Alcohol. A sensible discussion.

shamrock55

I only drink about once a month if even that, but on that day i would drink between 25 -30 units, so what do i put down in the poll?

Summer wind

Between 6-10

I used to go out 3 or 4 nights a week when I was younger. Every night I was out I would drink at least eight vodkas. This was mostly spread out over about 5 hours. Did this for years and really enjoyed it and always had good times in the pubs and clubs with my friends. I never was dependant on the drink though. I saw it as something to be enjoyed while having fun.

Nowadays I'd only go out every few months and I couldn't be arsed drinking at home. It's just not something I've ever done at home unless I was at someone else's house and we might have a drink together. And even then we'd probably end up having tea before the night ended.

If I go out the only thing I'd drink would be a vodka and coke or sometimes a Jack Daniels and coke. I could never drink beer or wine they both make me feel sick even after just the one. I never really thought about the amount of units of drink I was having when I was younger because apart from a couple of very bad hangovers it never caused me any problems. I think when you get older and have children you change and realise it's not just all about you anymore. I don't miss going out and now the odd time I do I enjoy it more.

Between 21-30

I don't drink a typical number of units every week. Some weeks I don't drink at all, other weeks I'll have a few on a weekend but leave it at that. This week I had a lot more as a friend of mine was visiting so many pints (and a few shots) were had, and I had a bottle of wine last night 'cause it was Halloween and I figured I deserved something.

When it comes to alcohol it's a bit like a roulette wheel for me. Sometimes it makes me feel great, particularly if I'm among good company. Other times it makes me feel like shít, though those are typically the times when I'd feel shít sober anyway. There is definitely too much of a "drink to get drunk" mentality in this country, and in the UK also, but I've no idea where you'd even begin trying to change that.

Victor

Less than 5.

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I don't believe in this binge crap doctors try to peddle (4 pints a binge? **** off),

It is a lot easier for you body (brain liver, heart and many other parts) to handle one drink on each of four days, than four drinks on one day.

TerrorFirmer

Between 31-40

25 units a week for me. Which doesn't sound terrible consider how much the Irish drink in general, but that's always in one session so I'm sure it's not great for the ol' liver.

65 a week though OP, that's insane. That's what, 35 pints a week??

Sand

Between 41-50

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

25 units a week for me. Which doesn't sound terrible consider how much the Irish drink in general, but that's always in one session so I'm sure it's not great for the ol' liver.

65 a week though OP, that's insane. That's what, 35 pints a week??

Nah, its about 28 pints a week. Which is still ****ing crazy. That's either drinking 4 pints every single day, or going on two benders (Friday and Saturday) every single week.

That's the sort of drinking kids do until they realise hangovers are too much pain for too little gain.

Tarzana2

Between 6-10

moxin wrote: »

You don't have to quit alcohol completely.

I know that. But I hate hangovers and tend to get them after only even two or three so why not? I don't *have* to quit but I think I want to.

Been off alchaol almost 7 weeks and honestly font miss it. The most obvious benefit has been the weight loss, combined with my decision to start eating healty and cutting out junk food I'm almost two stone lighter and feeling good. Been out a few times since giving up drinking and only once felt pressurised to drink due to a friend who kept insisting I have a pint but I'm quite happy with an orange juice or water. I don't miss alcohol and its nice to check my wallet after a night out and see that I only spent €10 or so. I've no doubt that ill have a nice ale or larger at dome stage but I'm in no hurry to start drinking regularly again.

moxin

Between 41-50

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I know that. But I hate hangovers and tend to get them after only even two or three so why not? I don't *have* to quit but I think I want to.

Two or three don't sound right but five plus yes would make you tipsy. Perhaps the taste of whatever you drink is awful? That said with you having hangove after only 2 or 3 drinks. By the way if you're doing it at home, do drink water in between, it helps with hangovers.

Tarzana2

Between 6-10

moxin wrote: »

Perhaps the taste of whatever you drink is awful?

Huh? What has that got to do with anything I said?

Candy_Girl

I don't drink weekly anymore I drink monthly which would be classed as...I don't remember units.

scudzilla

Less than 5.

I've never had a problem with alcohol myself, i hardly drink now but when i do i do tend to go a bit nuts, that's maybe twice a year.

There's a few reasons why i just can't be arsed with alcohol, my mum died an alcholic, she was in hospital getting clean, after 6wks in there on detox she came out and had a glass of wine, my dad says it was just a glass :rolleyes: She died 6 months later

I worked on the doors for 10yrs and seen the effects alcohol had on people, normally mild mannered people turning into complete fcukin tools, girls losing all inhibitions, lads thinking they could take on the world (they never could)

I go back to Wales maybe 5/6 times a year, it would be more but every time i go my Dad see's it as a "Hey, my son's home, lets get pissed and not remember a fcukin thing we talked about"

My son, who is 23, is a nightmare, he binges bad and turns into a complete bellend most weekends

So thats my experience with alcohol and why i really can't be arsed with it

TheBeardedLady

This thread was the reason I didn't drink last night. Have been up an hour studying! Feel great! Nice one, OP!

P_1

I'd tend to have a drink (which more than likely be classed as a binge in medical terms) once every three or 4 weeks. Probably about 6 pints or vodka/cokes spread about the evening. Any more than that in the one night and I tend to find myself losing control plus I like to try to maintain the "sweet spot" of having a nice buzz, having the inhibitions sightly lowered but not being a drunken mess when I'm out. Noticed a sharp drop in the potency and frequency of hangovers since I've started drinking this way.

Hate drinking at family gatherings though for some strange reason.

P_1

Between 41-50

P_1 wrote: »

I'd tend to have a drink (which more than likely be classed as a binge in medical terms) once every three or 4 weeks. Probably about 6 pints or vodka/cokes spread about the evening. Any more than that in the one night and I tend to find myself losing control plus I like to try to maintain the "sweet spot" of having a nice buzz, having the inhibitions sightly lowered but not being a drunken mess when I'm out. Noticed a sharp drop in the potency and frequency of hangovers since I've started drinking this way.

Hate drinking at family gatherings though for some strange reason.

It's funny looking at all the different amounts people drink and how they classify it.

To me 5 or 6 pints would be a quick few pints after work during the week or what I'd have on a quiet Saturday evening that I wasn't really drinking.

P_1

Lacey Cuddly Landlady wrote: »

It's funny looking at all the different amounts people drink and how they classify it.

To me 5 or 6 pints would be a quick few pints after work during the week or what I'd have on a quiet Saturday evening that I wasn't really drinking.

Well I guess there's no universal formula to classify what an unhealthy quantity of drink is, one person's five pint binge might be another's few quiet pints and what have you. Yes we have the 4 pint is a binge guideline but it really is quite a blunt instrument.

rainbow kirby

Between 16-20

moxin wrote: »

Two or three don't sound right but five plus yes would make you tipsy. Perhaps the taste of whatever you drink is awful? That said with you having hangove after only 2 or 3 drinks. By the way if you're doing it at home, do drink water in between, it helps with hangovers.

I wouldn't consider being hungover after 3 particularly unusual for a woman with a relatively low tolerance.

Brussels Sprout

Between 11-15

My friend works 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off When he's off he drinks >100 units a week (bottle of wine each night plus either another half bottle or 3-5 cans of beer). However, when he's at work he abstains completely even though it would be possible for him to drink on those days as well. Is he likely to be an alcoholic?

Between 31-40

I binge at the weekends but am otherwise alcohol free the remainder of the week.

I can't survive a weekend without alcohol, especially with regard to social situations. I really benefit from the false confidence and temporary testosterone boost that alchohol provides, and people definitely respond much more positively to me when I've had a few drinks.

rainbow kirby

Between 41-50

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I wouldn't consider being hungover after 3 particularly unusual for a woman with a relatively low tolerance.

To be honest I don't know if I've ever come across a person (male or female) who would be hungover after only 3 normal drinks.

TerrorFirmer

Between 31-40

Lacey Cuddly Landlady wrote: »

To be honest I don't know if I've ever come across a person (male or female) who would be hungover after only 3 normal drinks.

Ideas of what a hangover is are subjective though.

To me a hangover is feeling a bit off after drinking, under the weather, just not my normal self.

To others, a hangover is being very ill, feeling sick, pounding headache, etc.

Other people consider being a bit tired after a couple of pints a hangover!

That said though after 3 pints, I would feel exactly the same the next day as I would on any other day.

Frigga_92

No option in the poll for "don't drink weekly".
My husband and I drink a few times a year. We could go 3 or 4 months without drinking and it's no big deal. The majority of our friends would be the same.
It probably has to do with us living in a rural area and the nearest town not having a lot to offer us in terms of socialising, not for us anyway.

In relation to hangovers, I don't get them. The next day I would be very thirsty and drink lots of water but that's it.

TheBeardedLady

Lacey Cuddly Landlady wrote: »

To be honest I don't know if I've ever come across a person (male or female) who would be hungover after only 3 normal drinks.

What would you define as a hangover? A hangover for me can range from a feeling of grogginess and sleepiness to vomiting, fear and extreme self-loathing.

After 3 glasses of wine, I'd have a hangover albeit a mild one. 3 pints and I'd have a more extreme one. They've gotten worse since hitting 30 and it's been downhill from there. I suppose the more you drink, the more your body is accustomed to it. You drink a fair bit so I'd say you don't suffer as much or the suffering has become part of your normality.

TheBeardedLady

Between 41-50

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

What would you define as a hangover? A hangover for me can range from a feeling of grogginess and sleepiness to vomiting, fear and extreme self-loathing.

After 3 glasses of wine, I'd have a hangover albeit a mild one. 3 pints and I'd have a more extreme one. They've gotten worse since hitting 30 and it's been downhill from there. I suppose the more you drink, the more your body is accustomed to it. You drink a fair bit so I'd say you don't suffer as much or the suffering has become part of your normality.

A hangover to me means feeling like absolute sh*it, head splitting, feeling like getting sick or getting sick, unable to eat etc. Feeling a bit groggy or feeling off etc I don't count as being hungover.

3 or 4 pints however would make me feel no different the next day than if I had two pints of water the night before.

Tarzana2

Between 6-10

Lacey Cuddly Landlady wrote: »

To be honest I don't know if I've ever come across a person (male or female) who would be hungover after only 3 normal drinks.

I'd be hungover on less than 3.

ZeitgeistGlee

Less than 5.

Picked "Don't Drink" but I'll have a drink or two at family gatherings or work dinners (probably only around 10 "drinks" over the whole year) because if you tell people you don't drink they tend to weird out a bit or assume there's something wrong with you (being male I thankfully don't get "are you pregnant?"). Hardest parts for me are hiding the fact you're nursing pints (bottles are easier in that regard) and figuring out ways to refuse drink with food because it ruins the taste for me.

The Diabolical Monocle

Alcohol consumption will bring about physical decline, lower attractiveness and lower your mental prowess for convincing ladies to perform disgusting acts of fornication upon you, a rival male will outsmart you and deny your thrusting penis its rightful destiny.

You, left in a stupor will be easily conned by the woman carrying your rivals child into raising his offspring. He will then have the time and energy to become your boss and force you to engage in menial tasks. If you talk back he will slap you in the face with his penis.

JupiterKid

Less than 5.

I have a poisonous relationship with alcohol - the booze has controlled me and I'm currently in treatment to stop drinking for good.

So it's 0 units for me.

Richard Hillman

Between 31-40

I would say about 20-25. I usually have 4-5 beers on a Friday and 6-7 on Saturdays. Its about 2 units a pint or 500ml can/bottle

Bpmull

Less than 5.

I don't drink alcohol at all. I never have so. Im glad I never took it up as what you've never had you can't miss. In saying all that I'm by no means against alcohol theres no issue in enjoying a few drinks responsibly. Its the people that don't consider they've had a good night out unless they got so drunk they can't remember it are the ones who I think have taken it too for. I just never seen the point behind drinking alcohol really.