To drink, or not to drink...

[relic_11]

Does any one besides me abstain from drinking alchohol, for any reason? I'm not tempted to start, but I'm looking for others 'cause I've been getting a lot of flak lately.

My reason is simply because I don't like the idea of it, and I loathe being around drunk people. For some reason, it creeps me out.

[Gunslinger]

I don't drink.





Mainly 'cuz I can't get any liquor.

[racinchikki]

If it's there, I'll drink it, but I don't go out looking for it. And actually, I don't particularly care for the taste of it. If there's a choice between, say, whiskey and Coca-Cola, I'll go for the pop almost every time.

[Fairy Princess Kitty]

I blame it all on my current boyfriend. Well, and my own common sense a little. I refuse to drink while I'm in the US, I don't trust myself and the guys I'm around enough to get buzzed with them and drinking by yourself serves no purpose at all, I'd rather drink coke. I would only drink when I went to Mexico and my cousins would take me out clubbing. Bad stuff ensued, so when I told my current boyfriend he made me promise not to drink. That's why I don't drink anymore.

Kitty

[andygirl]

I don't drink. I've never had more than a few sips of alcohol in my life. This causes me to get a lot of flack at college... drinking is quite big at Dartmouth. I just ignore it. Living in the sub free dorms helps alot, because I can easily avoid places where there's a lot of alcohol.

Although... it's worth mentioning that while I'm teased about it, I've yet to have people try to pressure me into drinking.

[relic_11]

Yeah, drinking is big at U of I too. I'm not really getting pressured, it's just that there's not much else to do, and I can't find anyone to do it with me. My dad thinks that because I'm not going to parties, I'm not "adjusting" to college. I belonged to a substance free club in high school, and one of my old friends from there is here, but I can't do anything with him because he mostly just goes to gay/lesbian clubs, and while I have no problem with that, I'm not gay or a lesbian and I have a wonderful fiance, so I don't need to look for guys either. I don't like parties, even if I don't drink, 'cause I hate crowds like that. I guess I'm just lonely and bored, and I've been kinda depressed lately. No reason why, I just get a little depressed for no reason sometimes. I'm just rambling, sorry.

Yeah, anyway, on with the thread...

[Jester]

I am definitely not a drinker. Whenever I go to parties, I'm always the "sober one," who just kind of sits there and watches everybody else get blasted. Fun. But, I'm still in HS, and while I don't plan to drink in College, I understand that the comparative pressures to drink aren't exactly the same.

Still, cast my vote in the "non-drinker" category. It's worth it in the end, I believe.

[relic_11]

I just realized, is "belonged" even a word? replace with "was a member of."

Belonged... sheesh.

[Easy Tokyo]

I don't drink much, and never buy anything to bring back to the apartment.

But if someone else wants beer with pizza or wine with pasta, I'll split a pitcher or a carafe. About half the time.

My neighbors are noisy drunks, though. Real alchoholics that sing drunkenly at 4am on the porch. So I know it's a drag, but it's not my problem. All my neighbors have different problems, none of them mine.

[relic_11]

Damnit! belonged IS a word! Stupid mid-terms, can't even think! Arrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!

[honkytonkwillie]

I quit drinking about two years ago. For lots of reasons I won't bother explaining. Fortunately, my health isn't one of them. Never got arrested either. Did plenty of stupid things though.

But the big reason I left my drinking life behind, I've got so much more to lose now than when I used to be a regular drinker.

Wife, kids, career, and the rest of my beautiful life.

To provide some context; I was trashed once or twice each weekend for about 12 years.

[dragonlady]

My teenages son, who has alcoholics on both sides of his family, tells people "I don't drink, it interferes with my sexual preformance." I just love the way his mind works!

[Geek Mecha]

I don't drink, either; I itch if I do. In the last two months or so, though, I've had a couple of drinks that were really good. They made me feel like crap the day after, but damn, feeling like crap was never more worth it.

[Fleejagoob]

I don't drink. I had "friends" in high school make it their goal to try and corrupt me. (Their words) This of course dealt with more than just alchohol... I am proud to say that they failed. It can be annoying to be around people who bother you all the time, though. It makes it hard to just hang out and relax with people. Ah well, that time's over. I've managed to find a decidedly different crowd in college, though practically my entire hall did regularly get drunk last year.

[Azargoth]

ahh...I drink alchohol..but I think you confuse drinking alchohol with getting falling down, hammered, drunk. That is fun once..until the next morning when your praying to what ever diety you believe in to make it stop. I have no problems having 4 or 5 beers every once in a while when at a social gathering, or drinking a beer with dinner, but I usually limit myself as to how much and how often I drink. I also enjoy going to parties and watching people who are drunk as it just gives you so much faith in humanity...The future fine upstanding members of America are running around trying to find someone to hold them up for Keg Stands!

[Typo Negative]

Originally posted by relic_11
, and I loathe being around drunk people. .

I used to be quite a heavy drinker, but haven't had a drop in a number of years. I used to think drunk people were funny. Since I've quit, I find them annoying as hell.

[Annie-Xmas]

I come from long lines of drop dead drunks on both sides. I gave up wine when my stomach got really bad; my younger sister gave up drinking when she was driving drunk, and in a car accident which left one arm paralyzed; and my brother gave up drinking when he ended up in the hospital with kidney and liver failure.

Oddly, I have an older sister who can drink moderately. I think she was switched at birth.

[Mauve Dog]

I'm another non-drinker. For one thing, I can't stand the way any alcohol tastes, much less smells. Even wine makes me gag.
For another, I was just never interested in 'getting a buzz' and certainly have no desire to find out what it's like to get drunk. Many of my family members were raging alcoholics (I say 'were' because most of them are now dead), and I have no desire to follow in their footsteps. Besides, alcohol is a depressant, and I get plenty depressed all on my own, thankyouverymuch.

[Guinastasia]

I'll have the occassional glass of wine, and my cousins always laugh at me, since they're serious drinkers. I mean, come on! I'm on medication, and besides, our aunt died of alcoholism.
Besides-I drank about two or three glasses of champagne the other night at my folks anniversary party. I was so tired I was swaying on my feet. Booze makes me sleepy. My mom's the same way-a glass of wine and I'm out like a light!

[Saint Zero]

Just so you don't feel alone, I don't drink either. Never have. Never touched it. I gag on Scope. I can't see drinking beer "for the taste" when it smells like crap.

I've never felt pressured by people who see "getting drunk" as the big thing to do on weekends. Just shows how much of a life they have; None.

Besides, messing with drunks is more fun when you're sober. :D

[Eve]

Well, I'm lucky, I have no choice—because of a medication I have to take, I am violently allergic to alcohol. Even food cooked in it or cough medicine with alcohol gives me food poisoning.

Now, heroin, on the other hand . . .

[Opengrave]

I don't drink now (45 days sober whohoo!) but I am a recovering alcoholic. I am just now starting to have days where I don't have cravings for it. Life without booze is just too wierd let me tell you. I guess when you live your life a certain way for 16 years it takes more that 45 days to learn to live it differently.

[Strainger]

I drink. I prefer import beers or microbrews. I avoid hard liquor because it tends to make me short of breath and splotchy-faced. I drink more to enjoy a tasty cold beer than to get a buzz, although I've been known to imbibe perhaps a little too excessively at times (not that I'd be any less psychotic if I stayed sober). That being said, I never encourage anyone to drink, nor do I give anyone flak for not drinking. Despite what the Vegas pictures may indicate, I consider myself too mature for that sort of thing. Besides, having a friend who doesn't drink is great because then you have a designated driver! ;) My point: Stick to your guns, relic.

Eve:Even food cooked in...alcohol gives me food poisoning.Really? Doesn't the alcohol evaporate? Does vanilla extract affect you this way? Pardon my ignorance here.

[Annie-Xmas]

Originally posted by Opengrave
I don't drink now (45 days sober whohoo!) but I am a recovering alcoholic. I am just now starting to have days where I don't have cravings for it. Life without booze is just too wierd let me tell you. I guess when you live your life a certain way for 16 years it takes more that 45 days to learn to live it differently.

I've been sober for 12 years, and I still have thoughts of "I wish I had a drink." It takes about a year of daily not drinking to get use to it. The most important thing in your life has to be staying sober. You get to the point where "What am I going to do without drinking" becomes
"Whatever I do, I'm not going to drink."

Keep on plugging, and good luck.

[Edwardina]

I don't drink. There are several overlapping reasons, all of which have been mentioned by previous non-drinking posters.

I never did drink much, and I hardly think about it except when I'm in a social situation where everyone else is drinking. Then, most of the time, I'm glad I don't!

[orion007]

I don't drink. I BETTER not, considering I'm kinda young for that, but I wouldn't anyway. The only time I've ever had any alcohol was New Years of 2000 and I almost threw up a lung when I tasted it. Learned my lesson, that's for sure.

[Necros]

I'm going to echo Azargoth here. I drink. I drink a lot, actually. But it's not a "let's drink to get a buzz" or "let's drink to get drunk." It's more of an adventure in tastes. I like the taste of alcohol. I collect alcohol. I'm a total champagne whore. But most of my friends drink one kind of beer, all the time, and drink to excess. What's the fun in that? No variety to me means no excitement.

It also gets on my nerves when people who don't drink get all high-and-mighty about drinking. I notice the same thing with ex-smokers. They get very self-righteous about their not-drinking. I'm not talking about anyone specifically in this thread, just generally. To me, a good rule of thumb would be: Drinking is no big deal. If you like it, do it. If not, don't. And we won't tell each other how to live.

Heroin, Eve? But no alcohol? Wow, darling, you've got class. :)

[Eve]

"Really? Doesn't the alcohol evaporate? Does vanilla extract affect you this way?"

—Yeah, you would think. But there's some chemical in it that I must be allergic to. Friends have tried to fox me by making chicken or cake cooked in alcohol and not telling me, and I am always sick as a pup the next day.

Necros—well, a girl has to have SOME adorable little vices . . .

[Bottle of Smoke]

I drank like a fish in college, but I'm older and wiser now.

I did the whole binge drinking thing every single weekend for my first couple years there. I eventually developed a ridiculously high tolerance, which was actually a bragging right where I went to school (UW - Eau Claire). I finally stopped when the whole routine just became a cycle of drinking, blackouts, and hangovers, and I didn't know why I was doing it every weekend. I'm sure I was having fun at the time, but I don't really recall much of it now.

I think the main reason I stopped is that, by happenstance, I was actually sober at a few parties later in college and I realized that all the drunk people were really annoying. It made we wonder if perhaps I was not as funny, attractive, and fun to be around as I felt when pounding back all those kegs of Hamms and Old Milwaukee. OK, I probably was, but everyone else was still just annoying.;)

I do drink beer still, but certainly not to get drunk. I just can't do another hangover. It's not worth it. I also got past my taste for really bad beer and have become something of a beer snob now. And the last thing I want to do after paying seven bucks for a six pack of a yummy microbrew is slam 'em down and not enjoy the taste.

[Moirai]

Opengrave- good for you. 45 days is a fuckin' miracle for most alcoholics. AnnieXmas- you rock.

I haven't had a drink in almost 10 years. Depending on who you ask, I was either really good at it, or really bad. I drank everyday, like a fish, to get drunk. Fuck the taste, I want the effect. It took a long time for me to feel ok without drinking. I drank every day for YEARS- I was not getting well in a week, a month, or a year.

I was born this way, but many people aren't. I'm not sure there is a great reason to get drunk ever, but drinking is fine if you're not an alcoholic. A little wine with dinner or a beer on a hot day is perfectly acceptable for most people.

Of course, that never worked for me. ;)

PS- opengrave, I want to see you on the board to celebrate your birthday! Don't blow it & stay close.

[Guinastasia]

Opengrave-MAJOR kudos.

I'm not preachy about not drinking, however, when people question why I don't, and act like I'm strange (it happens all the time), I get annoyed. I mean, hell alcoholism runs heavily on BOTH sides of my family-my grandmother's sister is a recovering alcoholic who does counseling for Al-Anon, I lost my favorite aunt who was also my godmother to it, and countless ancestors have died of it. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I'm on Ritalin and Paxil. With all that against me, I really don't want to tempt fate.
Plus, I hate being around my family members when they drink-as they always make me feel so alien, like some freak.

[LazarusLong42]

I don't drink, for several reasons (some of which have already been mentioned:

1) I can't stand the taste. This is, of course, the big one. My friends tell me to try wine coolers. I've tried them--I can taste the alcohol. Makes it taste just plain wrong.

2) My doctor tells me not to. I take two prescriptions drugs, one of which keeps me alive, the other of which keeps me from becoming depressed; both of these tell me not to drink alcohol with them.

3) I've been drunk, effectively, once. The medication above that keeps me alive is tegretol (carbamazepine), an anticonvulsant. I'm on it because I threw three grand mal seizures in one day, after which they gave me a gram of phenobarbitol. I was asleep for a good twelve hours, and completely loopy for a week or so after that.

Of course, all of that is hearsay, because except for little snippets I don't remember that week.

And therefore, I will never let myself be even close to drunk again.

4) Alcoholism's in my genes. Three grandparents, one parent. If I start... I don't want to worry about having to stop. Opengrave, Annie, EJsgirl--I congratulate all of you. I don't think I could ever do it.

LL

[Junior Spaceman]

I'd say it's a good idea not to drink for the hell of it, or because of peer pressure. You can have good times drinking, but it can also lead to pretty miserable after affects. I guess that applies to any body/mind altering chemicals.

As for my story, I've cut back to 2-3 drinks a week, as opposed to 4-6 drinks a day (for about the last six weeks), and I feel much better for it (despite having the flu twice in that time - but that's beside the point). I still crave it, though, and because there's a couple of people I'm around (through no choice of my own), who drink a lot and probably act like I used to when I'd been drinking, I'm trying to get it out of my system completely. It's not an easy thing to do.

At parties, if people are pressuring you to drink, you can make sure you have a non-alcoholic drink in your hand all the time, so you can answer 'I'm alright' when they offer you something, rather than giving them a challenge by saying 'No, I don't drink'. Drunk people will generally assume you're drinking alcohol anyway, and they'll leave you alone.

HenrySpencer

[Skribbler]

Man! I can't add much here. They're all excellent threads.

If you don't want to drink, then don't. If you chose to do so, then do it in moderation. Remember the laws and the consequences if you go beyond the limit.

I'll give you a few pros and cons here:

Reasons to drink:

1). Taste. Many different liquors have many different tastes from the fruity (brandy) to the bitter (dark ale) to the crappy (moonshine).

2). Health. A glass of wine a day is good for the heart and digestion. (A glass, not a bucket.)

3). Attitude. Drinking in moderation makes you feel good. A beer after work, a single mixed drink or a couple increases the feeling of pleasure and relaxation.

4). Increases sexual desire and function. A couple of glasses of wine or some mixed drinks loosen up the inhibitions and stimulates the sexual feelings. It also tends to allow one not to be distracted by anything other than one's partner. (Like environment, clutter, scents, noise and stuff like that.)

5). Loosens up inhibitions around others. That's why there are/were so many 4 cocktail business lunches where deals were made.

6). Tends to allow one to feel more friendly towards others, to 'loosen up,' to enjoy the environment more.

7). Encourages aggression. Makes you feel brave when you don't. Used a lot in business. Used also by shy people to meet members of the opposite sex.

8). Sleep aide. A drink helps one sleep.

9). Medicine. If sick, a couple of drinks, like a hot toddy, helps one feel better. A hot toddy is said to help cure a cold.

10). Depression. In moderation, it can cheer up one in mild depression.

11). Anxiety. In moderation, it can suppress anxiety.

Now, you want the bad things? I'm not sure I have enough room here.

Alcohol is a unique drug in that it has so many actions, far beyond any other drug available legally or not. It is the most widely used drug. It can be addicting to people who have a genetic tendency towards addiction. It can be psychologically addicting.

It can kill you if consumed for too long or in too large a quantity.

It can encourage violence, enhance depression to the point of suicide, make you black out and do things you don't recall, can encourage rape, can encourage you to act in ways you normally wouldn't, and can make you forget caution.

It can destroy brain cells, wreck the liver, the digestive system, the kidneys, the sexual function, the heart and make one prone to pneumonia-like diseases. The urge to drink can become an all encompassing drive that fills one's life. One can drink even if one doesn't want to, even if one pukes most of it up, even if being drunk wreck's ones life.

For an alcoholic, it is harder to get off of booze than cocaine or heroin. One addicted always strives for that original glow of well being, which, as one abuses the alcohol, lasts smaller and smaller periods of time.

Like most drug addicts, alcoholics can reach the stage where they'll stop taking care of themselves, become antisocial unless booze is present and would happily sleep on the streets after loosing everything because of being drunk all of the time.

Now, make your decision.

[relic_11]

HenerySpencer, Opengrave, AnnieXmas, EJsGirl, I'm proud of you, and everyone else.

I agree that a drink or two, in moderation, is good. I grew up having a sip of wine or port every once in a while and I love desert wines and Musktel (sp?), but I don't like beer or hard liquer. So the social situations I have the chance to be in aren't really for me.

And getting drunk and drunk people still creep me out.

[Freudian Slit]

I don't drink...and, er, don't laugh at me I never have. I feel like I'm the only one in this goddamned school who doesn't. Everyone talks about how they got "so bombed the other night"...u know, and I feel really idiotic when I don't...I just don't see how I could, for one thing, what w/ parents. maybe things will be different in college, when i'm on my own- plus I don't really have the urge to vomit up the contents of my stomach and wake up with une "tete du bois." I'm really small. I think the effects of alcohol on my body would be adverse. Well, that's all.

[Eo Echo]

To start with, I'm twentysomething, single, and play in a rock band--of course I drink. But only to excess.

I'm also the son of two alcoholics who were the children of four other alcoholics, so on and so forth. My entire family drinks, and I've had only sixteen completely sober days since 1994. Is that bad? I don't think so. Do I have a drinking problem? Possibly, I'm not sure. I'm what the 12 step people call "functional."

Now excuse me whilst I fetch another horse piss--I mean, another Budweiser.

[StompyGodzilla]

I enjoy drinking, particularly deep, complex red wine. And cold beer on a hot day, but only good European beer -- US beer is like water with a slight buzz. But I go through phases with it. When I'm on one of my super-healthy kicks, I go totally off both drinking and coffee.

I don't mind drunk people if I'm drunk. Sober, I can't stand them.

Stompy

[wring]

I drink, rarely, but I do. Don't like being drunk, so don't do that.

My experiences about drinking or not drinking:

When I was married to the recovering alcoholic, he seemed to make it a real point of honor "go ahead, you can have a drink if you want, really...." He never could seem to understand that it wasn't about HIM, sometimes, I just didn't WANT one. AND when I'd get one, he'd always want to "smell" it.... geez. Reason # 321,999,989, 384 we're divorced...

Amongst drinkers, they, too don't seem to understand the concept of "no, thanks, I'd rather not".

Back in my collegiate days, nobody made a fuss if you simply passed the joint w/o partaking. always wondered why it was different for passing up a drink.

[Moirai]

-short hijack-

wring- he was in recovery but wanted to smell your drink? Not to be mean, but I bet that didn't last long... :(

You are probably better off now (in fact, I'm almost sure of it, being an alcoholic! We're a real pain in the ass when we drink or crave the smell of someone else's).

-end hijack-

[wring]

EJ's girl
Yea, I thought so to at the time, but.

He's been sober for (let's see, he was sober a year before we were married, plus 5 years married, plus 14 years divorced, ) damn! twenty years now. Gotta give him credit for that.

[Moirai]

Damn, wring, I guess so!

BYW, I have noticed that some people will say "no thanks, I'm allergic to it" instead of saying they don't drink. Although, this doesn't always work, which is pretty funny in and of itself. Can you imagine knowing that someone's allergic to shellfish, or strawberries, or something, and trying to convince them to just have a little?

Please!

[Giraffe]

I didn't have a single drink until I was 25. (I'm now 27.) Didn't drink in high school, didn't drink in college, for the same reasons most people list here: didn't like the taste, didn't see the need for it, drunk people are annoying, etc.

Then, after no one ever hassled me anymore and I was comfortable with my ability to have fun at parties without drinking, I realized that I wanted to give it a try. So I did. (Started slowly -- maybe one drink an evening.) You know what? It's a lot of fun. If you do it for the right reasons (i.e. because you want to, and not because you feel you have to). I don't think getting trashed (more than once or twice) serves much purpose, but having a few drinks can be great.

Skribbler did a good job of listing reasons why alcohol can be good. Lowered inhibitions can be very good, especially if you're normally shy. It can force you to take your mind off things and relax -- good if you've been stressed out. And, if you're with the right people, you can just have a great time.

I guess my only advice is to be comfortable not drinking, but don't define yourself by it. (I think I held off on drinking longer than I otherwise would have just because I thought that was part of who I was.) It's just something you're currently doing. Listen to yourself and give it a try if you ever feel you might enjoy it.

[wring]

Exactly! I'd try the I'm allergic, but usually the folks trying to push me to have an alcoholic drink are my relatives. :(

The other thing I've noticed is that folks don't want you to drink water (except your doctors). I actually LIKE water. (except the well water at home, blah). Used to order it at the bar all the time (even back in the late 70's I did'nt want to drive home drunk).

I like your suggestion, tho'

[Skribbler]

Quite a few times I've been the DD (designated driver) so I'd have one beer at the bar and down near beer the rest of the time. The only problem with that was I'd pay $1 for a beer and $2.50 for one with no alcohol in it. The bartender explained that it was because near beer drinkers didn't drink as much.

[Sailorboy]

well in my opinion here i think it is ok to drink and you yourself souuld be the judge of how much you drink. on the other hand if you are in a relationship where your partner does not perfer you to drink you best watch your step because when you do drink you cause them a lot of pain and i know this from experience. but due to the fact that with my last girlfriend i was a heavy drinker and now that i am with relic i barely drink so for me i thought it was the bomb till someone that loved me showed me different

sailorboy

[relic_11]

I agree, Sailorboy, but an occasional margarita is fine!

[Eo Echo]

Up until now, I had been an ardent drinker (see my post above). The evening I had tonight is making me think the better of it. I attended the bachelor party of a close friend who is getting married in two days. I woke up this morning with the worst sore throat I've ever had, along with a 101 degree fever. Actually, I think I've got strep. I couldn't be mono, I don't think. Nevertheless, I met with the group, had dinner, and adjourned to a strip club. The groom to be had several lap dances. I got puked on by one of his other friends (right now I really stink, as you can probably imagine, but why would you want to?). I had several drinks as well as a couple of cigars despite the fact that my sore throat just kept getting worse. I was so sick I couldn't even get a buzz. Not even the naked women on the bar cheered me up. On the drive home the groom made out with his best friend (a woman who is not the bride). Right now, I'm sicker than ever, and totally disgusted with nearly everyone I was with. On top of that, since I'm in the wedding party as a groomsman, I've got to go to the rehearsal tomorrow and see all of them again. The point of all this is that, since I was ill, I was the only sober person there, and for the first time I saw a bunch of drunk assholes without being one. It was not a pretty sight.

The way I feel right now, I don't ever want to take a drink again. However, that will probably pass.

I didn't mean for this to be so long. Thanks to those who elected to bear with me.