I think everyone is going to have their own opinion on this. Obviously it's not great for health. Just like any substance, it feels good for some... Not so much for others. Some people get dependent, others not. I think it's a very personal thing. If you can have a few drinks here and there without it causing problems... More power to you! If it becomes how you function or a daily habit, take a fucking break man. Or stop entirely.

This message was written after drinking a couple drinks.

as an alcoholic myself (10 years sober) if you can have a few drinks once and awhile and it doesn't affect your life in any way whats so ever then power to you. If it's fun for you every now again but not on the regular, then again, power to you.

For people like me we can't do that. we don't know where the stop button is and in many cases don't care to find it. for otherx saying "drinking is bad full stop it has health issues even if you have one drink every month" oh let the baby have their bottles and ignore them. if you can drink and it's not destroying anything and you can still function then have at it.

The medical community recognizes alcoholism and drug addiction as diseases, not moral failings.

I believe that the statistic is that 10% of all drinkers account for over half the alcohol sold.

I stopped drinking alcohol two years ago. Only after quitting I realized that I self-medicated my undiagnosed adhd by drinking regularly and almost developed an alcohol addiction by doing so.

Tips? It started with dry January for me. One month turned into three the first year. When I was at six months sober two years ago, I decided that it's better to just continue staying sober.

Alternatives? Non-alcoholic beer is quite good. You have something to do at social gatherings and you can still do the cheers! thing with the others.

You're literally poisoning your body when drinking and increasing your risk of getting many different cancers down the line (you have to drink less than you probably think for this to be the case).

So yeah...I just don't drink.

It’s fine unless it’s a problem for you. It’s also fine if you don’t.

Everyone self medicates in some way.

If you want to do drugs do them sparingly and if there are any you can't do then sparingly don't do those ones at all.

3 years sober this august. Eventually the amount of drinking you need to do increases to an unbearable degree for the same amount of "fun".

Life is much better now. But being an addict sucks, don't go there.

I really enjoyed the drinking and weed combo (getting wasted all the time and skipping most of the hang over with weed felt like a life hack), thought i could do it forever - but then it just felt normal at some point. In the end alcohol gave me gout attacks and weed gave me random anxiety attacks.

I miss them like toxic lovers, but i know they're shit and totally not worth it. Learning how to "be sober" was really hard as a result of doing it for so long.

Honestly, I don't drink much anymore. I drank a lot as a student and I was youthful enough not to feel too many after effects.

But now... maybe once or twice a month tops. I'm mostly there for the taste now. I brew beer. I drink so little of it I end up giving away most of my bottles, or maybe sharing one with several friends on occasion. I love a good whiskey, but I'd rather buy an expensive bottle and let it last several years than powering through it or getting fucked up with cheap booze.

Truth is, I literally can't stomach heavy drinking anymore. So now I more often than not stop when sufficiently buzzed or when my taste buds give up.

I drink maybe a few times a month and even then not much. The older I get, the harder it is on me. I have definitely taken it too far a few times in life, both in a session and a few times where the habit became everyday for some months. Neither are good. But periodic drink while breaking bread with companions is a great thing I think.

And I make mead and love it. So that goes down the hatch too. We are fortunate not to have formed habits that hurt our lives. Everything in moderation. Not good to overdo it but no sense in teetotaling either.

Opinions? You do you. No amount of alcohol is apparently "safe" in terms of health effects, according to newer research. For a ton of people that doesn't matter that much.

I think that occasional social drinking is probably a good thing for society. It encourages people to socialize, open up and trust each other. Yeah you low-key are poisoning yourself, but your liver can handle a couple drinks a week. Id say I average about 1-2 drinks a week, and as such I have like no alcohol tolerance. The upside of which is that im a pretty big guy and I can get pleasantly buzzed off a single drink on an empty stomach.

The first time I had alcohol I hated it. The feeling, kinda like what you said, that my brains processing power has gotten throttled down. But once I learned to relax, its actually quite pleasant. I dont judge anyone for not wanting to drink, though, it's not for everyone. But if youre gonna alter your mental state with drugs I think its a decent choice. There are safer drugs, like cannabis probably, but I think in today's world alcohol is more the energy that society needs. I dont think that its a coincidence that the decline in alcohol consumption among young people is closely correlated with an increase in loneliness.

I only have a drink at the weekend now, and usually only a couple of pints of beer or a couple of glasses of wine.

I very very rarely drink enough to get drunk, maybe once or twice a year.

I enjoy the taste and the light buzz.

Alcohol and I had quite a destructive relationship for all of my 20s and I am fortunate to have survived it. Got sober at 30, relapsed over Covid, clawed my way back, and coming up on my 5 year (take 2) anniversary in July. As a whole, I've been sober for 11 of the past 13 years and have no desire to pick up the bottle again.

My partner is a normal drinker in that he will have a single hard cider once or twice a month on a Friday while playing League with friends. I'm at the point where a six pack can sit in the fridge for a couple months and it doesn't phase me in the least. If he drank more and/or more frequently, I'd likely need to adjust some boundaries though.

I'm a firm believer that people should make their own choices and that what others do with their own bodies is no business of mine, but I do think there should be an increase in education around alcohol and it's physical, mental, emotional, and social/relational effects.

My mom died of breast cancer at 62 and was a heavy wine drinker. She kept drinking "moderately" (i.e. almost daily) after chemo and the first remission. Her cancer is not her fault, but I can't help but wonder if she would have had longer had she quit when she got the first diagnosis.

I love the taste of alcohol and in social situations it sooths my anxiety. But because of that I've noticed it take over me for a bit. Now I may not even have a drink in a month. And not drinking has been great for my physical training even if parties aren't as fun.

But really I don't care about substances having an effect on my reasoning or perception. I think it's good actually to have different perspectives. So as long as you're alcohol consumption isn't hurting those around you, have at it brother.

Where I live, it's like everything is centered around drinking. My foreign friends were kind of shocked my office always has a fridge fully stocked with beer.

I got sick and can't drink anymore and it's honestly quite lonely. I was hoping to at least see some health benefits after quitting but haven't noticed any yet.

Live and let live.

I only care about other people in so far as their habits are disruptive to other people's peace.

I enjoy some light drinking. It curbs my social anxiety and makes me loquacious and stimulated. Just not to the point of being sloppy, slurred and clumsy.

I don't drink at all. Might have a taste (which is quite literally a taste) of my partner's drink if it's something new, but that's it. Otherwise, I have what looks and feels like an allergic reaction if I even have a mouthful.

My view on it is that as long as you're responsible about it and aren't causing anyone else discomfort or putting them at risk (being creepy, violent, making a mess, driving, etc.), then I'm okay with it. What you put in your body isn't my decision and you shouldn't let your alcohol-fueled self decide the fate of others.

As for me getting around people asking me if I want a drink, they've all been pretty respectful when I decline. If they pushed, they wouldn't likely be people I surround myself with. I'm also always happy to be designated driver, so I get offered mocktails instead. 😎

I enjoy good beer. I have one almost every day - I don't believe it's the effect alcohol has on my brain, but the taste. I found a non-alcoholic beer that I liked and drank it for months. Then the store ran out so I got some of my old favourites as a treat and from the very first sip it was just - better. So I'm back to drinking alcohol - one beer a day and a small Jägermeister once or twice a month.

I understand that it's poison, but I feel like unless you're living a totally subsistence lifestyle in the middle of nowhere then everything you do is a potential poison to some extent and our bodies will deal with it or not - we're all playing Russian Roulette with everything we ingest, breath and touch.

I quite like alcohol. In fact I liked it so much I drank my whole lifetimes share, and several other people's lifetime share, by the time I was 35. Decided it would be greedy to have any more. Better to leave some for the rest of the gang, so I stopped 3 1/2 years ago.

I personally don't like alcohol. The only form I like is the heavy cream and sugar ones - and at that point I can just eat some Ice cream or a Milkshake for the same calories.

I believe there is no safe amount of alcohol. It is poison.

But it is not my business what others do unless they decide to drive. F those people.

I don't like the effects either. My addiction currently is to caffeine - and I was told to never ever try coke or Adderall or I would be in deep trouble...

It depends on how it affects you. What you described matches more what I get from coffee (I don't drink coffee). I drink fairly regularly I guess. It gives a social boost, to the point of a semi-social sober person, in exchange for some clumsiness. Hangovers are rare and I've never forgotten something because of alcohol, so it feels more like a short-term enhancement. Obviously it's bad long-term but, as with everything, if you don't hurt anyone, you do you.

I like the 'high' alcohol gives, but the price is pretty steep for my body. Hangovers hit me hard, and sleep is much worse after ingesting alcohol. Being more drunk is less fun for me, so it's also a kind of delicate balance.

Since (dry vaping) weed gives a more enjoyable and easily manageable high (shorter, and harder to get too high), similarly priced, without hangovers and with a lot less negative health impacts, I like that a lot more. The 'cost' of alcohol just seems much more obvious when having something like weed to compare to.

Drank most weekends in my twenties. Not so much now. My wife and I take years to go through a bottle of booze.

I really like it. It enhances nights out, social gatherings, music, and comedy.

It doesn't affect my work as I only drink if I'm not working the next day. I probably get drunk 2-4 nights a month.

It's absolutely not for everyone. Some people should never drink.

My biggest issue with it is that it screws up my health due to the empty calories and poor food choices/lack of exercise the next day.

I do like the moralizing opinions of those who use cannabis often. Very interesting.

Personally I find nothing wrong with it. Everything in moderation and it's your life.

I never liked beer. It just tastes like shit to me. I'm also not a fan of dry wine, so I don't usually go for that. I do like mixed drinks.

I very rarely drink. My wife's older brother was killed by a drunk driver. I met her after that, but I got to see the impact it had on their lives. So, if I'm driving I won't touch any alcohol.

When my kids were young, and I was still in the on call rotation at work, I was always either driving the kids around or I was on call, so I couldn't drink.

Now the kids are grown, and I don't take call anymore, but it just never occurs to me. Very rarely, my wife and I will go to a restaurant within walking distance of our house. If we go there, I'll have a couple long island iced teas. To give you an idea of the frequency, we've gone there three times in the last seven years. We might also open a bottle of wine at holidays.

I never was part of the drinking culture. My wife and I started dating when we were in high school. We've never been the sort to go to a bar or a nightclub.

When my kids were young and in karate, we would go to parties with the other karate parents. My wife and I were shocked by the dads who would get absolutely plastered at these parties. When we asked, they said they drink like that every week.

even casual drinking is enough to raise the risk of alcohol related diseases. as long as your not doing it everyday, or drinking heavily on occasion it should be fine. i had family member who had gastritis from drinking too much, during his "partying" years.

I don't drink much but I do smoke weed a lot, and its effects are similar. I'm actually high right now. I think regularly drinking or using weed is fine as long as you're responsible and don't do it in a way that interferes with other responsibilities. Do it after you've done all your tasks that you need to be sober for. Also, try not to be dependent on it. Learn other ways to cope with daily struggles.

It’s tough trying to decide which reply to post this under so I guess at the top….

I do enjoy drinking occasionally, and I also drink much less than I used to. I admit to unhealthy binge drinking in my early 20s. Now, I essentially never have enough to get impaired, so that’s good. I do also respect my brain and want to take care of it. Also as I get older, alcohol is just less appealing and the hangover is harder to deal with. I’ll have a couple drinks every few weeks

I’m actually tempted to try to drink more often. It helps me socially and helps reduce stress, so why shouldn’t I have a drink or two every weekend. I do know alcohol is a sneaky bitch though, so would never actually try to drink more

And of course when I mentioned this to a buddy, I found out he had gotten up to 2/day by following that logic. Yikes

Why do so many people in here think you have to get drunk every time you drink alcohol? You can stop at one. There are some studies suggesting a glass of wine might have health benefits. You could also just eat a handful of grapes.

I drink almost every night, one or two beers, often leave the second unfinished. Sometimes if I run out of beer I'll go a few days without drinking because I'm too lazy to walk across the street and buy more.

I like the taste of beer, so many styles, so many flavor combos. What am I supposed to drink at night? I drink water all day. I don't like soda, or tea, or milk. What am I supposed to drink with my burger? Soda? Pizza and tea? I don't really like being drunk and hate hangovers. Has no effect on my work.

Why does there have to be alternatives? Don't want to drink? Don't. Worried about being judged? Fuck em. The people in here on their moral high horse that think if you drink you're a drunk driving alcoholic, fuck them too. Or if your friend group are staying out at one place, get a Guinness. It's a dark beer so people assume you're going to be sipping it and it's one of the least alcoholic beers you'll find on tap most places.

Worried about your health? Stay active, get a dog.

Alachol: almost fifteen years sober, never another drop.

Water: fuuuuuck, I know I should drink more, but c’mon man.

I'm 50 years old.

Most of my life alcohol has just been there and had never been a problem for me. I just drank alcohol when appropriate. As I got older and had kids and a house and responsibilities, having a cocktail in the evening was a nice treat that I felt like I deserved. Still no problem. To me I had a normal relationship with alcohol.

Then I started on a GLP-1 med a few years ago. And I stopped wanting alcohol. Was I an alcoholic all that time? I really don't know. I definitely looked forward to that evening cocktail...was I addicted to drinking alcohol? I just didn't see it that way and assumed I had complete control. But now I question it.

I think anyone drinking daily has a problem, and anyone doing more than 3 drinks once a week or more (bingeing) also a problem.

I do like a cocktail on the weekend, usually do about 3 per week, and take 2 months off completely each year. It does seem to affect me but not much & I really don't want to be obsessive about health, just overall healthy. As long as I wake up feeling good I figure it's ok.

When I see movies and people are in situations so dangerous, they need their wits about them, and they show these people drinking, I always think that is the last thing I would want right then.

I stopped about 5 years ago. I have depressive tendencies and drinking heightens the negative emotions much more than the positive ones (for me, at least). It wouldn't take much to send me spiralling for the night.

Also, to your point - I couldn't do math well for like a week after drinking, and I need to for my work.

Bitter. Too bitter for my liking.

Plus, I'm quite happy with having full mental faculties. Never understood why people would enjoy diminishing it.

No amount of alcohol is good for you, and considering the things that are 'good' for you can potentially be bad for you (e.g. supply chains making things cheaper for profit without regards to public health), it's not really worth whatever you're getting out of it (imo). Sure, it can be reasonable to think it can be fun or different on occasion, but there's alternatives that are far less destructive to your overall well-being. By less risky I'm not even refering to long-term damage...I mean the potential that someone's light or moderate relationship with alcohol can, in a single night, pivot and destroy their life or the life of another. That can obviously be applied to literally anything, but again, there's no amount of alcohol that's good for you.

Want a head change? Eat a CBD gummy or try some different teas- there's plenty that can mellow you out the are far less impactful or risky to your health- chamomile, peppermint, kava, damiana, etc (though even some of those can damage your liver long-term).

Ultimately, everyone gets to decide what is worth the risk to them - red meat, lunch meats, preservates in literally everything, pickled things, too much sugar, trans fats, too much screen time, etc. Kind of comes down to the individual to decide what's worth it. I'd rather enjoy a yummy treat a few times a week over nuking my body with alcohol every now and again.

I think regular drinking is not very healthy and hits the body hard. There is no harm in occasionally getting drunk though. It's good for the soul.

Its poison, slow and social poisoning marketed and sold as a product to consume

I hate alcohol. I hate the lifestyle of alcohol. I hate that people orbit themselves around alcohol to where all they think as to have a good time, is to have alcohol. I hate drunk drivers. I hate people who're constantly drunk. I hate people who spend enormous times at the bar or some nightclub where there will be - alcohol. I hate domestic abusers who usually cause a lot of shit by drinking alcohol.

Alcohol provides practically zero benefits to the human body and countless damages.

People who drink regularly, even if they aren't actually alcoholics, are causing really bad long-term damage to their organs (all of them, not just the liver). Alcohol is also a carcinogen that newer studies are saying is comparable to tobacco.

That being said it isn't necessarily an issue solved with judgement. Most alcoholics know they're killing their bodies but can't quit due to the chemical and psychological addicting properties of alcohol. Many who become alcoholics do so as a form of self medication for major problems, psychological or otherwise. Others are literally groomed into it by friends, family and the nearly global culture of drinking.

Thank fuck the newer generations are drinking less than ever.

It's very important, as without drinking, you die of thirst within a few days. /s

I buy a fifth for the weekend and that's generally it. I may buy some hard ciders but I try not to drink much over the work week. I do this partially because I almost fell into alcoholism with a prior job.

I have a strong fear of using substances that affect my ability to do logical reasoning and make decisions of my own accord, so I don't ever want to drink.

I'm young so I'm still at a reasonable age to not drink, but I did have a shot once among family and friends and it only gave me a massive migraine and a sore throat so it wasn't a very positive experience.

I think its too expensive and it smells bad

We drink because it's good for the brewer and the taxman. Everyone else is harmed.

Alcohol increases your risk of cancer and after effects (depression, irritability) can linger for more than a week with some people, like me! So I don't drink, not really worth it to me.

I think people that aren't just trying it out and that drink even one drink in a setting more than once a week are alcoholics to varying degrees. I don't condemn them, but I do think that at that point, the alcohol is a habit, and you are addicted and therefore an alcoholic. Not a raging alcoholic, not a helpless alcoholic, but you have proven yourself able to be, and are, addicted to alcohol and at that point need to be VERY careful.

Also, alcohol is basically just bad for you, fully. Do whatever you want, maybe I'll join you happily occasionally, but this is the fact of the situation.

I drank for most of my life but once I met my now wife I didn't see the point of it, since it was entirely related to my horniness and trying to get in a skirt chasing "wolf mode". I also converted to Islam so that definitely pushed me more in that direction, lol, and I haven't drank in almost a decade. I'm not shy and/or self-conscious so it doesn't benefit me in that way (a couple of drinks is more than enough for these kind of folks, or at least should be) and I'm too reckless and easily triggered into aggression (way more so the past but still) so nah, not for me... my substance has always been cannabis anyway. 🫣😅

Alcohol is a garbage drug I don't understand why people love it so much