Getting drunk

[musicguy]

Someone tell me what the point is of getting drunk? I live in a collegetown and that's all people pretty much do here (high school and college kids) or in general. When I ask my co-workers what they are doing over the weekend, they're like "Oh I'm getting smashed this weekend" or "I'm gonna get drunk this weekend" I just don't understand why people do it. I mean it makes you look stupid anyway, plus sometimes you don't even remember what happens anyway, plus you feel like crap the next day. (so I've heard) So somebody giving me so good valid reasons for getting drunk to help me understand.

[hockeyboy]

its a "social lubricant" as one of my friends put it. you dont necessarily need to be "wasted" but if you have had a few drinks your more likely to talk to people more willingly and openly. most people i know can get drunk and not blackout nor feel horrible the next day.

[darkblue]

I would hate to defend drinking - especially excessive drinking.

I think the reason most people drink is to be social. It is a common thing to go out with friends and have a drink.

 

I agree that it can make you less worried about things like how people perceive you, etc.

 

Everything in moderation.

[lillady898]

I know some people well into their 50's who still talk about how wasted they're going to get and how they're going to have such an awful hangover the next day. You'd think that since they realize all that, they wouldn't drink so much.

 

Nothing about getting drunk makes sense, really. I don't really know why I ever did it. I hate the feeling of not being in total control over my body and thoughts, and I also like remembering the nights before. So, why did I get drunk so often? I have no idea.

 

Last year I quit drinking. I guess for me, the bad things that came with drinking outweighed the good. Also, I'm a really skinny girl, so the last thing I need is an inflamed liver.

[musicguy]

I'm not saying that drinking is bad at all, but I have my reasons behind why I don't drink much. (I was a pre-mature baby and had a not-so functioning liver at birth and recently as of last spring...I'm on heart and blood pressure medication, cuz my heart stopped a lil bit when I fainted at work) also, I'm a little, skinny guy too.

 

Also, you can be social without drinkin.

[hockeyboy]

I'm not saying that drinking is bad at all, but I have my reasons behind why I don't drink much. (I was a pre-mature baby and had a not-so functioning liver at birth and recently as of last spring...I'm on heart and blood pressure medication, cuz my heart stopped a lil bit when I fainted at work) also, I'm a little, skinny guy too.

 

Also, you can be social without drinkin.

 

thats fine, so dont drink and be social.

[musicguy]

I do, but I don't go to bars a lot. (not my thing)

[hockeyboy]

i have found that people will be willing to do other things if you give them the option to. going out to the bars and drinking is easy. suggest other things, maybe that will help, rather then just asking them what they are doing.

[Dako]

I've been planning on getting roaring drunk since my wife left, but can't seem to get into the mood to get a wicked hangover. Maybe I'm just too old to bear the consequences.

Even though I drink moderately, it's really not too cool to get blotto. As far as a social lube, I probably get too quiet after a few beers.

 

It's often great fun to stay sober. Long, long, ago I used to enjoy being the sober guy chatting with girls at a party while the other guys puked in the bushes.

[Caldus]

Perhaps they have nothing better to do?

[Day_Walker]

I would say that most people "get drunk" for social reasons and because it can be relatively cheap entertainment. The alcohol seems to liven things up at a function and this can be good or bad but in a general sense it just a reason for people to throw their inhibitions to the wind and act purely on a gut reaction. This can be entertaining to some people and for others it seems stupid.

[lillady898]

A lot of my friends drink (I'm a college student). Even though I don't drink anymore, I still go to bars with them. Sometimes it's kind of interesting to people-watch as the only sober person in the bar.

[RayKay]

I like the comments on it being a "social lubricant" - appropriate for many I think.

 

No, you don't need alchohol to be social. I do drink now and then, but it's more the one or two beers or small glasses of wine. I drank more when I was a lot younger when I was in the military - it was the socialness of it then, but I think as you get older, or change your peer groups, you will find more people whom don't use alchohol AS the social event. I don't drink much for health reasons mostly, and just outside of wine and beer, I don't really LIKE any alchohol. However I do enjoy having a glass of wine or a beer with friends and chatting, and having a good time. But, I could easily also have a "virgin" drink too and be just as fine. There are plenty of times I will be the only one NOT drinking, and just DD, and still have great conversations, and while there may be one or two whom have too much, my peers its not THE thing to do. They are mostly athletic, or have families and such now, so that may be why too.

 

However, there are many people who do feel that they do need a bit of alchohol to loosen up, and lose some inhibition,or to relax. And thats fair...it's if it gets out of control it becomes a problem. And I have a strong family history (dad's side) of alchoholism, so I am aware very well of the dangers. But drinking does not automatically = alchoholic either.

 

If it's not your thing (and I notice for you it's also medical reasons), don't do it. If anyone pressures you, well they are ridiculous and immature if that is what they believe life is about. Also, suggest you do other things. Most people I know whom have a good time drinking, also enjoy doing things OTHER then drinking too, if there are other people to do it with!

 

Anyway, I'm with the everything in moderation...including moderation itself...camp!

[DropToZero]

It's just the social setting, not everyone goes out to parties to get drunk. You meet new people every time you go out, and you have a good time with your friends. Just some people take it too far and don't know their limits, that's when drinking can cause problems. Yes, I'll say there are nights when my aim is to get wasted too, it's just something that puts you out there, and you forget about everything for the night and have a good time. I haven't been drunk too many times, because most of the time I just use drinking as a way to meet people.

 

Honestly tho, musicguy, I thought the same way you did until Spring '05, and then I just gave in. It wasn't the worst of things, and I had a great time, and I've probably met more people than I ever did in the past year than when I was trying to meet people in classes...people in classes are too uptight sometimes to talk and aren't into mingling and flirting during class. It's just the setting, it's a good time, maybe go try it sometime, just see, because I judged it like you did, and in the end found out it was actually something I probably needed in my life just for a little release.

[Dako]

I used to tend bar for a friend who had fancy parties with lots of local artists and celebs. I ended up learning how keep people from getting sloshed, and how to talk to folks with awkward personalities like mine and general shyness. I'm not a social person at all, so it was a challenge.

 

It was intersting how some folks would discreetly ask for a virgin drink so no one knew, yet were the life of the party. Others would assume they were well-juiced.

[ShySoul]

Reasons for drinking (intentionally listed from least to most serious):

 

1. To appear social

2. Because everyone does it

3. To loosen up and have fun (though whats fun about acting like a fool and not remembering it in the morning is beyond me)

4. To give themselves the illusion of confidence

5. To avoid having to deal with problems they may be facing

6. Because they have a problem with alcohol

 

You can be just as social without having alcohol. I've been out with people at bars and they were drinking, and I still managed to be social while declining all drink offers. If anything, I had fun laughing at their attempts to get me to drink. Not everyone drinks (I've never and will never drink it). You can have just as much fun without alcohol. The confidence it gives you isn't real, its just a mask and the insecurities you may feel inside will remain once the alcohol has worn off. It doesn't solve problems, it just creates new ones. And if you have a problem with it, you defintely shouldn't be drinking it.

 

So really, I see no good reason to have it either. Drink juice, it tastes better and is better for you.

[musicguy]

none of my friends drink and I love who i hang with

[Dako]

That's great if you never want to socialize with people who drink. Unfortunately you may miss out on friendships with some fine people.

Not everyone who drinks is a drunk.

[darkblue]

Not everyone who drinks is a drunk.

Very valid point.

There are social drinkers who don't simply drink to get drunk...

And not every one who drinks has a problem with alcohol..

[ShySoul]

There are social drinkers who don't simply drink to get drunk...

And not every one who drinks has a problem with alcohol..

 

musicguy, the original poster, specifically asked about those who chose to get drunk intentionally. Sure, there are people who can drink and are ok. But the thread was dictated to those who do get drunk.

 

And even if the person doesn't have a problem with alcohol, it only takes one time for something bad to happen. And its not nice for anyone who has to deal with someone drunk, even if its just once or every now and then.

[darkblue]

musicguy, the original poster, specifically asked about those who chose to get drunk intentionally. Sure, there are people who can drink and are ok. But the thread was dictated to those who do get drunk.

 

And even if the person doesn't have a problem with alcohol, it only takes one time for something bad to happen. And its not nice for anyone who has to deal with someone drunk, even if its just once or every now and then.

Very true.

[Magic_Monkey]

I don't think there's anything wrong with going out and getting drunk. I do it most weekends. I notice most of you are from the US, I'm from England and I think it might be a bigger thing over here.

I work all week and then at the weekend I just like to forget about everything and just go out and have fun and basically I have more fun when I've had a few drinks than I do if I go out and stay sober. Generally cos I talk to more people, dance more and on the whole do things that I may not do when sober.

There's also a part of me that strangely, kind of likes it to lose control. I get a certain buzz from just kind of being on the edge.

I don't drink during the week though and enjoy doing many other things with various friends so I don't see the problem with having a few at the weekend. In fact I'm just off out shortly with a few mates for a few beers.

[ShySoul]

Magic_Monkey,

 

I can understand wanting to kick back and have fun on a weekend. But there are better, less dangerous ways to do it. You said it yourself, the drinking is a way of losing control and being on the edge. But what happens if you go over that edge? When you drink you don't think clearly, and your judgement is impaired. You may think you are ok, when you aren't. It only takes one time for something to go wrong. How are you going to feel if in a drunken state you say or do something that hurts another or hurts yourself? And the longer you go feeling like you have to drink to get that excitement, more you are going to need it. It's a feeling of being invulnerable when in fact you are putting yourself at great risk.

 

A couple drinks to unwind, ok. I'm not going to tell you what to do or to stop completely. But when you feel you need to get wasted in order to have a good time, thats the sign that there is some issue you probably need to look at and address.

[2pac4live]

Theres nothing wrong with drinking now and then...

 

As long as it's not made into a habit.

 

I mean, even in the bible somewhere (i've been told) it says that alcohol can soothe a man's heart.

 

And its true, a healthy level of acohol- just beyond tipsy and under "can't walk and mumble" usually makes people more opened and can increase the amount of fun you have with you'r friends and/or partners, sometimes multiple of those at the same time

 

And its even good for your health if taken in correct proportion...

 

Can't say the same about hangovers though

 

 

El_Sergio

[lillady898]

Since I've quit drinking, I've personally found that I've been forced into becoming more outgoing, open, and charming in social situations. This personality growth has happened because I no longer rely on drinking to temporarily releive me from my inhabitions.

 

In my opinion, people can put forth the effort and learn to relax and "let go" without drinking. The fact of the matter is that most people don't want to (I know I didn't). That's their choice, and it's completely fine with me as long as they're not drinking at the expense of anyone else.