Hi Stephanie,
(Yea, i know what you mean about not much else to do but party, it was like that in my high school).
Interesting point you raise. However, (minus the drugs - and even that's not entirely true) I have found it carries over to the corporate work world also. I have done many a happy hour with co-workers and have been to many a company BarbQ and XMass party. Drinking exists there also (OK, no keg stands, but it definitely still exists
. We do have to face that alcohol is part of society, and not necessarily only solely for alcoholics. I guess like you said, some people take it or leave it, and others end up having a problem with it, so maybe it is the predispostion thing. If one is predispositioned, those HS and college parties will definitely make sure you fulffill your destiny. I would argue that even if your not predispositioned to alcoholism, that that you become conditioned to drinking during those years of your life. After the college years when you go out with your friends, what do you do - play monopoly? No you go out bar hopping, because since HS going to parties and drinking is what you have done for fun. So when you decide to make the change, aside from the possible physical and psychological addiction factors of alcohol, you actually also have to relearn how to have fun.
I'm not an alcoholic, but I used to be a binge drinker via the parties, then at 21 it was the bar & club scene. I eventually grew out of it, I got tired of paying money to feel like crap the next day
Alot of people grow out of it, it's just a shame we go thru it and (from what I went thru) i am amazed there are not more deaths involved because of it. When your that age you feel resiliant and indestructable as it is, then to add alcohol. It's oh so very dangerous. I guess, like with other things, education is prob the best means of ameliorating it.
Regards,
Thomas