Why do people drink alcohol?

[Intolerable]

Escapism to varying degrees. Some just for socializing and others for totally forgetting who you are.

I never did get into boozing. If only due to my intolerance for yeast and such.

 

[xbox]

When you walk through the streets at 1 AM on a Friday night, looking at all the drunk people while not being drunk yourself – wow, that stuff looks beyond stupid. Not just stupid, but vile and repulsive.

Sure, I have done a lot of it myself in the past. But I have to say, I never really understood it. The only result is: you say a bunch of nonsense, and the next day you have a headache.

The question remains: why do people drink alcohol. Aren't their minds clouded enough as it is?

duuude i thought i was the only one. looking at how people act when drunk turned me off completely.

 

[HDINTP]

duuude i thought i was the only one. looking at how people act when drunk turned me off completely.

As I said. I want to achieve different results...

 

[HDINTP]

Escapism to varying degrees. Some just for socializing and others for totally forgetting who you are.

I never did get into boozing. If only due to my intolerance for yeast and such.

Is ot possible that I do not do it for none of them? I mean OK, partly (probably) for socializing. But I feel like I am completely different person (others tell me same) and I like it...

Your thoughts?

 

[Terran]

It's the most socially accepted form of escapism and gives you an excuse at least to cut the formality of life and just fuck around. It also seems to make socialising a lot smoother.

 

[Scarlet_A]

The easiest form of escapism to numb the void of reality. The feeling of the burning liquid hitting your throat to remind you that you're alive.. #deep. Yes I just hashtagged.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

I think it's sad that people don't know what to say or how to behave in more intimate and private situations. They are afraid of being genuine or opening themselves. Alcohol is the autopilot solution to this fear. It gives a socially acceptable excuse to step out of formalities and make a few mistakes while clouding the thoughts and memories.

I see no utility in it and I abstain from it almost completely. This is a personal decision of mine to create a world without mind altering substances or aids, it's also rooted in negative experiences my family has had with alcoholism. I think I'm genetically more likely to become addicted if I start, though given I have almost no reason for recreational drinking and a stern resolution I won't ever go down that path.

Luckily, there are people who pass it, though I don't judge those who don't, I tend to avoid them more and that's it.

 

[Puffy]

In honesty I find watching television, browsing youtube, or playing a video game for a few hours to be just as if not more brain deadening. After a few hours of that all motivation to do anything except watch television, browse youtube, and play videogames for the rest of the day remain. Ergo I must wipe all television, youtube, and videogames from my life, for I do not trust myself to be able to stop once I start.

People use up the limited time they have in life on all kinds of useless trivialities. That's what I find to be more sad, and it's something I can look in the mirror over as I know I'm just as guilty. Enjoying a glass of wine every now and again, or an occasional cigarette on the patio, is low on the list to me.

Agreed on addictive and destructive alcohol habits.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

The question remains: why do people drink alcohol. Aren't their minds clouded enough as it is?

Alcohol is a depressant, though the nature of its effects lead people to lower their inhibitions fooling themselves into believing that alcohol is a suitable party drug or social stimulant. It performs terribly in either of those, at worse many people become violent and obnoxious and will do dumb things like drinking while driving or operating other machinery.

An empathogen like ecstasy could make for a better experience for all.

 

[Urakro]

It's almost expected through social influence that drinking leads to acting foolish. "Look at me guys, I'm drunk and acting stoooopid". It gives people that excuse.

For me, it doesn't help with apprehension. I get tipsy and slightly off-balance like everyone else, but the inhibitions can still be there. The buzz isn't even all that satisfactory, it hardly lasts any length of time unless keeping up with follow-ups, and before long I then get a hang-over and headache. I'd rather smoke marijuana if it didn't make me batshit paranoid.

 

[Inquisitor]

Social lubrication.

Alcohol is both a stimulant and a depressant. That's something a lot of people don't understand. It's a tricky little substance that sends you up initially, but then drags you back down. The more you drink, the higher the highs and the lower the lows.

It's also why people keep drinking throughout the night...to maintain the buzz. I don't notice much of a high when I drink...it's definitely there for a moment, but the resulting depression seems to last way, way longer for me. Sometimes days even...probably why I don't touch the stuff.

 

[QuickTwist]

It's almost expected through social influence that drinking leads to acting foolish. "Look at me guys, I'm drunk and acting stoooopid". It gives people that excuse.

For me, it doesn't help with apprehension. I get tipsy and slightly off-balance like everyone else, but the inhibitions can still be there. The buzz isn't even all that satisfactory, it hardly lasts any length of time unless keeping up with follow-ups, and before long I then get a hang-over and headache. I'd rather smoke marijuana if it didn't make me batshit paranoid.

Same. I can be so drunk I can't walk up the stairs, but at the same time I am thinking just as rationally as I would otherwise. I do like getting drunk every once in awhile, but not with people. I don't do it enough to get addicted so its not really a problem for me. *shrug*

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Same. I can be so drunk I can't walk up the stairs, but at the same time I am thinking just as rationally as I would otherwise. I do like getting drunk every once in awhile, but not with people. I don't do it enough to get addicted so its not really a problem for me. *shrug*

What is it that you don't like about social drinking?

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I find that I need some form of socialisation if I'm drinking, although messaging whoever is online on facebook and posting funny shit to forums (I personally think I am HILARIOUS) most definitely suffices.

What do you do instead while you're drinking?

 

[precision18mom]

People.
Drinking alcohol lengthens your telomeres.
It was on 60 Minutes a while back. People who drink alcohol live longer.
I've never been much of a drinker my entire life, and I don't like to get drunk really, but nowadays I try to drink some alcohol sometimes for the supposed health benefits. Of course alcoholics who cannot handle alcohol should not drink.

 

[Reluctantly]

^ Heard it lowers blood pressure too.

 

[Tannhauser]

People.
Drinking alcohol lengthens your telomeres.
It was on 60 Minutes a while back. People who drink alcohol live longer.
I've never been much of a drinker my entire life, and I don't like to get drunk really, but nowadays I try to drink some alcohol sometimes for the supposed health benefits. Of course alcoholics who cannot handle alcohol should not drink.

I believe the idea is that alcohol can increase your life expectancy by decreasing the risk of heart decease, probably by reducing the risk of blood clotting:

A meta-analysis of 34 studies found a reduced risk of mortality from coronary heart disease in men who drank 2 - 4 drinks per day and women who drank 1 - 2 drinks per day.[26] Alcohol has been found to have anticoagulant properties.[53][54] Thrombosis is lower among moderate drinkers than abstainers.[55] A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that alcohol consumption in moderation decreases serum levels of fibrinogen, a protein that promotes clot formation, while it increases levels of tissue type plasminogen activator, an enzyme that helps dissolve clots.[56] These changes were estimated to reduce coronary heart disease risk by about 24%

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_alcohol_consumption#Cardiovascular_system

But think about how idiotic that imperative is: Hey, when you're 60 years old and have a high chance of heart decease, you would be advantaged by drinking alcohol to reduce the risk of blood clotting. But why not instead do all the stuff that actually decreases the chance of heart decease and increases your health, for example regular exercise?

"Despite the wealth of observational data, it is not absolutely clear that alcohol reduces cardiovascular risk, because no randomized controlled trials have been performed. Alcohol should never be recommended to patients to reduce cardiovascular risk as a substitute for the well-proven alternatives of appropriate diet, exercise, and drugs."

 

[Turnevies]

From what I seem to remember: alcohol itself has a negative health impact, but drinking much is correlated with having many friends which in turn has a much bigger positive impact on your health than the negative one of the alcohol.

 

[Brontosaurie]

They think it's juice and then they have OCD and need to drink a sip to the left, one to the right, touch every part of each lip with the rim of the glass and finish returning to center, swish the liquid around clockwise and counter-clockwise along all axes and then again in the opposite order. If burps happen while in a skewed posture, must be repeated to preserve symmetry.

 

[smithcommajohn]

Everyone drinks for different reasons.

For myself, it helps me be more social and relatable. I only drink socially. There is a numbing of the senses that is very relaxing. Quieting the brain allows me to be more "in the moment" with people and enjoy them on a different level than I ever could while sober.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Disassociation of mind from body,
Increased poetic ability,
Development of Se,
IDGAFWTFIAMT.
JDFU!
S