Originally Posted by
ArtFriend 
I have lived a drinking life, even if I didn't always drink. It is endemic to our society.
I lived a drinking life too ( started around 13 too ), and most of my family and social activities involved drinking until a couple of years ago. While alcohol is prevalent in our society, I am seeing more and more that I simply used that as yet another excuse to justify my drinking. Once I started participating in all the non-drinking related activities that I ignored all those years it really was an eye-opener to me.