No, that a significant proportion of the world population are self-identified recovering alcoholics. They are not.
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t trying to deliberately belittle the struggle that [ex-]alcoholics go through - and, yes, on my list I could have listed…
[Actually, I am a recovering alcoholic, and my relationship with alcohol is way more complicated than anything like this reductive list could ever articulate]
Let’s consider that to be posthumously added. And apologies for its omission.
Used to be #4, these days I’m a #3. For example I had a white wine sangria at lunch the other day, but I’ve had the same set of beers sitting untouched in my fridge for a couple of months now. I don’t think I’ll ever quite get to a #2, but I’m edging close.
Odd thing it is for no particular reason. Just fallen out of what little habit I had.
Solid number 5 for me. In my teens and twenties it was a solid number 6, but I’m less interested now than I used to be. Probably the best measure of that is I am currently in the middle of a voluntary 5-6 month dry spell (yes, it really is entirely voluntary - no medical issues that I am aware of, other than being slightly overweight). I must admit though, I am looking forward to having a few drinks once I’m done with this.
3+. I can go weeks or months without a drink, but sometimes will have one or two at a social event or when I am having a meal that would be complemented by a glass of wine. I get drunk at strict 17-year intervals and am not due for the next one for another couple of years. I have little to no patience for drunk people, and less than none for people who use their drunkenness as an excuse for poor behavior.
Between a 5 & 6. I really only drink on the weekends, and that typically entails drinking wine or beer around the house during the evening hours. I enjoy getting a little buzz on, but find as I get older, if I have even one too many, I feel it for a better part of the next day, and I don’t like that.
A #2. I’ve never been drunk, and all the alcoholic drinks I’ve had in my life wouldn’t fill a bucket. I prefer not to be around people who have been drinking, but don’t despise them. But I do find people who are smoking pot to be far more pleasant company (I’ve never smoked pot either.)
Thanks for clarifying, tbh I had in the back of my mind a momentary suspicion that maybe this was going to morph into one of those “alcoholism is not a disease, people should just have some self control” rants. Obviously not at all what this is about.
4.5 My spouse, and our social circle is never without a glass of wine in the evening. I am not in that category. I enjoy wine, but having a permanent glass handy reduces my enjoyment of it. Also, unlike my spouse and social circle, I appreciate mixed drinks and hard liquor. I will have one drink on a weekend evening, rarely two.
I appreciate the relaxing nature of small amounts of alcohol, but I do not desire being drunk. OK, maybe once a year for entertainment or to erase a particularly unpleasant day/week.
Somewhere between 4 and 5, I guess. I don’t drink to get drunk. I enjoy the occasional craft brew or glass of scotch in the evening, might order a beer or margarita when we go out to dinner. But if all alcohol magically went poof one day and disappeared, it wouldn’t bother me. I’ve seen the damage that alcohol abuse can do, both to a person and their loved ones, and I don’t want that to be me.
I’m a 2. When people tell “hilarious” stories about the things they’ve done when drunk, I’m usually at least vaguely horrified. I recognize that I’m a control freak in this way so I legitimately don’t care if other people choose to drink, but it just holds zero appeal to me*
except to say that I think not drinking has a vague negative impact on career development, but I’m generally at peace with it
Probably somewhere between #5 and #6, depending on how you define “struggle”? I’d be fine with not-drinking most of the time, in most circumstances, if all the alcohol on the planet suddenly vanished, but I would definitely not be willing to go to social functions that involve making small talk with strangers, ever.
Pretty much me as well. I really don’t care what people do in private, but if someone is flat-out shitfaced I don’t want to be anywhere near them.
I’ve had a few beers and glasses of wine over the years, but I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I actually consumed alcohol—summer of 2016, IIRC. I went to a posh Chinese restaurant and had a Tsingtao.
Since then my mother, who was in recovery for 20+ years, fell off the wagon, including driving drunk and injuring herself (but nobody else, thank God). Both my pre-teen kids took it hard and we had to have several honest discussions about alcohol, its effects on the body, and the choices people are free to make and the possible consequences thereof.
I wouldn’t mind keeping a bottle of Bailey’s around to put in coffee, but I don’t think the kids would appreciate it.
#6 - a good portion of my social life is hanging out at the local pub with my friends from the neighborhood. Tend to be quite the craft beer fan as well.
I’m a four. I will have one glass of wine or spiked hot chocolate every other week or so, and will drink socially. I think the last time I got tipsy was during our July 4th party about three years ago.