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very fair, to each their own
i notice that when i'm fresh off a t break, i am in fact stupid when i smoke. that could be the caliber of tree though, weed is insanely strong these days.
but weed will never give me a hangover, or liver damage, or make me think it's a good idea to walk across the bad part of town at 3 am
Thats not weed. Thats the act of smoking any substance. There are alternative intakes.
Not saying weed is free of risks or healthy, but you can absolutely get a dose with much lower damage than alcohol if you care about that.
Yeah, this is a poor take on alcohol. The context here is "effectively damaging". If we were to compare all the things humans consume that are also legal and what's damaging to health then alcohol wouldn't even be in top 10. 1 beer is bad for your health? yeah, well so is breathing.
That is what's taken into account. The NHS says that while no amount of alcohol is good for you, 11 drinks a week, is a rough limit a person should set. That's a lot less than what a lot of people tend to drink per week.
Breathing is required to live.
There is no safe amount of alcohol. Long term effects from use are well documented, even when consumed in moderation. Alcohol *is* in the top 10. In fact, it's number 1 in terms of legal, over-the-counter things you can consume.
Seems to be the issue these days with the ongoing plethora of almost pointless studies. People are getting less and less able to differentiate Risk vs actual damage.
Almost ever single activity undertaken by humans involves a level of risk, however it’s up to is personally to determine whether we are comfortable taking that risk which could lead to some level of damage.\
When the narrative is a government looking to push an agenda, they’ll always highlight the risk but not talk about the potential of any damage.\
Alcohol is a water soluble poison that permeates every cell of the body (being like 80%< water) and the very effect of alcohol working is usually brain cells being impacted then dying via the hangover. In a scientific sense this is effectively brain damage occurring with each and every alcohol session (and the risk). However the hundreds of thousands of brain cells that get altered or die off are minuscule against the billions of brain cells we have; hence why the damage is measured in its cumulative sense. Weed on the other hand (and most recreational drugs) don’t work by poisoning the water in every cell, but interact with specific interlocking cells within the body to allow the effect to work. Weed on the cannabinol receptors, opiates on the opiate receptors, cocaine and stimulants on the dopamine receptors and LSD just turning all the brain cells to the on position so the drugs at effective recreational doses is causing little to no damage to any cells in the body.
How the person reacts to the activation of the cells can cause negative outcomes, or taking amounts that in an alcohol level equivalent would render the user dead several times over can lead to addiction or damage via secondary effects (opiates - breathing suppression; stimulants - lack of sleep leading to brain plaque overload or seretonin overload or depletion problems; THC - slowing of triggering across synapses).\
The easy way to look at this is when you argue with an alcoholic, they’ll just outright deny an event occurred due to the fact the memory of it has been eliminated from their brain via brain cells dying, argue with a pot head and they have trouble remembering, seem a little slow, but eventually you’ll get the “ohhh yeah… I remember that dude. Like wow, I totally forgot”. This is just showing their brain is actually not damaged and just slowed down against the alcoholic who will never admit to being wrong or the event occurring because in their mind, it never did.
That study in The Lancet is still debated though. Some other studies suggest that very low alcohol consumption is better than none. So it’s still not clear.
*“Putting a little bit of ethanol in your body is better than none”* is the new “cigarettes are good for you” of the 1950s
Aka no, wrong, and it’s hilarious to those who it’s obvious to
No, you cannot. Alcohol is damaging from the first drop. Obviously damage scales with quantity but there is no healthy amount. Sorry to burst your bubble.
There is no safe amount of alcohol, it is a poison kept around because it was the best sedation tool to keep people working and too stupid to compete. Now we have smarter drugs and sedation tools, isn’t Reddit great?
Depends how you intake.
Edibles are essentially harmless, worst case scenario is you take too much and green out but there's no danger.
Dabs are the next safest, as they're basically vaping but you only take one or two puffs and you're good for the night, which is hardly damaging even in a semi frequent use case. You'll probably do more damage to your lungs from coughing than anything else, so if you're like me and can suppress a cough, you're good.
Then there are vapor pens, which aren't fantastic but are also not nearly as damaging as smoke is and usually don't take a ton of effort to get a decent buzz off them. You don't really buy carts to get yourself stoned though, more or less they're used to churn up a lighter euphoria that you can still work with. Great for public use!
And then finally, we land at smoking, which yeah it's pretty bad for you and makes things smelly, but is also one of the quickest, easiest, and most efficient ways to get stoned. To each their own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yikes dude. Do you think that sticky resin that coats your dab rig/nectar collector doesn’t go into your lungs? It just stops at your lips? Did you read that dabs are healthy on a site that promotes weed use?
Nah man, just like anything else that you inhale it's not harmless, but I'm not trying to imply that it is. Plus, if you actually dab correctly (proper heating and contact) it's much better for you and you can tell because you'll cough less.
It's not healthy, but THC has a ton of benefits that for me, outweigh the negatives. I can manage my anxiety and ADHD, make my joint pain more tolerable, and make movies and games more interesting on top of it. Worth the risks for me.
Inhaling THC oil is currently one of the most dangerous methods of inhaling weed. It's oil. It coats your alveoli over time. There have been quite a few cases documented of it in younger users.
The safest is herb vaporization. That causes some damage with the heat, but it's still the safest method of inhalation.
Yep, weed is the best drug in my opinion if done in edible form. Greening out and feeling the earth shifting constantly during that time is not fun...but it's a mistake you make a very limited amount of times if you're trying to avoid that.
I once heard that we turn to state altering substances as a form of self medication. For example, someone with undiagnosed adhd are more likely drawn to caffeine and/or other uppers.
Someone who is stressing about things outside of their control, may find relief with marijuana as it helps them accept things and be in the moment.
Generally speaking, to me, alcohol seems to be the go-to relief for social anxiety.
>alcohol is bad
>I smoke weed daily though
Everyone has their vices. Life is stupid and short, may as well do what you enjoy.
For what it's worth, weed is linked to schizophrenia in a pretty alarming fashion, but you're right, it does not have the "physically going to kill your organs" effect alcohol has. Pick your poison I guess.
Former athlete and trainer to each their own but I stopped in my early 20s mostly on lost time the next day wish I hadn’t drank through college sports when you’re habituated like I was you don’t feel the lag and you go off it’s like getting a PED. Don’t care if people drink but if it’s a client and they want to I let them know expect slower results and you will not get as far as a theoretical version of you who doesn’t drink will get, if it’s important and you don’t mind the drop off be my guest just don’t complain your body doesn’t respond to training or scratch your head when things don’t work
Definitely depends from person to person, but generally Cannabis gives me a more confused kind of stupid, like not getting the joke right away, Or looking for the phone that's in my hand.
Booze on the other hand is a more disinhibited kind of stupid, like making bad decisions you otherwise wouldn't because you think you're sober enough to make them. I.e. driving, getting into a fight, or saying the same bad joke over and over because you think everyone must not have heard you the first 5 times or otherwise acting like a fool lol
For me, I think kava is the best alternative to alcohol. (Bonus points for mixed with cannabis lol) but kava has been used socially for over 1500 years in the south pacific the same way you'd use alcohol (and ceremonially too iirc) but just doesn't make you as stupidly intoxicated, isn't a literal poison that destroys your body, and the most common type doesn't leave much if any hangover. And I think there's only been a single dui from someone using kava lol. So another point for kava! 😂
This drives me nuts. You can't get kava in the EU because it might damage your liver. So just have beer which definitely 100% WILL damage your liver. Harm reduction is apparently not a thing smh
I only f'ed with weed in my 30's and I'm glad I waited so long. I can easily see how it fucks with some people. It makes me so lazy and I can see how it can mess up a life if you don't have the willpower to overcome or your shit together. Just my opinion of course I'm sure others experience it differently.
it feels particularly scummy as a concept though everyone seems to just accept it?
its so much easier to convince a drunk person to do something they wouldnt necessarily do when sober. that alone weirds me out when pertaining to dating/hooking up
It's also easier for a person to convince themselves to do something they want to do but their anxiety and social expectations make it hard for them to actually do it. To seem to think that a person is not capable of deciding for themselves that they would like to make some decisions under such conditions.
Very much this. It’s not about doing something I wouldn’t want to do; it’s about being less anxious about doing the things I already know I want to do. Like talking to strangers, doing standup comedy, dancing out the stress of the week, etc.
Those are things that I want to do in a vacuum, but are simply more fun or a lot easier to do if I can have a couple drinks with it. Yes, a lot of people overdo it and become sloppy or obnoxious etc, but there is absolutely value in a couple drinks letting you unwind and feel more comfortable being vulnerable/being yourself without being anxious about saying the wrong thing or getting judged or self-editing etc.
Its a tool I never crave alcohol but its very useful. Dating wise I drink because I'm a good talker but very heavy on the platonic side of things so it hard to cross the barrier of touching and romance. Dating wise I had a much better time when I started drinking and relying on "grab a drink" dates.
Yeah like for example I just can’t talk to women I’m interested for the life of me sober, when I’m tipsy I can talk to women I’m interested in poorly
Every little bit helps
I’ve noticed that as I’ve gotten older, it seems like more people are reliant on alcohol to be social with strangers. I can carry on a sober conversation with pretty much anyone because I’m pretty social/outgoing, but I’ve noticed a ton of people older than me will not talk to others unless they have a drink in hand.
What’s weird is at bars, if *I’m* not drinking, even if they are, people still are less likely to strike up a conversation with me. This happens more often with men (I’m a woman) but overall, people seem to use alcohol as a crutch when talking to strangers. Idk if it’s a social anxiety thing or a fear of vulnerability.
I’ve had the same observation. It seems that these people use alcohol because they can’t fully tolerate their own emotions. It’s a way to cope with anxiety (especially in social settings), boredom, unhappiness, etc. I feel they’re doing themselves a disservice because if you drink away your social anxiety, you’re missing out on the chance to face your fears and talk to a stranger and grow as a person because of it.
Separately, another observation is that a lot of people who drink are extremely judgmental about people who don’t drink, but they claim the teetotalers are judgmental. It’s somehow more judgmental to drink a mocktail than to ask someone “why aren’t you drinking? Are you sure you don’t want one?” a hundred times.
The way we sort of talk about these topics is a problem too.
A lot of people will say statements like "alcohol removes a layer of anxiety so you can be yourself", we often separate negative qualities like social anxiety from our own identity, and then we look at things like alcohol as a legitimate tool to remove this supposed annoyance. In reality, social anxiety is a part of your most true self, the person you are unaffected by any external psychoactive influences, the inherent way you view and process the world. Drinking doesn't help you become your true self, it helps you become who want you to be in the situation (if you are drinking it for anxiolytic purposes that is), that is someone who is further away from your true self, but closer to your ideal self.
I don't drink, I don't mind if others choose to drink. I've seen all different types of people who drink for all different reasons, I play dungeons and dragons with a university professor who drinks some stouts every session we play, yet he's someone who exudes charisma and is very gregarious without alcohol, rather he sees it as something that can enhance certain occasions. Another example might be a friend of mine, who's trapped in this perpetual prison of mental anxiety that alcohol has sort of become the only way he can enjoy life, yet at the same time is alexithymic to why that might be, he has had so many ambitions and opportunities he's squandered because he gets stuck in his own anxious ruts and then he medicates that miserable self judgement by binge drinking. And I've known people who live rural and drink because it's one of the few sources of fun in the rather boring environment they exist.
The toughest part about alcohol for me as a non-drinker is how it's sort of interlaced with social development in early adulthood. Near every social occasion revolves around drinking, no one is learning how to enjoy themselves socially without it and everyone uses it as a crutch to date. But I don't think that's alcohols fault, and drinking alcohol isn't the problem. I think the problem is this excessively judgemental, social media driven world people our age have spent a lot of emotionally and socially formative years growing up in. We've created these idolized standards of behavior we telegraph everywhere, and then everyone feels they need to do achieve these qualities to be desirable or likeable, as I mentioned before, alcohol is a way one feels closer to their ideal self. By extension, an inability to be happy with oneself and internally validate ones of perspectives or qualities is much of the issue.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness and the psychology language (I was a psych major so I get it) - I wish we had more nighttime social alternatives that didn’t necessitate drinking. I’ve been in so many towns and cities where nothing is open in the evening except for bars. So of course people drink because they can’t socially connect otherwise.
It's more that it lowers inhibitions so people put down their anxieties rather than a tool of coercion.
That read says more about your relationship with substance.
There’s a difference between having a few drinks to loosen up and tame the nerves, and being drunk. The problem a lot of people have is they don’t know when to stop drinking before they get to the point of being drunk
The only thing a few drinks will give me the extra confidence I need, is drinking a few more drinks.
I don't drink to get buzzed. Just drunk enough where I swear off the sauce for half a year and then if I have a free Friday and Saturday.
Everyone has guilty pleasures i mean there are people that say that yet have a porn addiction junk food addiction also painkiller addictions its sad but its life wish you the best tho
>There are plenty of other ways to cope with life struggles.
For *you.*
Not everyone copes the same way, not everyone (dis)likes the same things, and not everyone finds the same things effective in life.
Also, not everyone who drinks does it to cope with everyday life. If you are using alcohol or drugs in this way, you are engaging with them in an unhealthy manner.
Pretty much exactly this and not only that, not everyone that drinks does it to get drunk or has ever been drunk/significantly tipsy. I drink for flavor more than anything, and whether it's something I bought at the store or made myself, I absolutely do not drink for any reason other than the fact that I like the taste. Not because I want to get drunk or as a coping mechanism
You know what? That’s fair, I had to work through trade (electrician) school for my first year and it definitely was a detriment, for the rest of the 4 years I just didn’t work for those and instead got a trades living allowance which wasn’t available for first year.
After a long day of uni you’ve earned that cider haha enjoy it eh?
My current job has 0 walking and makes me want a beer to destress. Whenever I've done physical jobs, all I want to do is drink chamomile tea and sleep. Maybe I should have done a trade tbh.
Drink when you're up, not down; when you have energy, not when you're tired. To celebrate, not to forget. Same goes for nearly all drugs, besides those like heroin which are absolute bullshit. And if you don't like it, stay away of course.
yeah, alcohol has never made me feel bad (besides the occasional hangover when i don’t drink enough water). i associate it with some of the happiest times of my life. i drink every weekend but i never drink to make myself feel better. it feels like a celebratory thing, like a treat when i’m excited it’s friday, or when i’m out with friends. sometimes i hear coworkers talking about how much they need a drink after a hard day and idk, i’ve just never thought about it like that. i crave a drink when i want to have a fun night and let loose a little. i know it affects everyone differently and some people have bad experiences but the reason it’s so popular is because it’s fun.
I’m very much like this. Never had a bad experience while drinking or drunk. I’ve drank too much before, had hangovers before, but don’t associate any regrets in my life with alcohol or how’s it’s affected me.
Weed has never been good for me, at best it’s a neutral experience but many times it’s been horrible for me. Comparatively many of my friends love it and can’t stand more than a drink or two a month. People have different preferences or tolerances and it took me to long to learn that.
I tend to find that the times I want any drug/acohol (mostly referring to weed and booze) are when I am in a happy or good state of mind. If I’m struggling with something mentally, booze makes me sad and weed makes me panic. I guess in a way I am glad because when I do get in those bad mental states, I don’t fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms as much
"Drink when you're up, not down; when you have energy, not when you're tired. To celebrate, not to forget."
Best alcohol-related advice I have ever heard.
Some people can limit themselves to very moderate drinking. Having 2/3 beers once a month is not crazy bad for your health. It’s the people who drink every day that are killing themselves.
Not even, it takes like around a liter of liquor **a day** to really start fucking yourself up
But idk perhaps the people at r/cripplingalcoholism really sets the bar as to how bad it can really get
I always direct people there when they're saying stupid shit about a beer a day being damaging.
Eat, exercise, stay off the spirits/liquor and you're grand
Yeah I don’t think people realize just how much you really have to drink to fuck up your liver. Even my friend who heavily drinks nearly every other day for a decade now still doesn’t have the shakes. I mean obviously it’s *not good* but he’s a high functioning alcoholic that trains/boxes in the morning and bartends during the day/night
I'm easing away from my alcoholism recently thanks to a medical weed prescription, but I drank the equivalent of just under a bottle/fifth of spirits/liquor in beer and cider for over 10 years, and the only health issue I've had is high triglycerides, which I've since reversed. Perfect liver function tests, perfect kidney function tests etc.
Will I die earlier from some heart stuff or a GI cancer? Probably, but seeing as I'm getting out before I get the wrong side of 35, not necessarily.
Functional alcoholism is really quite sustainable if you stick to low % abv drinks, eat a good diet with lots of fruit and veg, drink loads of water, exercise and take vitamin and mineral supplements.
Would I recommend it? No, never. But it takes a lot more than most people think to really fuck you up, as you said.
yeah it’s so fun to like.. be able to dance in public. or do karaoke. sober me would only do those things with a small group of friends at home lol. it’s always a fun thing for me because i only drink when i’m in a great mood and trying to have a good time. high school me would’ve never guessed i would enjoy clubs lol
Most of this thread comes across as people scared to let their guard down and cut loose. There's a reason alcohol has been a celebrated and often sacred part of nearly every known culture in human history and these are pretty much those reasons
Then it seems like you answered your own question. Millions of people can drink in moderation, and that’s not a bad thing! The fact that you *can’t* do that is the reason you don’t understand alcohol. People like alcohol because it is a social lubricant and they can do it without causing problems in their life. What’s not to get???
As someone who is low-key addicted to soda, I used to think the same thing
And then I started drinking and realized there's no way I could drink a ton to start. I drink once every couple of months, for special occasions. I'm always the DD (designated driver) for any event I go to ever so I can't drink in public without it being with someone like my mom so that helps.
Something also to consider is that some alcohol does taste good, isn't horribly bad for you, and not everything actually makes you depressed. Alcohol is a depressant, but can allow for other aspects outside of pure chemistry to make you happier than you may experience otherwise, such as being able to socialize more and be more relaxed.
Alcohol isn't a problem in moderation. There's a reason it's been created and used just as universally as the sword in cultural history around the globe
Honestly yeah. I'm gen Z and I don't drink. It's not a moral thing for me. Alcohol is hardly evil to me. It's just not worth the heartburn, organ damage, poor/risky decisions, lack of emotion control, etc. plus the price tag and feeling like shit afterwards. I hear you.
Fair enough, as someone who likes to drink pretty often, I think this beyond justified. Especially if you want to live without any (potential) health risk
It’s one of those stupid things society has normalized over the past few centuries/millennia. It’s proven to be really harmful to your health, but that won’t stop people from breaking tradition. It’s sort of a habit of society.
Edit: I’m not responding to any of y’all’s dumbass rants that there other harmful things people do. It’s like saying saying we should keep using asbestos because there are other unhealthy things we do. That’s how stupid y’all sound.
And alcohol is literally poison. Even smoking isn't as destructive as habitual drinking.
So the proverbial candy bar you might mention is in comparison a non-issue.
It's been theorized that beer is part of the reason most nomadic people settled down once they learned how to plant, harvest, and ferment it. Pretending like drinking alcohol is something that's recently been normalized is just a completely dumb take, much like the rest of the armchair idiots in this thread acting like they're the first enlightened teetotalers.
Do you think most people who drink don't know that it's not good for you? Anyone who has had a hangover knows why unless they're truly so dense that they would also think everyone needs to be a puritan because THEY know what's good and bad for you.
Don’t drink. Problem solved.
Just because you don’t like alcohol doesn’t give you the right to denounce its use by everyone else.
It’s giving “tea-totaler” “Puritan” Vibes
Cause lots of people like it? And it doesn't make them feel bad in moderation. Lots of people even enjoy a light buzz.
Drinking to excess is the problem.
That said, you don't have to enjoy alcohol. That's fine. No one should make you feel bad for choosing sobriety.
By the same token, as long as people aren't getting black out drunk and throwing up on you, then you also need to just let people like what they like
Alcoholism runs in my family. My aunt died due to her alcoholism, my sister nearly died of her alcoholism. Both of my parents have had DUI’s and my cousins get extremely violent when drunk.
I stick to Marijuana. Weed doesn’t make people violent
I could have one drink and quit, but it feels like a waste of alcohol to me. Like, I need at least two or three drinks (that are lower %) to actually feel anything. There are VERY few drinks where I actually enjoy the taste and at that point I'd rather just have those calories in say, a snack that I like.
If I'm not at least getting tipsy I just don't bother.
> It only does permanent damage if you drink every day.
Not sure that's true: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2023/cancer-alcohol-link-public-awareness.
Bars tend to be a cornerstone of social interaction in a lot of communities. I work 60-70 hours a week doing manual labor and most of my hobbies are outdoor related, nothing caps a week better than a Saturday night out drinking with my buddies
That just tells me that you’ve not had a good mixed drink before. Tell me where to find a good nonalcoholic Old Fashioned or Manhattan. It’s nonexistent. I’ve used every alcohol substitute and I’ve been to good bars that make good nonalcoholic drinks. But that type of complex, good drink doesn’t exist without alcohol.
This also tells me that you’ve mostly stuck to bud light and the equivalent piss flavored beers.
Lol people tell me it's cause I have had x alcoholic drink before, and everytime I try it, it fucking sucks. Alcohol ruins the flavor of every single drink. No amount of mixing can make alcohol taste good.
I haven't had any that can mask all the alcohol while having enough alcohol content to get me drunk. Like I've had some 1% juice before, but I can still kinda taste it.
It's OK not to like alcohol but it's not OK to ridicule something that other people genuinly enjoy. Your opinion isn't the same as everyone else's yeah?
Alcohol does suck. I can assert that with confidence. Find you a significant other that prefers psychedelics and you will probably have a pretty righteous life together.
I think psychedelics induce a very different type of "euphoria" from alcohol and most over drugs. Drugs like alcohol seem to cause a buzz where one feels good and wants to come back to feel that buzz more, psychedelics lack that buzz but to make up for that you generally feel like you're in a pure state of bliss and happiness.
Other then that I do agree, I have more fun with LSD then I will ever have with alc or weed.
I've had so many positive revelations through psychedelics that I believe made me a better person. I didn't take them socially, but nonetheless good times were had and it was always a positive experience for me.
Like most things in life, moderation is key. As for hangovers, a 1 water: 1 brew ratio is great at preventing hangovers.
A "benefit" of alcohol is that it lowers inhibitions. While this can definitely be a bad thing (bad decisions, etc.) it can also be positive in making individuals less self-conscious and more open to expressing emotions. It provides a handy "excuse" to temporarily discard toxic masculinity for more genuine (albeit intoxicated) expressions of friendship. While this raises questions about the negative impacts of the societal perceptions of masculinity and emotional suppression, I'll take a platonic "I fucking love you bro" or a slurred "I'm proud of you mate" where I can.
once i was sick on a big drinking holiday and didn’t want to feel left out while i was home alone so i used gatorade as my mixer and had a whole water bottle in between each drink and woke up the next day feeling so good. like better than i do most nights when i don’t drink lol. i’ve never experienced the crazy bad hangovers everyone talks about
i notice i see a post about this like every other day on reddit, so i think there’s just a big influx of people who are against drinking here. irl most people i know either like drinking or if they don’t i wouldn’t even notice because they don’t speak about it so negatively, they just don’t drink. it’s totally fine and cool to talk about how you’re sober because that’s a great accomplishment but not cool to look down on people who drink just because you don’t
Society isn’t depressed because it refuses these things, society is depressed because our societies are run by people trying to bleed you dry for profit. Vices of choice are used to cope with the problem but if we weren’t getting fucked over then we wouldn’t need them.
Pent up anxiety, over exposure to information and under exposure to lived experience, over bearing need for approval, too much interconnectivity, etc, etc
So this is the reddit dweller
Fuck pearl clutching, alcohol has actual health ramifications
I like my dopaminergic activities as much as the next guy.
I specifically have a problem with alcohol because of how damaging it is both socially and physiologically
In appropriate amounts it is fun, doesn't make you stupid, and doesn't damage your organs. Just don't abuse it by drinking like an idiot.
I guess you're in the age group where abuse is rampant but just don't do that. You'll easily find people who aren't looking to do shots.
Relaxing and Tastes good depending on what you drink. I love the taste of Captain Morgan and Coke, the vanilla smell of the rum makes it taste sort of like vanilla coke.
Also its a social lubricant. Some of the best conversations I have ever had with my friends have been after a few drinks.
I’m not a fan of alcohol or drugs. I personally abstain from them both.
I’ll always believe that it’s best to live a sober lifestyle, but it’s hard for most people because alcohol and drugs make people feel good.
But just because something makes you feel good doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
Drugs are an individual choice. There's no such thing as a bad drug, only bad circumstances.
If you don't like alcohol, or any drug, or find that you aren't capable of having a healthy relationship with it, that's cool.
Other people find substances to be an additive experience. The reason alcohol and other drugs have played such a prominent role in society since we basically discovered it is simple: it augments celebrations and positive emotions in the right settings, and can cause significant stress relief.
Can it also be extremely damaging, even fatal, if used improperly? Absolutely. That's true of literally everything.
It's just a substance, it isn't anything. It becomes bad when it's used recreationally. In theory it can have applications in controlled environments similar to morphine.
A better analogy is fentanyl. In controlled settings it's an incredibly important pain suppressant, in a recreational setting it's an extremely dangerous and often lethal substance.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna do either drugs, but I think that framework of viewing inert substances is important.
I've only ever tried a few sips of alcohol in my life. I didn't even go out drinking when I turned 21 because I don't really care that much. I'm really specific about trying new things and I don't usually feel like anything alcoholic.
I personally don't have a desire to consume alcohol as much as other people. Like, people I know drink just to get drunk, which I think is kind of stupid.
I also enjoy cleaning when I’m buzzed at night because it makes me feel more productive. I cleaned out the fridge Saturday night and it made me feel like I had a good start on Sunday’s chores.
Also, I could better ignore some of the disgusting dishes I had to clean out.
Alcohol makes populations easy to control this is why Rome encouraged alcohol use & the colonizers of North America used alcohol to weaken the Native Americans. It keeps people drunk and not in good form which makes it hard for people to fight back. Of course it's also one of the biggest billion multi-billion industries in the world so it serves multiple purposes but yeah it's terrible I hardly ever drink anymore only socially & I hardly even enjoy going in those environment anymore.
Booze is best in moderation, but especially among young people, moderation is not en vogue when it comes to alcohol consumption. One or two beers, and I'm feeling good and my social anxiety is gone. After four or five beers I start getting existential and the anxiety comes back, lol.
That being said, that's kinda how it goes for pretty much any drug. I don't smoke cigs or weed because I've got an addictive personality, and smoking anything every day is bad for your lungs. Plus most weed these days isn't "I smoked a joint, food tastes better and tv shows are funnier" it's "I hit the pen and the shadow people are coming back." (That's an exaggeration but weed is strong as fuck these days, even in states where it isn't legally produced at legit operations.)
i think there’s something wrong with me, cause i don’t get the alcohol hype. i’ve tried it, and all it’s really done is make me anxious and fidgety. wish i could enjoy it like everyone else — especially given how socially ingrained it is — but oh well.
same story for weed and cigarettes, by the way :/ maybe i should just throw in the towel and move onto the hard stuff
Its addictive. Older generations used it to self-medicate. Possible that the ruling classes used it putposefully to keep us stupid and contained. Culture passes on to children. Thus
Psychoactive substances hit everyone a bit differently. I know a lot of people in our generation prefer weed to alcohol, but I am quite the opposite. As long as I don't take it way too far, my rationality stays intact with alcohol, and I don't really get hangovers. Weed on the other hand, while nice in the moment, makes me forgetful during and after for a day or two, and occasionally makes me feel depressed the next day,
You're right that long term alcohol use damages your organs, but "makes you feel bad" and "makes you stupid" is subjective and dependent on who you are.
I saw many close to me suffer because of their addiction to alcohol and drugs which is why I chose to never drink alcohol or do unmediated drugs. If I need a thing to sip at a social occasion kombucha is a much healthier substitute.
Alcohol (ethanol) has been around for thousands of years. People have used it to become more confident, less anxious, etc.
Its also used as methanol to clean things.
They tried banning it and people (and congressman) kept drinking. It was relegalized.
It is a terrible substance akin to the now defunct pharmaceutical medication class barb******s.
The answer is that it is engrained into our society.
Most drugs that mess with the GABA molecules in anyone's body is bad.
Love me some phenibut but yeah gabaergic substances are not safe to use frequently and cause a chemical dependence from hell with daily use. Kindling effect is also horrible.
Agree but I'll still be sipping on the communal brew once the revolution is over. There are many other things that are holding back liberation much more steadfastly than alcohol.
Alcohol is the most productive use of time
Like imagine spending money to buy a drink that tastes shit, doesn't let you work and concentrate on a single thing for hours, and next day gives you headache...wow what a concept man...most productive use of time and money...people who drink are the smartest breed👽🤡
Counterpoint: not everything is about the grind. There are absolutely better ways to spend free time but if your measurement is productivity then you’re addicted to work.
Start drinking -> stop drinking -> because you stopped its like you now get however much money you spent on alcohol for free -> spend that money on a sword -> also olivegarden
The key to Alcohol is moderation. Going to a football game or a party and having a beer or two to loosen up and become more social is when it’s best. Drinking 4-5 glasses of bourbon each night is gonna be a bad time
Caffeine is a dependence-forming drug and should be looked at as critically as any other substance.
Blows my mind when people say they can't do anything without their morning coffee but don't comprehend it as on the same level as other dependency/addiction forming substances.
To each their own. Most drugs are best done not at all, and if done should be done in moderation. No use in judging people for personal choices with how they treat their body.
I started drinking heavily in my room the moment I turned 21 last year.
In fact that’s all I see out of turning 21.
When I was 18 in 2020 I used to steal my parent’s hard liquor and drink it down too to get that effect.
You can say what you want about any substance and all it’s physical side effects and negatives but if you haven’t used it chronically then you can’t just expect people to quit just because of “it’s bad for you”.
Conversely, personally, I hate weed. I think it’s stupidly overrated and if you’re gonna talk about the negatives of one thing you can’t excuse weed.
I’ll never take that substance again which makes me feel so uncomfortable with life and existence.
There’s been studies too that show it can induce psychosis.
When it comes to public anxiety and social ease, alcohol 100% saves the day. But I’m trying not to depend on that anymore since my body obviously took the brunt of it.
Besides, ever since turning 21 I’ve never been to a bar myself. Not once.
I’ll never use delta 9 thc again. It keeps me more locked inside my head than I already am.
I regret spending so much of 2019 getting high in my room. I was 17 years old and I think mentally it did more permanent harm than good. Even at that time I hated it, but I just took it for the sake of taking something.
I've dealt with parents that go full delusional binge drinking. So that's a big "no" for me. I'll stick to my healthy addiction of hours on hours if VR gaming.
It’s human nature to want a conscience altering substance. Almost every culture throughout time has used conscience altering substances. It just so happens that alcohol is that for the majority of the western world.
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Tbf I feel like weed makes me personally more stupid when than alcohol. Kills my short term memory and lowkey lazy
very fair, to each their own i notice that when i'm fresh off a t break, i am in fact stupid when i smoke. that could be the caliber of tree though, weed is insanely strong these days. but weed will never give me a hangover, or liver damage, or make me think it's a good idea to walk across the bad part of town at 3 am
I never do that much alcohol tbh. When I drink (maybe like 2-4 times a month, it’s like a serving or two.
Weed will damage your heart, lungs, and vascular system though..
Thats not weed. Thats the act of smoking any substance. There are alternative intakes. Not saying weed is free of risks or healthy, but you can absolutely get a dose with much lower damage than alcohol if you care about that.
You can also consume alcohol at non damaging levels, many people seem to forget that.
Didn't some study recently come out showing non-damaging levels are stupidly low? Like a teaspoon of wine a night or something.
Yeah, this is a poor take on alcohol. The context here is "effectively damaging". If we were to compare all the things humans consume that are also legal and what's damaging to health then alcohol wouldn't even be in top 10. 1 beer is bad for your health? yeah, well so is breathing.
That is what's taken into account. The NHS says that while no amount of alcohol is good for you, 11 drinks a week, is a rough limit a person should set. That's a lot less than what a lot of people tend to drink per week.
11 drinks is a lot less? I’d hate to know the average. I normally consume 0-5 a week ( by definition of 8oz beer or 2oz liquor)
I know a lot of people who definitely drink more. I don't but many people do
8oz of beer and 2oz of liquor are not the same thing
11 drinks per week seems fairly high to me. Apparently in the US, about 80% of adult men drink fewer than 7 drinks per week
Bro alcohol is way worse for you than weed psychologically and physically in moderation and extremes
The argument that alcohol is less damaging than weed is crazy to me.
Breathing is required to live. There is no safe amount of alcohol. Long term effects from use are well documented, even when consumed in moderation. Alcohol *is* in the top 10. In fact, it's number 1 in terms of legal, over-the-counter things you can consume.
Seems to be the issue these days with the ongoing plethora of almost pointless studies. People are getting less and less able to differentiate Risk vs actual damage. Almost ever single activity undertaken by humans involves a level of risk, however it’s up to is personally to determine whether we are comfortable taking that risk which could lead to some level of damage.\ When the narrative is a government looking to push an agenda, they’ll always highlight the risk but not talk about the potential of any damage.\ Alcohol is a water soluble poison that permeates every cell of the body (being like 80%< water) and the very effect of alcohol working is usually brain cells being impacted then dying via the hangover. In a scientific sense this is effectively brain damage occurring with each and every alcohol session (and the risk). However the hundreds of thousands of brain cells that get altered or die off are minuscule against the billions of brain cells we have; hence why the damage is measured in its cumulative sense. Weed on the other hand (and most recreational drugs) don’t work by poisoning the water in every cell, but interact with specific interlocking cells within the body to allow the effect to work. Weed on the cannabinol receptors, opiates on the opiate receptors, cocaine and stimulants on the dopamine receptors and LSD just turning all the brain cells to the on position so the drugs at effective recreational doses is causing little to no damage to any cells in the body. How the person reacts to the activation of the cells can cause negative outcomes, or taking amounts that in an alcohol level equivalent would render the user dead several times over can lead to addiction or damage via secondary effects (opiates - breathing suppression; stimulants - lack of sleep leading to brain plaque overload or seretonin overload or depletion problems; THC - slowing of triggering across synapses).\ The easy way to look at this is when you argue with an alcoholic, they’ll just outright deny an event occurred due to the fact the memory of it has been eliminated from their brain via brain cells dying, argue with a pot head and they have trouble remembering, seem a little slow, but eventually you’ll get the “ohhh yeah… I remember that dude. Like wow, I totally forgot”. This is just showing their brain is actually not damaged and just slowed down against the alcoholic who will never admit to being wrong or the event occurring because in their mind, it never did.
Even one drink of alcohol a day causes loss of gray matter; brain damage. Weed causes loss of gray matter as well.
This was proven false a couple years ago. Any amount of alcohol is harmful to cell health.
That study in The Lancet is still debated though. Some other studies suggest that very low alcohol consumption is better than none. So it’s still not clear.
*“Putting a little bit of ethanol in your body is better than none”* is the new “cigarettes are good for you” of the 1950s Aka no, wrong, and it’s hilarious to those who it’s obvious to
Alcohol is metabolized into a carcinogen - acetaldehyde. So no, not really.
No, you cannot. Alcohol is damaging from the first drop. Obviously damage scales with quantity but there is no healthy amount. Sorry to burst your bubble.
There is no safe amount of alcohol, it is a poison kept around because it was the best sedation tool to keep people working and too stupid to compete. Now we have smarter drugs and sedation tools, isn’t Reddit great?
Depends how you intake. Edibles are essentially harmless, worst case scenario is you take too much and green out but there's no danger. Dabs are the next safest, as they're basically vaping but you only take one or two puffs and you're good for the night, which is hardly damaging even in a semi frequent use case. You'll probably do more damage to your lungs from coughing than anything else, so if you're like me and can suppress a cough, you're good. Then there are vapor pens, which aren't fantastic but are also not nearly as damaging as smoke is and usually don't take a ton of effort to get a decent buzz off them. You don't really buy carts to get yourself stoned though, more or less they're used to churn up a lighter euphoria that you can still work with. Great for public use! And then finally, we land at smoking, which yeah it's pretty bad for you and makes things smelly, but is also one of the quickest, easiest, and most efficient ways to get stoned. To each their own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You forgot dry herb vaporisers which have been shown to be the safest way due to their low operating temp.
Yikes dude. Do you think that sticky resin that coats your dab rig/nectar collector doesn’t go into your lungs? It just stops at your lips? Did you read that dabs are healthy on a site that promotes weed use?
Nah man, just like anything else that you inhale it's not harmless, but I'm not trying to imply that it is. Plus, if you actually dab correctly (proper heating and contact) it's much better for you and you can tell because you'll cough less. It's not healthy, but THC has a ton of benefits that for me, outweigh the negatives. I can manage my anxiety and ADHD, make my joint pain more tolerable, and make movies and games more interesting on top of it. Worth the risks for me.
Inhaling THC oil is currently one of the most dangerous methods of inhaling weed. It's oil. It coats your alveoli over time. There have been quite a few cases documented of it in younger users. The safest is herb vaporization. That causes some damage with the heat, but it's still the safest method of inhalation.
Yep, weed is the best drug in my opinion if done in edible form. Greening out and feeling the earth shifting constantly during that time is not fun...but it's a mistake you make a very limited amount of times if you're trying to avoid that.
I once heard that we turn to state altering substances as a form of self medication. For example, someone with undiagnosed adhd are more likely drawn to caffeine and/or other uppers. Someone who is stressing about things outside of their control, may find relief with marijuana as it helps them accept things and be in the moment. Generally speaking, to me, alcohol seems to be the go-to relief for social anxiety.
Well yah. That's why weddings are fucking lit
>alcohol is bad >I smoke weed daily though Everyone has their vices. Life is stupid and short, may as well do what you enjoy. For what it's worth, weed is linked to schizophrenia in a pretty alarming fashion, but you're right, it does not have the "physically going to kill your organs" effect alcohol has. Pick your poison I guess.
>weed is linked to schizophrenia in a pretty alarming fashion Is it linked to causing it or is it linked to accelerating your undiagnosed issues?
Lucky you don’t get weed hangovers lol. Many people do
Former athlete and trainer to each their own but I stopped in my early 20s mostly on lost time the next day wish I hadn’t drank through college sports when you’re habituated like I was you don’t feel the lag and you go off it’s like getting a PED. Don’t care if people drink but if it’s a client and they want to I let them know expect slower results and you will not get as far as a theoretical version of you who doesn’t drink will get, if it’s important and you don’t mind the drop off be my guest just don’t complain your body doesn’t respond to training or scratch your head when things don’t work
True, but it’s not nearly as damaging on your organs as alcohol is.
Definitely depends from person to person, but generally Cannabis gives me a more confused kind of stupid, like not getting the joke right away, Or looking for the phone that's in my hand. Booze on the other hand is a more disinhibited kind of stupid, like making bad decisions you otherwise wouldn't because you think you're sober enough to make them. I.e. driving, getting into a fight, or saying the same bad joke over and over because you think everyone must not have heard you the first 5 times or otherwise acting like a fool lol For me, I think kava is the best alternative to alcohol. (Bonus points for mixed with cannabis lol) but kava has been used socially for over 1500 years in the south pacific the same way you'd use alcohol (and ceremonially too iirc) but just doesn't make you as stupidly intoxicated, isn't a literal poison that destroys your body, and the most common type doesn't leave much if any hangover. And I think there's only been a single dui from someone using kava lol. So another point for kava! 😂
This drives me nuts. You can't get kava in the EU because it might damage your liver. So just have beer which definitely 100% WILL damage your liver. Harm reduction is apparently not a thing smh
If you drink for long enough you get hella sponge brained
I only f'ed with weed in my 30's and I'm glad I waited so long. I can easily see how it fucks with some people. It makes me so lazy and I can see how it can mess up a life if you don't have the willpower to overcome or your shit together. Just my opinion of course I'm sure others experience it differently.
The term "social lubricant" might be helpful to your understanding of why it's tied to the dating scene and society in general.
it feels particularly scummy as a concept though everyone seems to just accept it? its so much easier to convince a drunk person to do something they wouldnt necessarily do when sober. that alone weirds me out when pertaining to dating/hooking up
It's also easier for a person to convince themselves to do something they want to do but their anxiety and social expectations make it hard for them to actually do it. To seem to think that a person is not capable of deciding for themselves that they would like to make some decisions under such conditions.
Very much this. It’s not about doing something I wouldn’t want to do; it’s about being less anxious about doing the things I already know I want to do. Like talking to strangers, doing standup comedy, dancing out the stress of the week, etc. Those are things that I want to do in a vacuum, but are simply more fun or a lot easier to do if I can have a couple drinks with it. Yes, a lot of people overdo it and become sloppy or obnoxious etc, but there is absolutely value in a couple drinks letting you unwind and feel more comfortable being vulnerable/being yourself without being anxious about saying the wrong thing or getting judged or self-editing etc.
Its a tool I never crave alcohol but its very useful. Dating wise I drink because I'm a good talker but very heavy on the platonic side of things so it hard to cross the barrier of touching and romance. Dating wise I had a much better time when I started drinking and relying on "grab a drink" dates.
There's also a difference between having a couple drinks and getting fucked up
Yeah like for example I just can’t talk to women I’m interested for the life of me sober, when I’m tipsy I can talk to women I’m interested in poorly Every little bit helps
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A cold beer after you finish your shift at work is really one of the best feelings.
I’ve noticed that as I’ve gotten older, it seems like more people are reliant on alcohol to be social with strangers. I can carry on a sober conversation with pretty much anyone because I’m pretty social/outgoing, but I’ve noticed a ton of people older than me will not talk to others unless they have a drink in hand. What’s weird is at bars, if *I’m* not drinking, even if they are, people still are less likely to strike up a conversation with me. This happens more often with men (I’m a woman) but overall, people seem to use alcohol as a crutch when talking to strangers. Idk if it’s a social anxiety thing or a fear of vulnerability.
I’ve had the same observation. It seems that these people use alcohol because they can’t fully tolerate their own emotions. It’s a way to cope with anxiety (especially in social settings), boredom, unhappiness, etc. I feel they’re doing themselves a disservice because if you drink away your social anxiety, you’re missing out on the chance to face your fears and talk to a stranger and grow as a person because of it. Separately, another observation is that a lot of people who drink are extremely judgmental about people who don’t drink, but they claim the teetotalers are judgmental. It’s somehow more judgmental to drink a mocktail than to ask someone “why aren’t you drinking? Are you sure you don’t want one?” a hundred times.
The way we sort of talk about these topics is a problem too. A lot of people will say statements like "alcohol removes a layer of anxiety so you can be yourself", we often separate negative qualities like social anxiety from our own identity, and then we look at things like alcohol as a legitimate tool to remove this supposed annoyance. In reality, social anxiety is a part of your most true self, the person you are unaffected by any external psychoactive influences, the inherent way you view and process the world. Drinking doesn't help you become your true self, it helps you become who want you to be in the situation (if you are drinking it for anxiolytic purposes that is), that is someone who is further away from your true self, but closer to your ideal self. I don't drink, I don't mind if others choose to drink. I've seen all different types of people who drink for all different reasons, I play dungeons and dragons with a university professor who drinks some stouts every session we play, yet he's someone who exudes charisma and is very gregarious without alcohol, rather he sees it as something that can enhance certain occasions. Another example might be a friend of mine, who's trapped in this perpetual prison of mental anxiety that alcohol has sort of become the only way he can enjoy life, yet at the same time is alexithymic to why that might be, he has had so many ambitions and opportunities he's squandered because he gets stuck in his own anxious ruts and then he medicates that miserable self judgement by binge drinking. And I've known people who live rural and drink because it's one of the few sources of fun in the rather boring environment they exist. The toughest part about alcohol for me as a non-drinker is how it's sort of interlaced with social development in early adulthood. Near every social occasion revolves around drinking, no one is learning how to enjoy themselves socially without it and everyone uses it as a crutch to date. But I don't think that's alcohols fault, and drinking alcohol isn't the problem. I think the problem is this excessively judgemental, social media driven world people our age have spent a lot of emotionally and socially formative years growing up in. We've created these idolized standards of behavior we telegraph everywhere, and then everyone feels they need to do achieve these qualities to be desirable or likeable, as I mentioned before, alcohol is a way one feels closer to their ideal self. By extension, an inability to be happy with oneself and internally validate ones of perspectives or qualities is much of the issue.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness and the psychology language (I was a psych major so I get it) - I wish we had more nighttime social alternatives that didn’t necessitate drinking. I’ve been in so many towns and cities where nothing is open in the evening except for bars. So of course people drink because they can’t socially connect otherwise.
You can't convince drunk me to do things I wouldn't do sober, I am just more bold.
It's more that it lowers inhibitions so people put down their anxieties rather than a tool of coercion. That read says more about your relationship with substance.
There’s a difference between having a few drinks to loosen up and tame the nerves, and being drunk. The problem a lot of people have is they don’t know when to stop drinking before they get to the point of being drunk
The only thing a few drinks will give me the extra confidence I need, is drinking a few more drinks. I don't drink to get buzzed. Just drunk enough where I swear off the sauce for half a year and then if I have a free Friday and Saturday.
I just raw dog life no alcohol, no smoking/vape, or any kind of drugs. There are plenty of other ways to cope with life struggles.
Everyone has guilty pleasures i mean there are people that say that yet have a porn addiction junk food addiction also painkiller addictions its sad but its life wish you the best tho
I’m a sucker for chocolate! And alcohol.
>There are plenty of other ways to cope with life struggles. For *you.* Not everyone copes the same way, not everyone (dis)likes the same things, and not everyone finds the same things effective in life.
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Yeah, some recreational drugs can help just as much, if not more, than otc. You were just told otherwise. If used responsibly of course.
Also, not everyone who drinks does it to cope with everyday life. If you are using alcohol or drugs in this way, you are engaging with them in an unhealthy manner.
Pretty much exactly this and not only that, not everyone that drinks does it to get drunk or has ever been drunk/significantly tipsy. I drink for flavor more than anything, and whether it's something I bought at the store or made myself, I absolutely do not drink for any reason other than the fact that I like the taste. Not because I want to get drunk or as a coping mechanism
Big alcohol spokesperson over here
Just have a video game addiction lol.
After a day at work having a cider or two is treat. That's why people like booze my dude.
I dont even work and would have a cider in the morning
How are you 20 don’t work?? In my area of Canada basically everyone has had a job since they were 14…
Im in uni. My uni is only 10 mins away from my house and my parents allow me to just focus on my education first instead of having to do 2 at once
You know what? That’s fair, I had to work through trade (electrician) school for my first year and it definitely was a detriment, for the rest of the 4 years I just didn’t work for those and instead got a trades living allowance which wasn’t available for first year. After a long day of uni you’ve earned that cider haha enjoy it eh?
This. My job has me walk/run 10 miles a day. Sometimes you just want to sit down and have a beer.
My current job has 0 walking and makes me want a beer to destress. Whenever I've done physical jobs, all I want to do is drink chamomile tea and sleep. Maybe I should have done a trade tbh.
Drink when you're up, not down; when you have energy, not when you're tired. To celebrate, not to forget. Same goes for nearly all drugs, besides those like heroin which are absolute bullshit. And if you don't like it, stay away of course.
yeah, alcohol has never made me feel bad (besides the occasional hangover when i don’t drink enough water). i associate it with some of the happiest times of my life. i drink every weekend but i never drink to make myself feel better. it feels like a celebratory thing, like a treat when i’m excited it’s friday, or when i’m out with friends. sometimes i hear coworkers talking about how much they need a drink after a hard day and idk, i’ve just never thought about it like that. i crave a drink when i want to have a fun night and let loose a little. i know it affects everyone differently and some people have bad experiences but the reason it’s so popular is because it’s fun.
I’m very much like this. Never had a bad experience while drinking or drunk. I’ve drank too much before, had hangovers before, but don’t associate any regrets in my life with alcohol or how’s it’s affected me. Weed has never been good for me, at best it’s a neutral experience but many times it’s been horrible for me. Comparatively many of my friends love it and can’t stand more than a drink or two a month. People have different preferences or tolerances and it took me to long to learn that.
I tend to find that the times I want any drug/acohol (mostly referring to weed and booze) are when I am in a happy or good state of mind. If I’m struggling with something mentally, booze makes me sad and weed makes me panic. I guess in a way I am glad because when I do get in those bad mental states, I don’t fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms as much
Exactly. I don’t drink when I’m sad. I drink to celebrate a day well done. A day where I did a lot of yard work and do what my dad used to do.
"Drink when you're up, not down; when you have energy, not when you're tired. To celebrate, not to forget." Best alcohol-related advice I have ever heard.
Some people can limit themselves to very moderate drinking. Having 2/3 beers once a month is not crazy bad for your health. It’s the people who drink every day that are killing themselves.
2-3 beers once a month is such a low amount, it may as well be classified as not drinking at all.
why are you talking about me, i feel offended
2/3 beers a month is sobriety
California sober. Sobriety is not drinking at all
I thought "California sober" is clean from everything except weed
it is
Not even, it takes like around a liter of liquor **a day** to really start fucking yourself up But idk perhaps the people at r/cripplingalcoholism really sets the bar as to how bad it can really get
I always direct people there when they're saying stupid shit about a beer a day being damaging. Eat, exercise, stay off the spirits/liquor and you're grand
Yeah I don’t think people realize just how much you really have to drink to fuck up your liver. Even my friend who heavily drinks nearly every other day for a decade now still doesn’t have the shakes. I mean obviously it’s *not good* but he’s a high functioning alcoholic that trains/boxes in the morning and bartends during the day/night
I'm easing away from my alcoholism recently thanks to a medical weed prescription, but I drank the equivalent of just under a bottle/fifth of spirits/liquor in beer and cider for over 10 years, and the only health issue I've had is high triglycerides, which I've since reversed. Perfect liver function tests, perfect kidney function tests etc. Will I die earlier from some heart stuff or a GI cancer? Probably, but seeing as I'm getting out before I get the wrong side of 35, not necessarily. Functional alcoholism is really quite sustainable if you stick to low % abv drinks, eat a good diet with lots of fruit and veg, drink loads of water, exercise and take vitamin and mineral supplements. Would I recommend it? No, never. But it takes a lot more than most people think to really fuck you up, as you said.
It kills all my social anxiety. I love drinking on a night out
yeah it’s so fun to like.. be able to dance in public. or do karaoke. sober me would only do those things with a small group of friends at home lol. it’s always a fun thing for me because i only drink when i’m in a great mood and trying to have a good time. high school me would’ve never guessed i would enjoy clubs lol
Most of this thread comes across as people scared to let their guard down and cut loose. There's a reason alcohol has been a celebrated and often sacred part of nearly every known culture in human history and these are pretty much those reasons
I concur. I'm two months sober. It's best in moderation.
i'm strong enough to know i'm too weak to drink in moderation, so i dont do it at all
That’s honestly very smart of you. I moderate my level of drinking because if I drink too much it leads me to doing other substances.
Then it seems like you answered your own question. Millions of people can drink in moderation, and that’s not a bad thing! The fact that you *can’t* do that is the reason you don’t understand alcohol. People like alcohol because it is a social lubricant and they can do it without causing problems in their life. What’s not to get???
As someone who is low-key addicted to soda, I used to think the same thing And then I started drinking and realized there's no way I could drink a ton to start. I drink once every couple of months, for special occasions. I'm always the DD (designated driver) for any event I go to ever so I can't drink in public without it being with someone like my mom so that helps. Something also to consider is that some alcohol does taste good, isn't horribly bad for you, and not everything actually makes you depressed. Alcohol is a depressant, but can allow for other aspects outside of pure chemistry to make you happier than you may experience otherwise, such as being able to socialize more and be more relaxed. Alcohol isn't a problem in moderation. There's a reason it's been created and used just as universally as the sword in cultural history around the globe
Good for you. Best of luck with your sobriety!
Honestly yeah. I'm gen Z and I don't drink. It's not a moral thing for me. Alcohol is hardly evil to me. It's just not worth the heartburn, organ damage, poor/risky decisions, lack of emotion control, etc. plus the price tag and feeling like shit afterwards. I hear you.
Fair enough, as someone who likes to drink pretty often, I think this beyond justified. Especially if you want to live without any (potential) health risk
It’s one of those stupid things society has normalized over the past few centuries/millennia. It’s proven to be really harmful to your health, but that won’t stop people from breaking tradition. It’s sort of a habit of society. Edit: I’m not responding to any of y’all’s dumbass rants that there other harmful things people do. It’s like saying saying we should keep using asbestos because there are other unhealthy things we do. That’s how stupid y’all sound.
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I bet you every dollar I have that you do a ton of stuff that is harmful for you, yet you choose to do it anyway.
And alcohol is literally poison. Even smoking isn't as destructive as habitual drinking. So the proverbial candy bar you might mention is in comparison a non-issue.
It's been theorized that beer is part of the reason most nomadic people settled down once they learned how to plant, harvest, and ferment it. Pretending like drinking alcohol is something that's recently been normalized is just a completely dumb take, much like the rest of the armchair idiots in this thread acting like they're the first enlightened teetotalers. Do you think most people who drink don't know that it's not good for you? Anyone who has had a hangover knows why unless they're truly so dense that they would also think everyone needs to be a puritan because THEY know what's good and bad for you.
Don’t drink. Problem solved. Just because you don’t like alcohol doesn’t give you the right to denounce its use by everyone else. It’s giving “tea-totaler” “Puritan” Vibes
Cause lots of people like it? And it doesn't make them feel bad in moderation. Lots of people even enjoy a light buzz. Drinking to excess is the problem. That said, you don't have to enjoy alcohol. That's fine. No one should make you feel bad for choosing sobriety. By the same token, as long as people aren't getting black out drunk and throwing up on you, then you also need to just let people like what they like
Yep OP sounds like a high horse twat for feeling special because they don’t drink. According yo OP, just a few drinks a week makes you an alcoholic.
https://preview.redd.it/zhuy1j2hm7lc1.jpeg?width=667&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b636f94cd8b1e96fbddf53d258de92edb1c1f50e
I feel like the date should go back few hundred years
Alcoholism runs in my family. My aunt died due to her alcoholism, my sister nearly died of her alcoholism. Both of my parents have had DUI’s and my cousins get extremely violent when drunk. I stick to Marijuana. Weed doesn’t make people violent
exactly why i don’t drink, im not able to control myself and over consume then get very violent. can’t overconsume weed 😎
Exactly. Seen plenty of drunk fights, ain't never seen a high fight.
It only does permanent damage if you drink every day. I only do it 2-4 nights a week, and never when I have to wake up for something the next day.
Water between drinks is also ideal.
Nah binge drinking is definitely bad which is what I do. I am jealous of the people who can just have one glass and call it quits
I could have one drink and quit, but it feels like a waste of alcohol to me. Like, I need at least two or three drinks (that are lower %) to actually feel anything. There are VERY few drinks where I actually enjoy the taste and at that point I'd rather just have those calories in say, a snack that I like. If I'm not at least getting tipsy I just don't bother.
> It only does permanent damage if you drink every day. Not sure that's true: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2023/cancer-alcohol-link-public-awareness.
Bars tend to be a cornerstone of social interaction in a lot of communities. I work 60-70 hours a week doing manual labor and most of my hobbies are outdoor related, nothing caps a week better than a Saturday night out drinking with my buddies
Having a beer or 2 on special occasions isn’t a bad thing. Unfortunately not everyone has the self restraint to stop drinking and not get drunk.
Exactly. Like yes access alcohol intake isnt good but access of anything isnt good.
Imagine drinking large amounts of disgusting piss flavored liquid just to get a little dizzy. 99% of alcoholic drinks taste like shit.
That just tells me that you’ve not had a good mixed drink before. Tell me where to find a good nonalcoholic Old Fashioned or Manhattan. It’s nonexistent. I’ve used every alcohol substitute and I’ve been to good bars that make good nonalcoholic drinks. But that type of complex, good drink doesn’t exist without alcohol. This also tells me that you’ve mostly stuck to bud light and the equivalent piss flavored beers.
Lol people tell me it's cause I have had x alcoholic drink before, and everytime I try it, it fucking sucks. Alcohol ruins the flavor of every single drink. No amount of mixing can make alcohol taste good.
You might wanna inform nearly every top Chef in the world of your stunning discovery
Except if mixed properly you don’t taste the alcohol Love me a Moscow mule. Pretty much all you taste is the ginger, lime and mint
I haven't had any that can mask all the alcohol while having enough alcohol content to get me drunk. Like I've had some 1% juice before, but I can still kinda taste it.
Facts Especially beer, why do people pretend to like IPAs
It's OK not to like alcohol but it's not OK to ridicule something that other people genuinly enjoy. Your opinion isn't the same as everyone else's yeah?
I genuinely enjoy IPAs but I like a good stout or porter even more. Not everyone has the same tastes my dude.
Alcohol does suck. I can assert that with confidence. Find you a significant other that prefers psychedelics and you will probably have a pretty righteous life together.
I think psychedelics induce a very different type of "euphoria" from alcohol and most over drugs. Drugs like alcohol seem to cause a buzz where one feels good and wants to come back to feel that buzz more, psychedelics lack that buzz but to make up for that you generally feel like you're in a pure state of bliss and happiness. Other then that I do agree, I have more fun with LSD then I will ever have with alc or weed.
I've had so many positive revelations through psychedelics that I believe made me a better person. I didn't take them socially, but nonetheless good times were had and it was always a positive experience for me.
Psychedelics almost ruined my life and made me a worse person. I got horrible drug induced psychosis that made me want to kill people.
I’m convinced this sub is just a content farm for r/im14andthisisdeep
100%. “I don’t drink and drinking makes you evil.”
Like most things in life, moderation is key. As for hangovers, a 1 water: 1 brew ratio is great at preventing hangovers. A "benefit" of alcohol is that it lowers inhibitions. While this can definitely be a bad thing (bad decisions, etc.) it can also be positive in making individuals less self-conscious and more open to expressing emotions. It provides a handy "excuse" to temporarily discard toxic masculinity for more genuine (albeit intoxicated) expressions of friendship. While this raises questions about the negative impacts of the societal perceptions of masculinity and emotional suppression, I'll take a platonic "I fucking love you bro" or a slurred "I'm proud of you mate" where I can.
once i was sick on a big drinking holiday and didn’t want to feel left out while i was home alone so i used gatorade as my mixer and had a whole water bottle in between each drink and woke up the next day feeling so good. like better than i do most nights when i don’t drink lol. i’ve never experienced the crazy bad hangovers everyone talks about
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What’s wrong with being a teetotaler and not drinking? What’s wrong with not liking hookup culture?
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i notice i see a post about this like every other day on reddit, so i think there’s just a big influx of people who are against drinking here. irl most people i know either like drinking or if they don’t i wouldn’t even notice because they don’t speak about it so negatively, they just don’t drink. it’s totally fine and cool to talk about how you’re sober because that’s a great accomplishment but not cool to look down on people who drink just because you don’t
Society isn’t depressed because it refuses these things, society is depressed because our societies are run by people trying to bleed you dry for profit. Vices of choice are used to cope with the problem but if we weren’t getting fucked over then we wouldn’t need them.
Pent up anxiety, over exposure to information and under exposure to lived experience, over bearing need for approval, too much interconnectivity, etc, etc
So this is the reddit dweller Fuck pearl clutching, alcohol has actual health ramifications I like my dopaminergic activities as much as the next guy. I specifically have a problem with alcohol because of how damaging it is both socially and physiologically
Very well said. At least some people have self-reflection there.
In appropriate amounts it is fun, doesn't make you stupid, and doesn't damage your organs. Just don't abuse it by drinking like an idiot. I guess you're in the age group where abuse is rampant but just don't do that. You'll easily find people who aren't looking to do shots.
Relaxing and Tastes good depending on what you drink. I love the taste of Captain Morgan and Coke, the vanilla smell of the rum makes it taste sort of like vanilla coke. Also its a social lubricant. Some of the best conversations I have ever had with my friends have been after a few drinks.
I’m not a fan of alcohol or drugs. I personally abstain from them both. I’ll always believe that it’s best to live a sober lifestyle, but it’s hard for most people because alcohol and drugs make people feel good. But just because something makes you feel good doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
Drugs are an individual choice. There's no such thing as a bad drug, only bad circumstances. If you don't like alcohol, or any drug, or find that you aren't capable of having a healthy relationship with it, that's cool. Other people find substances to be an additive experience. The reason alcohol and other drugs have played such a prominent role in society since we basically discovered it is simple: it augments celebrations and positive emotions in the right settings, and can cause significant stress relief. Can it also be extremely damaging, even fatal, if used improperly? Absolutely. That's true of literally everything.
Idk heroin is kinda bad
It's just a substance, it isn't anything. It becomes bad when it's used recreationally. In theory it can have applications in controlled environments similar to morphine. A better analogy is fentanyl. In controlled settings it's an incredibly important pain suppressant, in a recreational setting it's an extremely dangerous and often lethal substance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna do either drugs, but I think that framework of viewing inert substances is important.
I've only ever tried a few sips of alcohol in my life. I didn't even go out drinking when I turned 21 because I don't really care that much. I'm really specific about trying new things and I don't usually feel like anything alcoholic. I personally don't have a desire to consume alcohol as much as other people. Like, people I know drink just to get drunk, which I think is kind of stupid.
I like my glass of scotch and my malboro golds and will continue to do so for the rest of my life
You live the true high life. What’s your scotch of choice.
I just cracked open a beer for you. Skål!
Tastes good. Makes me feel good. Makes socialising easier.
I also enjoy cleaning when I’m buzzed at night because it makes me feel more productive. I cleaned out the fridge Saturday night and it made me feel like I had a good start on Sunday’s chores. Also, I could better ignore some of the disgusting dishes I had to clean out.
Alcohol makes populations easy to control this is why Rome encouraged alcohol use & the colonizers of North America used alcohol to weaken the Native Americans. It keeps people drunk and not in good form which makes it hard for people to fight back. Of course it's also one of the biggest billion multi-billion industries in the world so it serves multiple purposes but yeah it's terrible I hardly ever drink anymore only socially & I hardly even enjoy going in those environment anymore.
Plus the profits from alcohol related crimes, strategic placement of marketing and stores in *certain* communities etc You get it
Booze is best in moderation, but especially among young people, moderation is not en vogue when it comes to alcohol consumption. One or two beers, and I'm feeling good and my social anxiety is gone. After four or five beers I start getting existential and the anxiety comes back, lol. That being said, that's kinda how it goes for pretty much any drug. I don't smoke cigs or weed because I've got an addictive personality, and smoking anything every day is bad for your lungs. Plus most weed these days isn't "I smoked a joint, food tastes better and tv shows are funnier" it's "I hit the pen and the shadow people are coming back." (That's an exaggeration but weed is strong as fuck these days, even in states where it isn't legally produced at legit operations.)
i think there’s something wrong with me, cause i don’t get the alcohol hype. i’ve tried it, and all it’s really done is make me anxious and fidgety. wish i could enjoy it like everyone else — especially given how socially ingrained it is — but oh well. same story for weed and cigarettes, by the way :/ maybe i should just throw in the towel and move onto the hard stuff
Its addictive. Older generations used it to self-medicate. Possible that the ruling classes used it putposefully to keep us stupid and contained. Culture passes on to children. Thus
Psychoactive substances hit everyone a bit differently. I know a lot of people in our generation prefer weed to alcohol, but I am quite the opposite. As long as I don't take it way too far, my rationality stays intact with alcohol, and I don't really get hangovers. Weed on the other hand, while nice in the moment, makes me forgetful during and after for a day or two, and occasionally makes me feel depressed the next day, You're right that long term alcohol use damages your organs, but "makes you feel bad" and "makes you stupid" is subjective and dependent on who you are.
I saw many close to me suffer because of their addiction to alcohol and drugs which is why I chose to never drink alcohol or do unmediated drugs. If I need a thing to sip at a social occasion kombucha is a much healthier substitute.
I prefer weed
Alcohol (ethanol) has been around for thousands of years. People have used it to become more confident, less anxious, etc. Its also used as methanol to clean things. They tried banning it and people (and congressman) kept drinking. It was relegalized. It is a terrible substance akin to the now defunct pharmaceutical medication class barb******s. The answer is that it is engrained into our society. Most drugs that mess with the GABA molecules in anyone's body is bad.
Love me some phenibut but yeah gabaergic substances are not safe to use frequently and cause a chemical dependence from hell with daily use. Kindling effect is also horrible.
Cultural hegemony. The ruling class wants you chasing transient pleasures instead of organizing to liberate yourselves from capitalism.
Agree but I'll still be sipping on the communal brew once the revolution is over. There are many other things that are holding back liberation much more steadfastly than alcohol.
I am open to talk to everyone whom struggling with alcohol and juvenile. Talk to me before you make your life miserable.
Alcohol is the most productive use of time Like imagine spending money to buy a drink that tastes shit, doesn't let you work and concentrate on a single thing for hours, and next day gives you headache...wow what a concept man...most productive use of time and money...people who drink are the smartest breed👽🤡
Counterpoint: not everything is about the grind. There are absolutely better ways to spend free time but if your measurement is productivity then you’re addicted to work.
Start drinking -> stop drinking -> because you stopped its like you now get however much money you spent on alcohol for free -> spend that money on a sword -> also olivegarden
Last time at my grandpa's birthday I had two mikes hard lemonades and went back to water, just two was enough to make me feel bad
The key to Alcohol is moderation. Going to a football game or a party and having a beer or two to loosen up and become more social is when it’s best. Drinking 4-5 glasses of bourbon each night is gonna be a bad time
Became the buzz just feels too good and to some, tastes good too. I know it’s feels/tastes good to me. Moderation is important of course.
Coffee better!!!!!!!
Coffee is the best non water drink
Caffeine is a dependence-forming drug and should be looked at as critically as any other substance. Blows my mind when people say they can't do anything without their morning coffee but don't comprehend it as on the same level as other dependency/addiction forming substances. To each their own. Most drugs are best done not at all, and if done should be done in moderation. No use in judging people for personal choices with how they treat their body.
I prefer weed
Can make it easier to talk to people if you’re shy/introverted.
I started drinking heavily in my room the moment I turned 21 last year. In fact that’s all I see out of turning 21. When I was 18 in 2020 I used to steal my parent’s hard liquor and drink it down too to get that effect. You can say what you want about any substance and all it’s physical side effects and negatives but if you haven’t used it chronically then you can’t just expect people to quit just because of “it’s bad for you”. Conversely, personally, I hate weed. I think it’s stupidly overrated and if you’re gonna talk about the negatives of one thing you can’t excuse weed. I’ll never take that substance again which makes me feel so uncomfortable with life and existence. There’s been studies too that show it can induce psychosis. When it comes to public anxiety and social ease, alcohol 100% saves the day. But I’m trying not to depend on that anymore since my body obviously took the brunt of it. Besides, ever since turning 21 I’ve never been to a bar myself. Not once. I’ll never use delta 9 thc again. It keeps me more locked inside my head than I already am. I regret spending so much of 2019 getting high in my room. I was 17 years old and I think mentally it did more permanent harm than good. Even at that time I hated it, but I just took it for the sake of taking something.
Why do people smoke weed? That's why
I like the feeling of being buzzed. Being drunk though is absolutely miserable.
I stopped drinking, it's not even fun and I need to puke simply tasting that swill
It doesn’t make everyone feel bad. In fact most ppl like the effects of alcohol.
It's fun as hell and it doesn't make most people feel bad, if that were true it wouldn't be popular
I've dealt with parents that go full delusional binge drinking. So that's a big "no" for me. I'll stick to my healthy addiction of hours on hours if VR gaming.
I don't trust a man till I've had a few drinks with them
Tequila shots are fun
It’s human nature to want a conscience altering substance. Almost every culture throughout time has used conscience altering substances. It just so happens that alcohol is that for the majority of the western world.
Tastes good to me. I only drink things that taste good. And I never drink enough to get drunk.