perfectly happy. I don't even desire alcohol and like someone said earlier, once you pass the age of 21 its no longer that cool.

I dunno, I just dont want to have something control me like alcohol controls people, or how they are addicted to it. no thanks.

[Magmar]

I like the competitive feeling to outdrink someone. That's half the problem! I drink so much because I like to prove I can drink so much.

You know, I was the same way in like 2008-early 2009 when I was living at my old apt. I had a roommate who was known for being able to drink more than anyone but my best friend at the time, and I felt that I had to drink as much as they did to be as cool as they were. Nevertheless I was able to hold my liquor as well as they could, but I'm sure all that binge drinking was gonna take its toll. My grades were kind of shitty that spring (two Withdraws, a C-, and a C+) and I think all the drinking had to do with it. My mind was always distracted and I was so obsessed with losing weight that I didn't really eat that semester, either. I was working out 'til I was exhausted and not eating, then getting drunk off one or two glasses of Franzia. I got skinny and looked really good, but I didn't feel good.

Nowadays I can only drink about half as much as I could before. Once I get buzzed, my arm doesn't want my hand to bring the bottle of beer to my lips. Nowadays if I drink with friends, it's no more than, say, 3 beers in 2 hours. I'll get buzzed or even a little drunk, but I'll cut myself off automatically. It's like not only did I learn my limit, my body won't let me exceed that limit even if I want to. It's the same with weed, I'll think "I could get more stoned" but I'll look at the pipe and know that I have no desire to hit it. I know when to stop sipping on coffee so I don't get overcaffeinated.

I even know how much of foods I'm allergic to that I can ingest before I get sick. I'm allergic to chocolate and if I eat chocolate, I know I can have, say, a small bite of a truffle, or 5-6 M&M's, and won't get sick.

It's all a matter of experience. I like to taste and test, then move on. I've been shitfaced enough times to know it's a bad idea. I've puked enough times to know not to drink that much. It gets shitty when I put on weight and get buzzed and think, "I'll vom if I have a couple more drinks, then puke out all the calories yes!" When I started thinking that regularly, I knew I had to quit drinking for a while... and so I did, until I felt mature enough to conquer those thoughts.

I also had to train myself to NOT munch while high. My boo said, "Does it tastes better than skinny feels?" When she said that, it fucked me up without her knowing it. (She still doesn't know.)

So yeah, that year sucked. What did I learn from it? I know if I eat a light breakfast and dinner, I can eat a package of Reese's pieces and not gain weight. I know that power-walking to and from work and school can take the place of cardio exercise on off-gym days; I don't have to starve myself on days when I don't work out because exercise doesn't have to be intense every single time.

tl;dr--Drinking accentuates eating disorders, which guys also have.

[PancaKe]

I used to binge drink heaps.

I didn't touch alcohol until about a month away from my 17th birthday. I binged for about two years. Now I only drink occasionally, and I'll only have a few if I'm out. It's expensive and mostly, when I'm hanging out with friends at house parties or out other places, noone in my friends really drinks.

We listen to music and dance, the boys play music and jam, we watch movies, play video games and board games, go to the beach at night, go on late night Maccas or kebab runs, build forts etc. We just don't mix alcohol with it.


Why did I stop drinking heaps?
- Changed friends mostly. Drifted away from the high school friends that encouraged me to drink. Bronzie and I broke up, and he was the one to introduce me to alcohol. Started hanging out with solid Christian friends, and started going out with Soong. Different environment.

- It's expensive and I just have better things to do with my money

- When I look back ; only bad things happened while I was drunk. It's how a lot of friendships were ruined/changed, (Spoiler:) it's how my sexual purity was taken (and I don't think it was by choice...all i know is that if i wasn't drunk nothing wouldn't have happened), things wouldn't get broken or stolen, I wouldnt randomly hook up with people, etc.

That is all

[Zak]

I'll start by just answering the questions in the form of the old fashioned PCG polls:

Why do you guys that drink to intoxication like alcohol and the drunkeness?

I actually never drank until I was 18 (a couple months before 19 anyway), and the first time I did was actually during the first weekend of my nine-month Israel trip. Before then I was really shy and introverted and never believed what they said about alcohol boosting confidence. Before then I had also never had ANY kind of drug and the whole idea of an altered state of consciousness seemed weird to me.
I pretty much did every weekend on that trip (it was convenient being legal there), and overtime I became more outgoing even when I'm sober. Though whether or not alcohol helped that is arguable, it was kind of the living situation as well. But now four years later it's hardly a contrast for me anymore.
I've never ever drank out of depression, I've only ever used alcohol for social events like parties or hangouts. It's kind of cool because of that year off I turned 21 a lot before most of my friends in college, but I don't like going to bars. Mostly because I spend more money than I should there (yeah, insert Jew joke here), but also because it's nowhere near as fun as social gatherings or dance parties where most people are my age.

What do your hangovers entail?

They're pretty bad, but I almost never throw up. It happens on the average of twice a year. Though oddly I've never thrown up from being sick or having a stomach virus in my life (except when I was 5), which is why it was kind of scary when it happened the first time from alcohol. Usually just a lot of pain, but I sleep through them.

Do you ever have much regret?

Hah... well there are actually a lot of funny embarrassing stories involving me and alcohol but I'm good about holding it. Lately I keep it to the minimum amount of alcohol for me to be able to dance (which is something I admit I absolutely cannot do sober).

Why is society so accepting, and Saturday night's designed for it, of getting shitfaced?

The only reason I can think of which only sort of answers the question, is, well, it's one thing that's been accepted by society for centuries. There's some things society accepts now that it didn't a century ago, and some things that it didn't accept only a decade ago the it does now... but of course in some countries society would reject it.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

We Finns love beer too, but I myself don't consider it attractive.

It's true, I have tasted alcohol only 5 times in my life or so. Once I drank a whole glass of punch and felt very tired on the day after. I don't know if it was hangover or was it because I stayed late in the party.

[Katie]

I only socially drink, mostly at parties but occasionally at bars. At parties girls get in free (woo!) and usually I know at least a good handful of the people there so I'm comfortable getting pretty hammered without much worry. I drink because I'm a lot more friendly when I'm buzzed, and doubles beer pong acts as a great ice breaker with people I don't know yet.

It's purely a college-aged phase, and I'm sure I'll never be an alcoholic like a few in my family. I can't imagine drinking alone, because even sitting down with a beer (or in my case, a cider or other bitch drink) with a friend or two around the TV is just an odd activity for me.

I can count on one hand the number of times I was truly shitfaced, the worst being just last weekend. Looking back on it it makes a good story, I'm still trying to figure out where the mardi gras beads came from and where my other shoe went, but being hospitalized by your boyfriend and friends is just awful and I feel so guilty for scaring them like that. Not to mention I owe my parents money for the bill.

As for hangovers, I don't get them too often. When I do it's purely nausea and never headaches for some reason.

[Kurosakura]

As with some others, I'm going to answer this PCG-style.

Why do you guys that drink to intoxication like alcohol and the drunkeness? I don't drink.

What do your hangovers entail? Do you ever have much regret? I have never gotten a legitimate hangover, but I do sort of regret taking that one sip of champagne, since I can't say I've never done anything illegal, but that's rather petty and it doesn't bother me much.

Why is society so accepting, and Saturday night's designed for it, of getting shitfaced? I would say that it's partially because of the work week and partially because of the media. Some people like to unwind with a beer or something, and that's fine. Before the legal drinking age, it's apparently great to get smashed and not get caught doing so, if not only for shits and giggles.

And how about some of you here that remain sober? What are your reasons for this? Have you had a history with getting drunk before? What made you quit? I'm sober because I'm honestly afraid of what I'd do if/when I'm drunk. I'm a bit of a social recluse, mostly because I can hardly get out of the house, since my parents watch over whatever I do like hawks (pretty sad considering I'm almost 18). I grew up with them nagging me not to do drugs, and they scare the living daylights out of me, so I'm a good girl most of the time.

I have a very small build, and it's easier for women to get drunk than men, so my alcohol tolerance is probably very low. On New Year's Eve one year, I was 14, and my dad let me have a sip of his champagne. I woke up the next day with a slight headache. I'm not sure if it was because of lack of sleep or my sinuses, but I was afraid of what would happen if I drank an entire glass.

Another reason why I choose to remain sober is because of the cast parties I've been to on the last day of our musical productions. It's held at a different cast member's home every year, and I'm kind of repulsed seeing them do stupid things while drunk. I find it stupid watching them have drinking contests, so I normally walk away from them. The cast is divided into smaller cliques (as with most things), and my friends in the particular clique I'm in don't drink and probably won't for a while.

[RedStarWarrior]

I've been drunk quite a few times, but I'm typically in control. The only time I wasn't in control is when I blacked out...but apparently I was the life of the parties (I made appearances at three that I know of...).

I have no real desires to drink. I enjoy it from time to time, but it's not something I even think about. It just depends on my mood as to whether I want to drink alcohol.

BTW, having just graduated from college, I can tell you that the majority of people that I know get drunk on Thursday (Thirsty Thursday) rather than Friday or Saturday.

Lastly, I've never had a hangover, but no one believes me. *shrugs*