Drinking alone at home

Leftist

Like some sap. Apparently it's a 'dangerous sign' according to some derek on newstalk.

Do you drink alone at home?

I've had a bottle of wine or beers while watching a film, when did it become some warning sign or slide into alcoholism, because I've been doing it on occassion for 10 years now and I'm worried I might end up any day now sucking coins out of payphones just to buy a box of wine.

Menas

Drinking home alone is only a bad sign when that home is under a bridge.

Noxin

Doing it every day would be one thing if you are getting wasted..

But home from work after a stressful day.... nothing better than a few cans and a film to chillaxe!

upinthesky

I don't see a problem, drinking during the day alone now that's a different story.

Too right I do. I like the taste of beer or wine so why wouldn't I?

Awesomeness

I often get home late after work. Its ahrd to just switch off straight away so some tv and a beer help.

Also when watching sports at home I like to have a couple of beers

michellie

Pole should just say yes or no.

seamus

Very enjoyable to sit down to a good movie, few beers and a bag of decent crisps. "Dangerous sign" me arse.

It's a dangerous sign when you equate "drinking" with "getting drunk", but when you're drinking to relax and you're not getting pissed and passing out, it doesn't matter if you're on your own or with 20 people.

SEANoftheDEAD

Nope. Nothing wrong with it at all.

Can't beat a few ice cold cans/bottles after a long day in work.
Normally get 4 while watching a film or playing the xbox.

I really don't see a problem with it at all.

**** all the do-gooders

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Leftist wrote: »

Like some sap. Apparently it's a 'dangerous sign' according to some derek on newstalk.

Do you drink alone at home?

I've had a bottle of wine or beers while watching a film, when did it become some warning sign or slide into alcoholism, because I've been doing it on occassion for 10 years now and I'm worried I might end up any day now sucking coins out of payphones just to buy a box of wine.

This "Derek" chap - woudln't happen to be connected to the Vinters Association, would he, by any chance?

Grayditch

All the time. I'm pretty good company.

I used to but stopped long ago. It never went that well. Plus when alone many of us do less talking - moving about and so forth so I found I was less likely to notice when I had too much to drink.

These days I drink but very rarely - not that much at all - and certainly never alone.

Wont vote in the poll though. The wording of "no" does not match my opinion.

Sunnyisland

When I did drink I never drank at home,Always preferred the Pub for the atmosphere and craic, Suppose its more understandable now with the difference in price though.

Some of the downsides to drinking at home are no closing time and the measure,s can be quite big :-)

razorgil

smallies put to bed, stove glowing, telly switched from the disney channel to sky news to catch up, and a cold beer to hand, at your own pace, nice and relaxed......unwind, can't top it.

Real Life

I don't drink at home alone so i picked no but i don't think its disgusting. Just personally I've never felt like it. I don't drink beer so its not like i can just have a few cans while watching tv or something.
Also i drive a lot so i don't like to take the chance. I pretty much only drink to get drunk which is probably not a good attitude i know, and i only do it maybe once a week.

Maybe once a month I'll get proper blotto on my own, depends on how much I've done recently though. Other than that a few cans of a Friday evening when not heading out after getting 5 hours kips a night all week, I'll take the alcoholism so.

KungPao

I do it sometimes. Grab a six pack, stick on one of my favourite movies, then open up the laptop and listen to a few tunes or whatever. I may be a little tipsy by the end...never gargled though.

Then I head to to bed. No harm done.

A good night had by all me.

Giruilla

Leftist wrote: »

Like some sap. Apparently it's a 'dangerous sign' according to some derek on newstalk.

Do you drink alone at home?

I've had a bottle of wine or beers while watching a film, when did it become some warning sign or slide into alcoholism, because I've been doing it on occassion for 10 years now and I'm worried I might end up any day now sucking coins out of payphones just to buy a box of wine.

Not sure how you link "dangerous sign" to "slide into alcoholism". It shows a dependency on alcohol that other people do not.. thats all.

mikom

Leftist wrote: »

Drinking alone at home.... Apparently it's a 'dangerous sign' according to some derek on newstalk.

'dangerous sign' for the vintners.
Derek sounds like he is in their pocket.

Never forget to read between the lines kids......

You're never alone with a newspaper.

MagicMarker

I don't really ever drink at home. Would have no issue with people doing it every once in a while.

Doing it every night now, that's a different story.

Giruilla

Giruilla wrote: »

Not sure how you link "dangerous sign" to "slide into alcoholism". It shows a dependency on alcohol that other people do not.. thats all.

How does drinking alone show a dependency on alcohol?

I better stop having a baileys coffee at home once in a blue moon since I'm so dependent on alcohol :rolleyes:

Menas

One for me and one for each of my multiple personalities.

Vandekyrian

Yes I do it, a whiskey or two with 7Up does me nicely 3 or 4 times a week. That said, I did hoover through a liter of rum in ten days last month.

guttenberg

mikom wrote: »

'dangerous sign' for the vintners.
Derek sounds like he is in their pocket.

Never forget to read between the lines kids......

Not just the vintners losing out, when you have a few drinks out you usually end up in the chipper on the way home, so arguably it's healthier to drink at home.:pac:

NinjaK

Whats wrong with watching a game of rugby or soccer and having a few beers??!!

Shenshen

Nope, I never drink home alone.

I might share a bottle of beer with my husband now and again, maybe once a week or so.
But when I'm on my own, I wouldn't really touch alcohol.

Giruilla

Deleted User wrote: »

How does drinking alone show a dependency on alcohol?

Would you not say people who drink coffee every morning have a dependency on caffeine?

Giruilla

Giruilla wrote: »

Would you not say people who drink coffee every morning have a dependency on caffeine?

How about you answer my question, and then I'll answer yours.

anncoates

I would have hardly ever had a drink at home up until about 5 or 6 years and always thought doing it instead of going out as much was a bit weird but since I stopped going out as often (because of age/kids) I've realized it's quite enjoyable.

Also other factors have made it more enjoyable: Internet and a much wider range of quality beer available from off-licenses and supermarkets these days against the high cost of pubs.

The idea that having a six bottles of beer at home watching the TV is sign of latent alcoholism - yet having six pints in a pub is not - is a bit stupid and probably a rumour started by the Fianna Fail/Vintners Association axis.

Leftist

michellie wrote: »

Pole should just say yes or no.

Bit racist that. They're entitled to discourse just like the rest of us.

sbsquarepants

lisar816 wrote: »

I don't see a problem, drinking during the day alone now that's a different story.

I've never quite understood what the time of day had to do with it. Drinking is drinking whether you do it at midday or midnight doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

SunnyDub1

I don't see any major problems with someone who likes to have a drink or 2 in the evenings. Different story if one was going home having a 6 pack or a full bottle of wine each evening.

Personally I don't see the point in it, unless some people just like the taste I'm assuming?

I'd much rather a strong coffee or strong cup of tea after a hard days work :P

BraziliaNZ

It's something I would do fairly often, although knowing the other bar flies at my local means I can drop in for a bit of a chat at least if I get wasted at home. I've gotten completely thrashed on my own, loads of times, it's so pointless.

Leftist

anncoates wrote: »

I would have hardly ever had a drink at home up until about 5 or 6 years and always thought doing it instead of going out as much was a bit weird but since I stopped going out as often (because of age/kids) I've realized it's quite enjoyable.

Also other factors have made it more enjoyable: Internet and a much wider range of quality beer available from off-licenses and supermarkets these days against the high cost of pubs.

The idea that having a six bottles of beer at home watching the TV is sign of latent alcoholism - yet having six pints in a pub is not - is a bit stupid and probably a rumour started by the Fianna Fail/Vintners Association axis.

Yeah I'd agreed with all that.

Obviously it would be ideal to be able to afford to go out with friends as much as possible but money/time/physical pain the next day/kids don't make that easy.

Would to it average once a week only. Obviously doing it every day is just as bad as drinking in the pub everyday.

highly1111

Sometimes there is nothing at all nicer than having the kids tucked up, lighting a few candles and putting on some junk tv with a nice glass of wine. Myself and most of my peers would tend to do this about 2/3 nights a week - I agree that it can be a slippery slope for some - I know people who would never open a bottle of wine in the evening as the whole bottle would be gone so they just avoid it - and it is easily done - too easily. that said, i'm normally fit for my bed relatively early so I don't have the energy to stay up to finish any more than max 2 glasses. Sometimes myself and hubby would finish a bottle between us but we don't keep wine in the house so at least we know when it's gone it's gone. - I think that can be dangerous too - we have had nights (although they tended to be pre-children) when we've reached for the 3rd bottle (!) but the babies have those days firmly behind us now.....

Giruilla

Deleted User wrote: »

How about you answer my question, and then I'll answer yours.

That was the answer to your question.

Grayson

I'll have the odd whiskey at home. I go through a bottle every month or two. Occasionally (Like a few times a year) it might be enough to make me tipsy or giggly.

I think if your doing it every night, and getting drunk every night it might be worrying.

Ruu

What if I drink at home alone while watching Home Alone?

Giruilla

Giruilla wrote: »

That was the answer to your question.

No, that was simply another question with nothing to do with your original statement that if you have a drink at home alone you are dependent on alcohol.

Giruilla

Deleted User wrote: »

No, that was simply another question with nothing to do with your original statement that if you have a drink at home alone you are dependent on alcohol.

I was trying to elucidate the meaning of dependency which you and others in this thread seem to not grasp.

Professey Chin

Giruilla wrote: »

I was trying to elucidate the meaning of dependency which you and others in this thread seem to not grasp.

No you're dodging a question by talking balls. A lot of people actually like the taste of beer and by choice will drink at home. There's no dependency on it. And not everyone that drinks coffee in the morning is looking for a caffeine buzz

Giruilla

Giruilla wrote: »

I was trying to elucidate the meaning of dependency which you and others in this thread seem to not grasp.

Well maybe if you could explain why having a drink at home alone means you are dependent on alcohol, without just asking another question, I'll be better able to grasp it.

Leftist

Ruubot2 wrote: »

What if I drink at home alone while watching Home Alone?

then you're in trouble, could end up in the twilight zone.

seamus

Of course the undercurrent here is the notion that alcohol dependency is inherently a bad thing and that any scenario involving alcohol which isn't a once-off celebration means that you're at risk of becoming the next Shane MacGowan.

If someone's alcohol dependency does not have an adverse affect on their life or someone else's life, what's the issue? If someone went home and had five beers every single night as part of their routine, then went to bed and got up for work bright and fresh, what's the problem?

Most people have a dependency of one kind or another - a habit or routine which they engage in most days and take pleasure from it. What makes alcohol evil?

Dempsey

Sounds like the Vintners Association want to create a negetive stereotype. Losing too many auld lads in the corner of pubs or something!

Giruilla

Deleted User wrote: »

Well maybe if you could explain why having a drink at home alone means you are dependent on alcohol, without just asking another question, I'll be better able to grasp it.

"Shows" not "means". Someone drinking at home alone is more likely to be dependent on alcohol or become dependent on alcohol than someone who does not. Its very simple really. I am of the opinion that anyone outraged by this is clearly insecure with their drinking habits.

Wibbs

MagicMarker wrote: »

Doing it every night now, that's a different story.

This would be my take too. All too easy to slip into as well. Not turning into an alcoholic*, but a risk of dependence for those prone to it.

Happened to me. About ten years ago went through a right bastard of a year with a few emotional traumas, couple of bereavements blah blah. Anyway how it came out in me was I couldn't sleep, couldn't switch off. So would have a couple of cans of beer of an evening. No less, very very rarely more. A sleeping draught of sorts. I figured better than going the prescription tablets route. Anyway I definitely became dependent on those two beers. I wasn't drinking to the level of drunkenness. I may be a lightweight but not on two cans of beer. It crept up on me. It really hit home when one night I was driving home and realised I hadn't those two cans at home and got into a panic looking for the last off licence open.

Wake up call. Though it didn't stop me for a good year after that. Like I say only a couple of beers, no real harm and all that, but it those beers were in control of me, not the other way around. If you find yourself like I was then maybe it's time to reassess. If it's more along the lines of a bottle of plonk every night then IMH it's definitely time to maybe step back and have a look. People differ though and no way am I trying to be preachy here, but like I say if you're in the driving seat then cool, if you're not...




*though I do know a chap who did end up a "real" alcoholic who started out with the few beers in the evening and progressed to bottles of spirits. Thankfully he came out the other end of it and is now sober for many a year.

Giruilla

Giruilla wrote: »

"Shows" not "means". Someone drinking at home alone is more likely to be dependent on alcohol or become dependent on alcohol than someone who does not. Its very simple really. I am of the opinion that anyone outraged by this is clearly insecure with their drinking habits.

Ah, but you didn't say "more likely to", you said "shows a dependency", that's very different. Thank you for clearing that up.

Wibbs

seamus wrote: »

Most people have a dependency of one kind or another - a habit or routine which they engage in most days and take pleasure from it. What makes alcohol evil?

Oh very much agreed S. Come between me and my many cups of black tea a day and I'll pull a switchblade on ye.

How might alcohol be different? In some people, the risk of escalation is there so normalising daily drinking alone may not be the best plan. It would be down to dosage too on the physical side especially. A glass or even two of red wine is actually good for you as many many studies have shown, a bottle of wine not so much.