I'll pre-empt this by saying I don't drink, have been teetowl for about 2 years and before that literally only ever had 1 or 2 beer with family at Christmas, occasional bit of Baileys. NEVER been drunk. Just thought I'd get that out of the way.

So my flatmate is currently passed out in (his) bed, and I'm making sure he doesn't die - We're not gay.

So anyway he went out and attended this party at some girls' house (who's parents were away). My flatmate had been drinking here with a couple of friends and then I gave them all (:really a lift to this other house. Anyway about 2 hours later I get a call from some girl who says he's passed out and non-responsive.

So I go down there, he's on the bog passed out, sick everywhere (nice image). Try to get him in my car but he's sick all over it (FRESHLY FKING CLEANED TODAY THANKS ASSHAT). Couldn't get him to stay even remotely conscious so called Ambulance. I've seen him drunk before (been sharing a house for like 6 months now) but never been like this hence why I called them. He was catatonic basically.

They came down and after about 45 minutes he sort of became a little better, guess he started to sober up.

Anyway the point of this thread is to discuss Alcohol. I guess there are people who have good and bad stories to tell but my experiences have only ever been bad...

• 2 friends dead (one was a girl, you can prolly guess..)
  
• 1 best friend (who I really liked), was drunk, ended up making out in this club and then more in my car when I went to drive her home, now haven't spoken to for 3 months.
  
• Many arguments and harsh words said by friends or other people
  
• Obvious drunken fights..
  

And it's not like I live in some borough of London where there is despair on the streets - I live in what is considered a posh/middle class area...bloody Kate Middleton grew up 2 miles away apparently!!

Also, it occurs to me that unless Alcohol is in some way, either no-one asks anyone out, or no-one says yes when they're asked out. Agree/Disagree?

In addition, it seems to me that Alcohol is far more dangerous and potent than other illegal substance (for starters Cannibis but there are more..) - the only upside is that you know it's not laced with something else as it's a regulated industry. The cost to the health services is probably more than the cost for car and motorcycle accidents combined (I haven't researched any of this, it's just a "fair enough" assumption btw, Amp I'm looking at you..) and this not only affects the people (they are dead) but the familes as well.

I know many things are due to people "over indulging" but all too often I see people going out with the sole intention of getting hammered/wellied/trollied and I fear that left unchecked it could cause alot of damage to the country and peoples.

(And I appreciate many of the users of this forum may enjoy a regular drink so hope it doesn't seem like I'm trying to take the "high road" - because I'm not I'm just interested in peoples thoughts.)

Getting hammered with your mates is ****ing fun. If you've never tried it then thats probably why you don't get it.

Many people also find alcohol helps them relax (after a hard day at work, I have to admit a nice bottle of ale is a lovely way to start the night), or to socialise better (...100% guilty...), or just to break out of their "normal" life.

Sometimes we overdo it and do something stupid (and as a result my girlfriends family have seen far more of my naked body than i'd like) but part of being young *is* doing stupid things - annoyingly they happen to be the most fun!

Alcohol is like sex. You don't "need" to do it but it makes life a hell of a lot more fun and crazy.

p.s. I can still have good times when sober so that's no argument

p.p.s I may be rather drunk currently...........It's been a bloody good night of merryment

Alcohol, i've had it too much for tonigjht, dion't like...

last night, alcohol led me to smoke after I quitted for 8 years. My mouth now stinks!

Drinking is fun though, and frankly I have never been drunk enough to have any consequences.

alcohol ruined my Christmas of 2009, on Christmas eve i had an attack of pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas due to drinking over a long period of time, its the worst pain i have ever felt in my life and wouldnt wish it upon anybody else. After numerous hospital appointments and scans they have told me that if i drink again i will die, so i have been sober for over a year which at 19 years of age hasnt been easy, and over that time i have come to realise that a lot of problems could be prevented if alcohol were to be banned. Im not saying it should be, as someone who has had an illness caused by alcohol i would be a hypocrite, and I still enjoy spending nights out with my mates and watching them get drunk (provides plenty to talk about the next day :P)

Was drunk every Friday and Saturday night. Then it was very often through the week along with every Friday and Saturday night. Then I grew up and became an adult. Now I'll have a beer at dinner now and then when Wifey and I are out without the kids, not very often, and will "live it up" having 4 or 5 when out on work's tab, again not very often. Last time it was on work's tab, I headed up to my room instead while they all stayed in the bar until who knows when. I was the only one who showed up to the meeting other than the boss and one other guy the next morning on time while everyone else showed up 2 hours late.

the one side of my family is rife with alcoholics. on the subject of drinking and family, i lost a family member back in 2005 after a drunk driver had crashed into the car he was a passenger of.

personally, i have no problem with alcohol. i don't like to get drunk, but i do enjoy having a beer or two (or six) every now and again... i don't see what the appeal is of getting so drunk you puke all over the sidewalk, or partying every weekend and sleeping with random women (who most likely also sleep with random men on a weekly basis)

lol teetowl

Doesn't he mean teetotaller?

Alcohol is a way of life, alcohol is my way of life.

I think you can have fun without drinking. Then again you can drink without having fun...

I consider myself to have a pretty good relationship with the stuff. I don't have a need for a drink. Sometimes I have a beer or two just alone at home watching a movie or whatever. After a hard day it's a relaxing feeling. Mainly though I just like the taste, I don't try and get drunk.

Sometimes you end up in a party (like last Tuesday. I was just going to relax in the sauna but there was a bloody toga party going on. Not in the sauna ofc but in the building. :| ) No one was really that wasted, I left the place well before 3 am, no one got into a fight etc. I do have one mate who likes to get into a fight when he's drunk. The worst I've seen happen to him was being kicked out of a bar after groping a bartender.

I guess if you are with people who are able to drink even remotely responsively you don't end up covered in shit. Instead you can actually have fun socially. From Jamie's story I can only deduce he's talking about a bunch of teenagers (mentally at least) trying to find their limits. I can tell you it'll pass. Kids tend to do silly stuff to find their limits.

Quote from Ball Bearing Turbo :

Doesn't he mean teetotaller?

Yeah I just said teetowl because of how Frankie Boyle says it, cracks me up.

Quote from hyntty :

I guess if you are with people who are able to drink even remotely responsively you don't end up covered in shit. Instead you can actually have fun socially. From Jamie's story I can only deduce he's talking about a bunch of teenagers (mentally at least) trying to find their limits. I can tell you it'll pass. Kids tend to do silly stuff to find their limits.

Everyone at this party was sort of 17-20 but yeah my general feelings of how people abuse alcohol are of people this sort of age.

Quote from -NightFly- :

Alcohol, i've had it too much for tonigjht, dion't like...

Ahaha hope you don't have a hangover

I don't drink that much and so I'm usually the most sober out of all my friends on a night out. Doesn't help that I have the most insane metabolism so even when I do get a bit tipsy I'm fine again half an hour later I've never really understood why you'd want to get completely drunk. I save money, remember the whole night and everything that happens, don't get a hangover, still have a good time and can still get with drunk girls

Although of course you do have to deal with your drunk friends which can be interesting, particularly as one of my friends is an INSANE lightweight yet still insists on downing shot after shot....

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

Ahaha hope you don't have a hangover

That's what i was also hoping yesterday, obviously it didn't work....:sour:

I always seem to be full instead of drunk.
I can't drink more, because I'm not thirsty, not because I'm drunk.
Although one time I started at 5PM, holy crap that was a good evening.

There was a time in my teens 16-18 when I would be drunk partying every weekend. I still get drunk with mates on occasion but no fights ever happen only good times and a bad hang over.

I don't mind the occasional beer here and there just at home, it's relaxing.

I don't particularly like that Alcohol is considered socially acceptable as it's quite a dangerous drug (but it can be taxed so government gives it the a'okay)

Like anything though it's fine in moderation.

I don't drink often, as i tend to find other more, illegal substances much more fun and less damaging to both my body and brain. And to others around me.

The only time i ever drink will be at a club, and even then it won't be to the point i pass out or can't walk. Little bit of a buzz and "feel good" feeling and finding it hard to walk is good enoughf or me. But the day after i feel like complete shit, worse than any type of illegal drug i've ever had.

Along with that, im not a major fan of the environment that alcohol causes, acting tough, starting fights, talking shit...you'll always see some form of violence out on the nightlife strip. Yet the type of environment im around all the time (Party drugs/Psychedelics) you'll never see any type of violence EVER.

Illegal drugs have such a bad stigma about them...yet i see ten times worse behaviour by people that go out and get drunk every weekend, its stupid.

And the worse type of arguement is drunks that look down on you for using other substances, when you turn around and say "But Alcohol is a drug", there simply rely is "BUT ITS LEGAL THEREFOR I'M BETTER THAN YOU"

I don't know where im going with this...Alcohol is meh, fun occasionaly but not something ill do regularly...

Alcohol causes aggressiveness, stupid fights and other stuff I don't like, for example the next morning

Marijuana, on the other hand...

Diabetic, cant really get completey wasted. Never wanted to either. 2 or 3 cans of Bud and im done. More $$$ in pocket and still a good time. I can remember it all, too!*



* not always a great thing, mind...

There are only 2 downsides to alcohol from my own point of view and they are:

1. Cost
   
2. Makes you fat
   

Quote from Klutch :

Drugs are so cool, alcohol is bad*

Cry me a river.

officially, I don't drink, since I'm not of age for another few months

Quote from Klutch :

I don't drink often, as i tend to find other more, illegal substances much more fun and less damaging to both my body and brain. And to others around me.

The only time i ever drink will be at a club, and even then it won't be to the point i pass out or can't walk. Little bit of a buzz and "feel good" feeling and finding it hard to walk is good enoughf or me. But the day after i feel like complete shit, worse than any type of illegal drug i've ever had.

Along with that, im not a major fan of the environment that alcohol causes, acting tough, starting fights, talking shit...you'll always see some form of violence out on the nightlife strip. Yet the type of environment im around all the time (Party drugs/Psychedelics) you'll never see any type of violence EVER.

Illegal drugs have such a bad stigma about them...yet i see ten times worse behaviour by people that go out and get drunk every weekend, its stupid.

And the worse type of arguement is drunks that look down on you for using other substances, when you turn around and say "But Alcohol is a drug", there simply rely is "BUT ITS LEGAL THEREFOR I'M BETTER THAN YOU"

I don't know where im going with this...Alcohol is meh, fun occasionaly but not something ill do regularly...

The difference is... and this somehow never pops up in one of these "Alcohol is a million time worse for society than other drugs" arguments: I can enjoy 1 or 2 beers with a movie or friends and have a good time. On the other hand, you never see people take 1/12th of an xtc pill, or a sprinkle of cocaine, or any other amount of drugs that causes an insignificant effect.

I'm not going to jump into any camp because I believe that alcohol does cause a shitload of problems, but the difference is that you don't have to get shitfaced every time you have a drink, whereas drugs are more of an on/off switch in their effect.

Just my 2 cents