[Closed] Do we depend on alcohol to much?

Another person I know used to bring two bottles of wine into work to help him through the day?

Help him through the day? 😯

I thought I drank too much but that's mental!

A lot seems to depend on where you work/what you do. I work in the marine industry and there is far too much drinking once away from the "dry" environments. What is considered normal would probably be considered alcoholism by some.

My social life does revolve around drinking, not sure why it just always has. Not particularly proud of it and I am serious considering going teetotal.

no and no, I drink very little these days, very rarely get drunk, I can't face the after effects and don't enjoy myself any more. it always makes me laugh when I'm with people who are though, they are never as funny as they think!

Do I depend on it? No

Does my social life revolve around it? Harder to say. Fact is, pubs are a great place to meet folk and chat.

Why do some folk seem to rely on it? It's a drug that gives you a skewed perception of reality, whether that's short term or long term. For people that find their reality unfulfilling or unrewarding or just downright uncomfortable it gives them the chance to escape it for a while.

I enjoy a drink. From time to time when under stress I've noticed I'm drinking too much which is a warning sign to ba k off. Do I depend on it, no.

scotroutes - Member
Why do some folk seem to rely on it? It's a drug that gives you a skewed perception of reality, whether that's short term or long term. For people that find their reality unfulfilling or unrewarding or just downright uncomfortable it gives them the chance to escape it for a while.

Some folk just enjoy it, with neither (IMO) any harm nor for it to be hiding some psychological issue.

Would anyone here admit they drink too much or depend on it?

[quote=cynic-al ]
Some folk just enjoy it, with neither (IMO) any harm nor for it to be hiding some psychological issue.
Would anyone here admit they drink too much or depend on it?
Absolutely. As you know, I enjoy the occasional beer, cider, whisky or wine, but the OP was asking why some folk depend on it, not whether or not some folk enjoy it. There's a bit of a difference?

We've had a few folk on here pop up and admit to being alcoholics.

Would anyone here admit they drink too much or depend on it?

I drink too much. I would be a lot richer and fitter if I didn't drink.

I don't depend on it though.

I used to drink a lot, but stopped when the kids were born - babies and alcohol are not a good combo for many reasons.

And yes, it is depressing how many people seem to rely on it to have fun. There seems to have been a step change since I was younger. We had a drink whilst doing something else which may have led to us getting a bit drunk (usually surrounding some sporting event - hockey & climbing back in the day). It seem that getting 'hammered' is the reason for drinking now.

So far my 15 & 16 year old lads have absolutely no interest in alcohol at all. Eldest went to a party with 30 from his 6th form last night - pizza and coke only and he had a great night.

Limit my intake to a couple of glasses of wine or a couple of nice beers, once or twice a week - I can't cope with the after effects any more.

I only drink after 6pm. Stop at 10. Or when I feel merry. Ive never 'got' the all day sessions. It just seems sad/alcoholic.

mmm ice cold Stella!

Do I depend on drink? Nope, never have, never will. I like a bevvy as much as the next man though, but hangovers well keep me in check, I'll never be an alcoholic because of that!

UK social culture all but revolves around drink though. It's really just a case of deciding how much you want to be involved in that, for me it's now and again.

Btw the guy with 2 bottles of wine to help him through the day, he's just an alcoholic. no two ways about that. That's not normal.

I've always had a certain attitude, since I was a teenager, to drink and drugs, which has been to "suffer the comedown", that way I'll never get addicted. 20 years on seems to have worked well.

Ex-army and I no doubt a lot of forces socials revolve around drinking but I don't think it's any worse than civvy street, in fact seen a lot worse. If anything it's an age thing with younger people drinking more than required be it to gain confidence, prove how awesome they aren't or just plain stupidity.
Most people grow out of it no doubt helped by the realisation that hangovers take longer to recovery and you no longer have time to spend a morning praying to the porcelain gods.

hm, difficult one. truth be told I enjoy a drink - many varieties. Would like to think I can limit the intake but it's probably higher than advisable. Don't go properly 'out' much, but recent week has seen that reversed - and it's been lovely -- variety of company..

Dependent? probably not. Drink almost out of habit - quite possibly.

It's a rare occasion that sees me having a drink before the sun's over the yardarm.

I appreciate a drink as much as the next bloke but it seems that most things revolve around having a drink.

I know of people that finish work and then do four or five cans of Stella every evening.

I also find that if your not in the click and drinking all the time then people look at you differently as though you are a bit weird!

We've had a few folk on here pop up and admit to being alcoholics

Probably a very small number compared to those who drink too much but don't think that's a problem or those that subscribe to the popular notion of "eatings cheating", "you are gay if you don't drink", "real men can hold their drink" etc etc.
There is so much socially acceptable machismo and bravado surrounding alcohol, several hundred years of indifference prevents any real change in those attitudes about the 'British disease'.

I love booze (real beer/wine/rum/calvados/cognac/port) but for me it's all about the quality/flavour and the social side, I don't really understand the getting shitfaced/can't walk/repeating yourself side of things, I mean how is that fun? It's funny for those watching you piss your pants and vomit on the carpet but even that loses it's attraction after a while.

Used to be an all-night drinker on weekends with my mates about a decade ago. Never dependant on it but if we didn't get drunk the night seemed wasted sometimes. As we all grew up, kids, mortgage etc we all naturally cut down to a few drinks when we did manage to get out together.

I had to stop drinking just over two years ago after two concussions/head traumas. Was given the all-clear by the docs last year and just haven't bothered to start up again. Don't miss it at all. I don't go out in town on the weekends anymore purely due to the amount of people that go out just to get drunk, not going to stop their fun as I've been there but not the type of atmosphere I enjoy anymore.

Some of my friends do me me laugh when they say they rarely drink anymore despite the numerous wine bottles in the recycling bin! One goes through two-three bottle every week but always says she hardly touches the stuff!!

I know of people that finish work and then do four or five cans of Stella every evening.

Now although that is not healthy and it is quite fattening, it's hardly a waking up in a pool of piss and vomit,break your marriage up,lose your job and end up on the streets level of drinking is it?

One goes through two-three bottle every week

I'm getting worried now.

So between 10 and 15 small glasses of wine a week is excessive, about 2 glasses a wine per day? Even the Italians and Spanish wouldn't think that was a lot!

I wonder what is considered "excessive" by the majority? Nobody I know would say that was excessive.

The (made-up) UK maximum guidelines are 21/14 units (M/F) and 21 units = 21 wee (125ml) glasses of win, no?

It's a shame the guidelines were made up, it makes them meaningless IMO.

FYI That's 12.5 units so 3x the government recommendation per day.
(No comment on that limit or if it's good/bad)

I see Scotland has it's own section on the NHS website called 'Scotland and drinking' 😆
Except it's no laughing matter when you read the stats [url= http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1741 ]http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1741[/url]

I wouldn't call 3 bottles a week excessive either! It's more that people don't seem to count the odd glass or two (usually big 250ml+) at home as 'drinking'! I never drank when at home alone as it was far too easy to polish off a few too many without realising, much more sociable to go to the pub and have your drinking limited by spending most of my time talking to people.

[quote=MrSmith ]Scotland has it's own [s]section on the[/s] NHS website
because the NHS in Scotland is, and always has been, completely separate from the NHS in EnglandandWales

Scary numbers though!

cynic-al - you are quoting figures that you know were made up and meaningless!

MrSmith - You seem to agree they are pretty hopeless "guidelines".

Does anyone really thin that 2 small glasses of wine per day will do any real harm to the average individual?

3 bottles of red wine is about 30 units? Spread over a week, that's just over 4 per day

The government advises that people should not regularly drink more than the lower risk guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol for men

So - not much over a "meaningless" guideline.

The government advises that people should not regularly drink more than the lower risk guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol for men

Why? On what basis? The guidelines were plucked out of thin air a few years ago.

This is the same government that most people on here do not trust at all.

Also, a great deal of effect/harm/fun people have from alcohol varies from each individual. Body mass being the most obvious one.

winston_dog - Member
cynic-al - you are quoting figures that you know were made up and meaningless!

I am - I'm not holding any store by them though, but what other guidance is there?

Aren't they based on the same sort of science that gave us "5 a day"?

but what other guidance is there?

None that I know off. This is part of the problem.

I would suggest that the vast majority of people who are "drinkers" will exceed that. Whatever a "drinker" might be!

Aren't they based on the same sort of [s]science[/s] guess work that gave us "5 a day"?

FTFY! 🙂

I drink frequently ( four or five times a week), but a maximum of 2 pints on each occasion. By two pints, I'm relaxed, can feel the effect & don't actually want any more.

Had the 'pleasure' of go to a birthday party in a cricket club last night, sat there drinking diet coke ice & lemon whist all around various degrees of alcoholic annoyances were making their presence felt as they were obviously the funniest people ever to walk the earth.

Afterwards, we went to our local ( small place sat in the middle of nowhere and actually 6 miles from where we live), where I sat with a pint in my hand chatting to various other people of all ages & it was lovely.
I suspect I fall into the category of a social drinker - Can't do with being in the company of loads of p**s heads.

MrSmith - You seem to agree they are pretty hopeless "guidelines".

No. I made no comment on their accuracy at all.

scotroutes - Member
Aren't they based on the same sort of science that gave us "5 a day"?

No idea - it was reported in the last few years that the UK guidelines were made up and not based on any research.

A few minutes on google shows UK is not that strict - about 2/3 the way down the table vs other countries. I couldn't see any guidelines on the WHO site.

I drink frequently ( four or five times a week), but a maximum of 2 pints on each occasion.

I wish I could do that. I can honestly say, if I am in a pub with good beer than the chances of me stopping at 2 pints are zero!

Besides, if you nurse a pint, after about 30mins it's pretty warm and flat. Not sure how you go about making 2 pints last even a couple of hours, nvermind longer.

[quote=cynic-al ]scotroutes - Member

Aren't they based on the same sort of science that gave us "5 a day"?

The (made-up) UK maximum guidelines are 21/14 units (M/F) and 21 units = 21 wee (125ml) glasses of win, no?

No. Herein lies the problem with "units."

A 125ml glass of wine is, by my back-of-an-envelope reckoning, 1.6 units. So your 21 units there is 34.

Plus, who drinks 125ml glasses of wine? I've just measured my "small" wine glasses and a full glass is 200ml. That makes a glass of wine 2.6 units; now suddenly your 'safe' 21 units is actually 54.

That's why I worked it out based on bottles 🙂

http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/understand-your-drinking/unit-calculator

scotroutes - Member
cynic-al » scotroutes - Member
Aren't they based on the same sort of science that gave us "5 a day"?

No idea - it was reported in the last few years that the UK guidelines were made up and not based on any research.
Exactly my point.

Ah. Mine too. You cold have made it a little less opaquely.

Wow Cougar, you turned my 125mm glass into a 200ml one to prove me wrong.

Great point scoring!

125ml glasses were fairly std when I started drinking, I appreciate that things may have moved on, and that I may have my maths wrong, but then the std advice was 1 125mm wine glass = 1 unit, 1 pint = 2 units.

Great point scoring!

Oh, jog on. I'm not "point scoring," don't flatter yourself.

The point I was making is, it's very easy to underestimate how much you're drinking if you're telling yourself "glass of wine, that's one unit" when you're pouring your own glasses at home.

the std advice was 1 125mm wine glass = 1 unit

Your advice, standard or otherwise, is wrong.

[quote=cynic-al ]
125ml glasses were fairly std when I started drinking, I appreciate that things may have moved on, and that I may have my maths wrong, but then the std advice was 1 125mm wine glass = 1 unit, 1 pint = 2 units.
I recall that was the case too. I think it was about the time that it was considered OK to 2 pints of beer and still drive.

I think it was about the time that it was considered OK to 2 pints of beer and still drive.

Still is in some places and it's still legal.

Oh, the other half of that equation,

1 pint = 2 units.

Assuming a beer of about 3.5%, yes. If you're sinking wifebeater then a pint checks in at 3.4 units. Six pints of Stella in a night and you've just hit your weekly 'allowance'.

The "guidelines" are given as an indication of what may be a "safe" level of alchohol intake. They are not really relevant to the OP who is asking "why" people drink; why drink a couple of glasses of wine? why get hammered at the weekend? Irrespective of any guidelines, why do we require alchohol to "have a good time".
Before I had to give up alchohol I'd never have used all those "quotation marks" 😆

Neither me nor my OH drink at home, there is zero booze in the house. Will have the odd bottle with a curry or something and drink when invited for nights out / social occasions (where I admit I do get fairly sloshed)

Why do I drink - on a night out I find it a good laugh to get a pretty much out of my face with my friends, obviously tone it down if it is a social thing...

In my honest opinion, if you drink more than a bottle of beer of a glass of wine with a meal at night you need to look at things and ask why - if it is because you genuinely like the drink then fair enough, if it is because you like the effect (which I suspect is many) then that isn't great, is it?

I have a friend who's gf drinks 3-4 drinks a night, he is on the edge of leaving her due to her personality change.

My OH's dad is a full on alcoholic, I see first hand what it does to him, his family (my oh's mum left him partly because of it) and those around him.

He has a well paid job, yet couldn't even buy cheap Christmas presents and is totally stone broke.

He started off drinking 1/2 a bottle of wine a night.... then a full one.... then.... who knows how much, took 25 years to develop into what will now end his life.

Take a look at yourselves - if you think you might drink too much, or you feel you 'need' a drink, you probably have issues.

This is an interesting one for me; I have grown up in a family of big drinkers, and used to drink a lot (every day) in my younger days when I first moved out of home and lived in town. To be honest it is only now that I am in my thirties, am a lot more into biking and other activities, and have recognised it as a problem that I have actively cut this right back.
I do not usually drink at home now, and I go for quite a while without a drink, but my issue is that once I have had a few I have a strange compulsion to drink to excess. I can't really explain it, just seems like a great idea at the time. I end up in a mess, make an idiot of myself, and can remember nothing the next day (I am never nasty though, always just stupid). This has been an issue on many occasions, but I never thought of myself as an alcoholic, and strongly denied being anything like several other members of my family, who are true alcoholics. However, I have come to realise that it is alcoholism, but in a different form. I'm not in control when I drink, so it is an issue, and is therefore something I now avoid. I still know a lot of people who go out a drink a lot purely to get drunk; I avoid putting myself in situations where I know I will get carried away and drink to a level I will regret. I will have a couple, but leave it there, so I avoid that point at which I am no longer in control.

There are also people I know who would not class themselves as alcoholics, but as merely 'drinkers', who polish off at least one (usually two) bottles of wine each a night. That to me is a problem, but as they are used to drinking such large amounts they don't feel the effect that most people would from two bottles of wine, so I guess they think nothing of it. It just seems to be a big thing in my family, and as I think somebody else said, you are looked at as being weird if you're not drinking. Sad really...

I feel like I have just confessed my sins to a group of strangers....and it actually feels good! Thanks for asking the question; a difficult but interesting topic.

Yes, some people relate dependancy with excess but even having just one or two to have a good time leads to depending on having that one or two to have that good time. Or, having a glass or two to relax at home; you're actually depending on that glass or two to relax. Dependancy is not dependant on excess.

Yes, some people relate dependancy with excess but even haing just one or two to have a good time leads to depending on having that one or two to have that good time. Or, having a glass or two to relax at home; you're actually depending on that glass or two to relax. Dependancy is not dependant on excess.

I agree with that though one is a real problem while the other not so much.

You could say many people are dependent upon alcohol to have a good time in a pub, club etc, but most only spend a day a week or less there, so the impact and likelihood of long term problems are reduced.

Having a dependency for that glass or two to relax is the issue - that means every night after work. - What happens when its is 3 or 4 glasses because 1 or 2 doesn't make you feel relaxed anymore? Slippery slope...

A discussion I have been involved with once before likened drinking to religion; it was suggested that it is human mental frailties that lead to the need in a lot of people for some kind of prop/support whether that be religion, alchohol, drugs, adrenaline sport, or a mixture. Some people are predisposed to relying on external crutches to support mental frailities. Also, boredom can play a big part in someone pouring a drink, lighting up, tucking into the chocolate.
I guess that if you are able to manage it, fine. If not, as you say, it's the slippery slope...

In aggregate - YES

It's a real problem. (But one small glass of chilled white is going well with the fish at lunchtime - end of veggie week, temporarily?)

I love a good beer (or 5, but only rarely). But I've always made a point of having time off drinking, so it doesn't get to be too much of a habit.

The Scotsman today:

HEALTH Secretary Alex Neil has claimed that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is to blame for the drink culture in Scotland.

Wey hey!!!

Can't remember the last time I had a drink......... Oh wait, a ginger beer on Xmas eve!

Not sure I could contemplate an evening in without at least one glass of wine, it just wouldn't seem civilised.

Not sure I could contemplate an evening in without at least one glass of wine, it just wouldn't seem civilised.

If you really think about it, alcohol is one of the least civilised things about modern society...

I rarely drink nowadays but do enjoy a good session every now and again. My sister drinks 2 bottles of wine a night and claims she cannot sleep without it. She insists she ia not an alcoholic 🙁

I also find that if your not in the click and drinking all the time then people look at you differently as though you are a bit weird!

I get this at work, one colleague even sneered at me when I said (in December) that I'd not had a drink since my holiday at the start of September. The same one's that go to great lengths to explain how bad a snickers bar is for me.
Love a Duvel or a neat Whiskey but I never go out of my way to get a drink.

If you really think about it, alcohol is one of the least civilised things about modern society...

depends what you think of eg British lad culture then I can see what you mean, but French glass of wine with the family meal, then no, seems very civilised to me....

"A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine"
NB Breakfast excepted of course and pork scratchings does not constitute a meal 🙂
and it's too much.

Don't think I could survive without my counsellor Auntie Stella on a Friday night, she's always got the answer at the bottom of a pint glass.

Don't drink at home and don't drink to excess on a regular basis, but yes in order to have a really good time alcohol generally has to be involved in none sporting activities.

Socially I think a lot of people are dependent on it in the UK - drinking, and particular getting drunk is a very strong social norm

i.e. the widely held view that you can't have a good time without a drink - and in particular getting drunk (ie too much drink).

Fundamentally that's unhealthy... and I suspect the damage this causes is far more widespread that a lot of people realise (except those who work in GP surgeries and A&E...)

I once got vair, vair drunk in New orleans and got lost bimbling around the French Quarter, the worst place i ever got drunk was in Madagascar, nearly fell of the jetty near where our ship was moored, another time got shit faced in Oslo and managed to blag my way into someones house party, they arranged for one of their mates to drive me back to the ship, lovely folks the Nogs !
I finally grew up and no longer drink, i do not regret a thing and have some fantastic memories.
I genuinely hope my Lad has a more responsible attitude than I did !!

I can happily not drink but will have a beer at home (330ml) most nights.

However, where we live, there's pretty much zero public transport and taxis are expensive. My wife isn't a big fan of driving in the dark so I often drive home after a night out; that means zero alcohol in a bar or strictly one bottle of beer with a meal.

If / when we do go out, I think I'm often ready for bed before the drinkers. I'm not too sure why - I guess its the altered perceptions thing...

I gave up drinking a while ago now and can honestly say that I don't miss it at all. I can still go out and socialise, but I don't wake up feeling rubbish and my fitness has improved a lot in that time. I've also lost, and kept off, a lot of excess weight. I can't begin to think of how much money I've saved by not drinking, but it's a lot.

When I was younger its was generaly the rule we drank until the money ran out which was Friday knocking on the door of the local for them to open up at 7pm.
Town Saturday afternoon into early morning.
Sunday back in the local.

I was young it was good fun and you met ladies of course 😀

At the grand age of 42 I'll have a bottle a beer if I go to the movies with my other half. And if we are out on a walk or with my mate on a ride may have a couple of pints and that's it.

I very rarely drink these days at Christmas I'll buy a bottle of JD and will drink that (a couple of large one's a night) until it runs out I know I love the stuff and it could be dodgy if I caried on like that but hence why I limit myself to 1 bottle a year.

I can understand why people can do a bottle a night of red between them and there other halfs but it becomes habit forming very quickly so we don't do it.

Can't remember the last time I had a drink......... Oh wait, a ginger beer on Xmas eve!

You must be thirsty.

makecoldplayhistory - Member
If / when we do go out, I think I'm often ready for bed before the drinkers. I'm not too sure why - I guess its the altered perceptions thing...

The booze keeps them going, and makes them boring!

I have made an effort to cut out drinking at home, especially beer as I tend to get through it quite easily if its in.

I have however developed a fondness for a single malt through winter. I don't see a glass of whisky (2 fingers) as a problem once or twice a week, in fact I enjoy the experience much more.

I will however drink when out at friends houses or the pub.

In all I think I am slowly cutting down my feelings of need when it comes to alcohol.

I like a drink but can take it or leave it, it certainly isn't the basis of a good night out for me. I don't drink enough to get drunk, haven't been drunk in nearly 10 years. For these reasons I am happy to drive on nights out. Every time though, without fail, people say to me "Do you not want to drink and have a good time?" It grates me every time.

When my Dad had his 60th birthday a few years ago he paid around £100 for one of his friends to travel there and back by taxi so he could have a drink. Very generous of him but seemed wrong to me that that is the value someone would place on a friend being able to drink

Not sure I could contemplate an evening in without at least one glass of wine.

Does that not scare you a little? You seriously think it's weird staying at home on a night and not drinking alcohol? 😯

Every time though, without fail, people say to me "Do you not want to drink and have a good time?" It grates me every time.

I know! I have waaaay more fun on a night out than most people I know who drink. I might have one or two maximum but most of the time I'm not fussed and will drive instead and drink cola.

People who [b]have[/b] to drink to have fun tend to be the more miserable ones in my experience.....