Ask Lemmy

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.

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.

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

Everyone self medicates in some way.

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.

Alcohol is a sneaky bitch.
I used to drink only on the weekends, and I was never the guy who drank the most, or got wasted every week. I was the sensible one in the group.
My limit was 4 beers when I did get drunk, but a lot of the time I was the designated driver and had no problem having fun and dancing sober.
Then in university, Thursdays were the inofficial start of the weekend with the most parties, since a lot of people left town Friday till Sunday.
I didn't, and in that town no one needed to drive, so now I was partying and drinking 3 nights a week.
Then came the daily beer to wind down in the evening. And over the next 10 years, gradually, this evening beer turned into 2, then 3, then 4.
6 on weekends, more if I actually went out.
Scotch also became popular in my circle of friends, and since we all made good money, it wasn't uncommon to get gifted a 100€ bottle from a trip to Scotland. Which lead to a bit of a wake-up call when those friends visited again a week later to taste some of that really nice Scotch with me, but the bottle was already empty.

You only notice how bad it got once you stop. And then you realize you'll never have a relaxed attitude towards alcohol again, cause whenever you have one drink, it won't end till you pass out.

So that part of my life is over, and good riddance. I will not drink today.

As a recovered alcoholic, not a big fan of it.

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.

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.

Live and let live.

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

I only drink beer, no wine or hard alcohol. Maybe like two bottles on a weekend max. Most of the time it is an alcohol free beer.

From 30 on my hangovers go really brutal so it was not worth it anymore. Also alcohol is extra calories, and try to keep my current weight.

But a nice beer after a long hike is the best.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

never tried alcohol and never want to either. it ruins your skin and ages you prematurely, honestly, it’s up there with unprotected sun exposure. plus, I’m naturally so unhinged I don’t need any substances to unwind or have fun.

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.

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.

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.

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 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. 😎

Bitter. Too bitter for my liking.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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

I used to drink and smoke weed daily. The combination of a few beers and lots of weed would numb my brain and take the edge off reality. I did this every single day for years on end, during which time the amount of both drugs crept up on me. When I lost a friend to suicide, the brakes came of entirely and no more fucks were given. I drank before and during work several days a week, and even more after work. Binge drinking also became more frequent. The last time I drank I got completely fucked up, blacked out, lost half my things, ended up with a court date for threatening to punch two ticket inspectors and a broken nose (unrelated to the incident with the ticket inspectors).

That's when I decided things had to change and I made the decision to quit and I haven't had a drop of alcohol since. My life improved drastically, practically over night, from that decision and improved further when I quit weed a few years later. I went from being miserable alone in front of the computer every night wasting my life getting drunk and high to a married man who will be a dad in a few months.

The moral of the story? I guess that drinking is fine until it isn't and you don't know if you'll be one of the ones where it's not until it happens. I really didn't drink that much at first and it was already a big problem before my friend died, so it wasn't that that caused it. I would recommend everyone who drinks any amount of alcohol to regularly evaluate the reasons they are drinking and if their habits are becoming problematic. But even then the hard part isn't realising you have a problem, it's actually finding the will do change that's hard.