How wide is the problem?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 73
How wide is the problem?
I know there are some of us that have serious drink issues, its why many of us are here. And I'm not trying to defer blame for my own problems- but how much impact does society have on us and our attitudes? Sometimes I think I should be able to drink because getting blitzed is normal.
But is it? Every Friday and Saturday there are people drinking weeks worth of recommended consumption in a few hours. Is that normal? I dont think so. I'm not saying these people are alcoholics, but binge drinking does seem to skirt worryingly close at times.
If we had less of a binge drink culture (especially here in the UK) do you think we'd have as many people, especially young people, developing a dependancy on alcohol?
I've heard of people drinking 20 days in a row and laughing it off as being young.
Our attitude to alcohol seems really warped, even amongst people who aren't alcoholics and "problem" drinkers. People die every weekend or are severely injured because of it and laugh it off as normal young behaviour.
Do you think if we had better education and a healthier attitude toward just how dangerous alcohol is it could reduce the number of problems. Its been said increasing the price of alcohol even 10% could reduce death and injury by 10%. Is that not a good thing.
We seem as a society generally to have a very immature attitude toward alcohol. When I first started I started because it was the thing to do.
Just rambling here really, not as coherent as I'd hoped!
But is it? Every Friday and Saturday there are people drinking weeks worth of recommended consumption in a few hours. Is that normal? I dont think so. I'm not saying these people are alcoholics, but binge drinking does seem to skirt worryingly close at times.
If we had less of a binge drink culture (especially here in the UK) do you think we'd have as many people, especially young people, developing a dependancy on alcohol?
I've heard of people drinking 20 days in a row and laughing it off as being young.
Our attitude to alcohol seems really warped, even amongst people who aren't alcoholics and "problem" drinkers. People die every weekend or are severely injured because of it and laugh it off as normal young behaviour.
Do you think if we had better education and a healthier attitude toward just how dangerous alcohol is it could reduce the number of problems. Its been said increasing the price of alcohol even 10% could reduce death and injury by 10%. Is that not a good thing.
We seem as a society generally to have a very immature attitude toward alcohol. When I first started I started because it was the thing to do.
Just rambling here really, not as coherent as I'd hoped!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Gatineau, QC, CA
Posts: 5,100
No this makes sense! I don;t personally getting hammered, even if only once a month should be considered normal.
People that can have a beer once in a while or Wine (One portion) I think have a normal relationship with Alchool. They have a break pedal. We don't. That's all.
People that can have a beer once in a while or Wine (One portion) I think have a normal relationship with Alchool. They have a break pedal. We don't. That's all.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Weatherfield
Posts: 40
It's a really screwed up logic towards binge drinking and alcoholism that we have here in the uk. Binge drinking amongst my Freinds is kind of celebrated yet being an alcoholic is frowned upon. Most binge drinkers are not alcoholics yet abuse alcohol and get into some right states because of it. Yet alcoholics (who IMO are born with the condition) often do less harm to wider society but suffer from the inability to just have one beer and are vilified for it.
Hope this makes sense
Hope this makes sense
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Posts: 1,384
Most binge drinkers are not alcoholics .
All drinkers are addicted just at different stages all trapped in Prison alcohell.
Ask them to stop for a couple of weeks a month and you get the same ole answers.
Brainwashed and conditioned from an early age to think alcohell is a necessity to enjoy ones life. Sad.
This guy has got it right,
Addictions,Habits,Choice,Diseases and the Cure: Beyond Driven
All drinkers are addicted just at different stages all trapped in Prison alcohell.
Ask them to stop for a couple of weeks a month and you get the same ole answers.
Brainwashed and conditioned from an early age to think alcohell is a necessity to enjoy ones life. Sad.
This guy has got it right,
Addictions,Habits,Choice,Diseases and the Cure: Beyond Driven
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 5,678
I read some statistics recently that stated that there were a higher percentage of non drinkers than problem drinkers. I must admit that it surprised me, but I think as people with an alcohol problem our focus tends to be on others like us rather than people who have never really drank.
But yes the 'general' attitude is totally screwed up. Long before I ever gave up drinking I used to have these debates with my mum about alcohol being worse than smoking. I did both, she was just a drinker, and she thought that at least when you drank you only hurt yourself. Never mind the statistics on drink driving, domestic abuse etc... people still see 'passive smoke' as somehow inherently evil (haha, reminds me of this... Steve Hughes on smoking - YouTube), but it is okay to endanger others by driving under the influence. Strange.
But yes the 'general' attitude is totally screwed up. Long before I ever gave up drinking I used to have these debates with my mum about alcohol being worse than smoking. I did both, she was just a drinker, and she thought that at least when you drank you only hurt yourself. Never mind the statistics on drink driving, domestic abuse etc... people still see 'passive smoke' as somehow inherently evil (haha, reminds me of this... Steve Hughes on smoking - YouTube), but it is okay to endanger others by driving under the influence. Strange.
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
No doubt many aspects of society/culture play in, but it's hard to say what would prevent it. Prohibition didn't stop people drinking. Dire poverty doesn't stop people. Cost doesn't stop people.
There was a ton of info on the dangers of illegal drugs...but the problem worsens, not decreases.
Seems like in the end we can't save people from themselves.
There was a ton of info on the dangers of illegal drugs...but the problem worsens, not decreases.
Seems like in the end we can't save people from themselves.
Kaleidoscope eyes
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London
Posts: 5,243
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Whoever invented this ridiculous idea of encouraging kids to knock back shots 2 for the price of 1 etc in bars nowadays should be horsewhipped. They seem to think it's a bit of a lark and quite harmless. But it isn't just the speed at which they drink, it's the danger of neat spirits and mouth cancers. In my day, people were labelled alkies if they had a beer chaser, very frowned upon it was. God I sound old 
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