Probably been done a million times before: Your thoughts on ALCOHOL!

[LuckyClover95]

Just wondering. Do you drink alcohol, or not? If you don't, why not? If you do, is it a casual drink or do you get drunk? Do you only drink socially? Funny drunken stories please as well. What do you drink? When did you start, and for the youngsters like me are you of legal age to yet?
I'm just curious because as a teenager (16) alcohol, while not being a MASSIVE DEAL is quite a big thing. I like parties with alcohol, and I like having people to acquire it through (am I allowed to talk about illegal things on here?). I will admit, even though I know some Escapist members consider it and uncouth and unclassy activity, I like to get drunk with my friends. However, while I see the appeal of having a beer on my own, I do not feel the need to get drunk alone. I drink vooodka, cheapy Tesco value vodka with coke. And, even though I'm not a regular smoker, I like smoking when drinking (unless I'm so wasted I burn myself or something).
ANYHOO, your thoughts please.

 

[SilentCom]

There was a previous post with a poll regarding alcohol. I don't drink because I simply don't like to drink.

 

[Dragonasclaws]

I've often wondered why one chooses to smoke or drink personally. I made the choice not to early on because I've never felt the need to slowly poison myself to death(I know it seems harsh to put it that way but that's how I've always viewed it). Alcohol only causes health problems so why do it?

 

[twistedmic]

I don't drink, I've never even felt the desire to do so. Part of the reason is that I have a strong history of alcohol abuse in my family. The other part of it is that I hate the smell of alcohol, it's almost sickening to me.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I drink socially and I drink to enjoy the taste.

I've never been one to get rat-arsed for the sake of it, I think that is stupid and irresponsible.

However, nothing beats a good pint of Guinness while sitting in a nice pub with a great group of friends.

 

[revenge6000]

I drink, mostly beer. And I smoke a pipe. Both things are bad for you, but so is everything else fun. Everyone's got a few things in life that they choose to roll the dice on, I think.

 

[Aetera]

I'm 23, first of all, so it's all legal for me. That said, I drink and smoke simply because I enjoy it. I'm not a heavy drinker, but I might have a drink or two with dinner, and I drink when with my friends. I might make myself a Jack and Coke when I feel like having one, too. The meds that I take make it so that I can't have more than 1-3 drinks anyway.

It's not really a big deal to me either way. I suspect that it's that way for most people over the legal age.

 

[Justin Gooch]

I've often wondered why one chooses to smoke or drink personally. I made the choice not to early on because I've never felt the need to slowly poison myself to death(I know it seems harsh to put it that way but that's how I've always viewed it). Alcohol only causes health problems so why do it?

I do drink at times, but with the Alcohol only causes health problems, it's actually been proven that at least a cup a day of red wine is actually very healthy for a person. so no, alcohol does not only cause health problems.

 

[Dragonasclaws]

I've often wondered why one chooses to smoke or drink personally. I made the choice not to early on because I've never felt the need to slowly poison myself to death(I know it seems harsh to put it that way but that's how I've always viewed it). Alcohol only causes health problems so why do it?

I do drink at times, but with the Alcohol only causes health problems, it's actually been proven that at least a cup a day of red wine is actually very healthy for a person. so no, alcohol does not only cause health problems.

A single glass of red wine might just be very healthy, however that is a very small portion of the entire spectrum of alcohol. I was addressing the entire spectrum as a whole and am not up for splitting hairs.

 

[Legion]

I drink very, very rarely, but overall I dislike it.

The only time alcohol doesn't annoy me is if I have been drinking it. I am not meaning that in a hypocritical "Only I should be allowed to drink", I mean that when sober I dislike being around anybody who has been drinking, but if I have had any alcohol, they don't annoy me as much.

 

[Thyunda]

I've often wondered why one chooses to smoke or drink personally. I made the choice not to early on because I've never felt the need to slowly poison myself to death(I know it seems harsh to put it that way but that's how I've always viewed it). Alcohol only causes health problems so why do it?

I do drink at times, but with the Alcohol only causes health problems, it's actually been proven that at least a cup a day of red wine is actually very healthy for a person. so no, alcohol does not only cause health problems.

A single glass of red wine might just be very healthy, however that is a very small portion of the entire spectrum of alcohol. I was addressing the entire spectrum as a whole and am not up for splitting hairs.

Alcohol helps me to lose my uptight-ness and lets me relax a bit better. Sometimes I like to do without my constant pessimism, so I get a few bottles of my favourite cider, and some good friends, and drink till I stop worrying about shit and actually learn to enjoy myself.

 

[Valksy]

Having a personality that is prone to depression and compulsive and self destructive behaviour, I developed something of a problem with alcohol in my mid 20s and had to stop. Collapsing drunk alone in my own living room was a message, doing it twice was a step too far. Having the sense to see a problem and stop it probably saved me.

I often question that decision.

 

[Chalacachaca]

I've been regulary drinking (See, in a responsible manner, most of the time) since I was like 16 I think, my first beer was when I was 11, partly because I come from a family with strong ties with beer itself (My mother's dad worked in a pretty big brewing company).
I drink for many reasons, if I'm at a pub and I'm thristy I'm not gonna order a glass of water. I drink with my buddies and with my family, if I'm at a baseball game (I rarely go to them, I don't like sports) I'll drink beer there too with my family.
If I'm with my friends, I drink other stuff like vodka or whisky, depending of my mood I'll drink a healthy amount or just half a bottle or the entire bottle of whisky so everyone can join me and blister some barnacles.

So I do it mostly for fun, and even if I'm really drunk, I try to behave, I've never puked on public or destroyed something accidentaly, although I pull some pranks though.

 

[Aunva]

I don't drink because I can't stand the taste of it. I also don't understand why people get completely wasted, don't remember a thing and claim it was a good night. I understand the concept of a nice cold beer on a hot summers day, that I can get behind, I have nothing against people drink as long as they don't force their ideas of drinking at me (as people have done)

 

[Dyp100]

I do drink, and I do it because it's...Well relaxing. I feel like wound up and like I can enjoy myself easier. Though my contrast become my normal grumpy self and slightly-less grumpy self normally annoys people. Maybe because it's not what they expect from me.

 

[The Funslinger]

Just wondering. Do you drink alcohol, or not? If you don't, why not? If you do, is it a casual drink or do you get drunk? Do you only drink socially? Funny drunken stories please as well. What do you drink? When did you start, and for the youngsters like me are you of legal age to yet?
I'm just curious because as a teenager (16) alcohol, while not being a MASSIVE DEAL is quite a big thing. I like parties with alcohol, and I like having people to acquire it through (am I allowed to talk about illegal things on here?). I will admit, even though I know some Escapist members consider it and uncouth and unclassy activity, I like to get drunk with my friends. However, while I see the appeal of having a beer on my own, I do not feel the need to get drunk alone. I drink vooodka, cheapy Tesco value vodka with coke. And, even though I'm not a regular smoker, I like smoking when drinking (unless I'm so wasted I burn myself or something).
ANYHOO, your thoughts please.

I'm going to quote, then answer each point. ('cause I'm nice like that!)

Yes, I do drink alcohol. I have mixed reasons, for instance, I like beer as a drink. I also like incredibly raw stuff in the same way people go out of their way to eat inexplicably sour stuff and be all like XD!!!!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!

I don't just drink to get drunk, unless that's the thing with a group of friends (I'm 16, too), but I tend to have good self control. I've recently gotten into the idea of actual parties, not just drinking with a couple of mates at a time, or drinking socially on family occasions. Anyway, your favorite part:

Spoiler: funny story time

So me and some friends went camping. And by camping, I mean trespassing. (I was vaguely aware that was the probability.) So it was quickly darkening, so we put up the tents and whatnot. I had brought a powerade bottle full of slough gin that had fermented for a few years, and was the only one that could handle more than the odd swig, and ended up having damn near the whole thing. I also had some rum and vodka. So about two thirds into my bottle of gin, I was given a can of boddington's.

I was desensitized by the rawness of the gin, and downed the whole can (it was the first time I'd had bitter, too) at this point, I was persuaded to go and help steal a boat. Four of us went, me and another guy mostly went to watch from across the river, waiting for the inevitable cock up. It didn't happen and the rowing boat made it safely to our campsite (but by that point, everyone else had cooked and eaten all the food.) So about twenty minutes later, we saw torch beams flashing over the hilltop. (Our chain of thought: Police station closes at ten, it's about 2 in the morning. We're trespassing. These are probably farmers, probably with shotguns. They will probably shoot at least one of us (this is Yorkshire, after all) LEG IT) In about thirty seconds, the torch beams would reach our campsite, and the fire was already a beacon.

We hared off into the darkness. By unspoken consent, we split into groups of three, or four. The group I was in (including the guy who I'd sat with to watch the boat get brought across the river) ran down to the stretch of river. Unfortunately, it was dark and I was by far the drunkest. I didn't see the ledge, and don't remember falling. I was knocked out on the rocks, but got up after about thirty seconds, due to adrenaline. We made it to the stepping stones. I made my way across as quickly as I dared, hoping for one of those sobering up moments you hear about in these situations. It didn't come, but I was very aware that if I fell in, the splash would alert the farmers. We made it across, and hid behind a drystone wall. We waited. We saw one of the other groups get caught. It was (I kid you not) quite seriously the plan to wait for the first gunshot, and then run. It didn't come. The torch lights disappeared back over the hill. We phoned one of the two guys who had been caught. It had been the police, after all. They'd taken the names of the two guys and let them off with a warning, and the promise to leave come morning (fortunately, they didn't see the boat, or the wooden pallets we'd stolen to burn, rather than cross the river repeatedly for wood. We regrouped (another group thought we'd been caught by farmers and were calling at gunpoint.) We regrouped, I finished my gin, and we went to bed (I slept on hard ground, got only an hour's sleep, was completely refreshed (but physically tired from the night's escapades) and no hangover, like always, bitches!)

spoilered for neatness!

 

[Gralian]

I drink when the opportunity arises, but i don't go out of my way to drink. If i'm out for a meal, i'll have beer or wine with it. If i'm at a party, i'll generally have quite a bit to drink if it's an all-nighter, simply because being drunk gives (to me at least) a wonderful, carefree sensation that also enables you to loosen up and be more sociable. There are one or two occasions where i will drink to drown my sorrows, but times like that are not often at all and only generally occurs when i'm having a spike of very heavy depression, usually over something specific, like something that's really on my mind or can't stop thinking about. I also drink for the flavour. I'll have a bottle of fine scotch, for example, that i won't get through in one night. It'll be by the sideboard for a month or so and i'll take small glasses of it, savouring the flavour as spirit is meant to be. (Spirit meaning liquor, whiskey, brandy etc. Stuff like vodka and gin notwithstanding of course). The fact you can get very tipsy very fast with spirit is more like a nice bonus to enhance the enjoyment. Bland beer and cheap wine is meant to be guzzled to get yourself drunk or to socialise. That's not to say i'm an alcoholic or that i personally drink a lot. Aside from me not going out of my way to pick up any booze from the local off-license, i recognise it's actually quite expensive, particularly if it's something you have often, much like smoking. (Though i don't have any desire to start smoking.)

 

[thelonewolf266]

I've often wondered why one chooses to smoke or drink personally. I made the choice not to early on because I've never felt the need to slowly poison myself to death(I know it seems harsh to put it that way but that's how I've always viewed it). Alcohol only causes health problems so why do it?

Alcohol doesn't cause health problems if you drink it in moderation.Anything can be a poison if you drink too much water you will harm yourself.My mum is a drug, alcohol and tobacco addictions nurse and she still drinks sometimes because some alcohol tastes nice and it can be fun to drink it socially there is nothing inherently wrong or evil about alcohol just some people abuse it like everything else.