To wonder why the young people don't enjoy drinking alcohol

Off the top of my head:

• alcoholic parent(s) / family members (trauma)
• More expensive - especially in cities.
• Greater knowledge/awareness of downsides of alcohol.
• Higher awareness of health.
• More shame. Everyone carries a device that can record drunken antics and have it shown to the world within seconds.

I get where you're coming from, but I know plenty of people, sober and alcohol drinkers alike, who bemoan the lack of non-sweet non-alcoholic options. A friend of mine has gone sober recently and has really struggled to find enjoyable options. I'd love some non-sugary options too for when I'm not drinking! Defo a gap in the market.

Personally speaking, I don't like the taste of wine, I don't know how anyone can drink it, much less in large quantities. Far too sharp for my tastes. I think the "acquired taste" part = addictive properties kicking in. So if you don't drink much, you continue not to drink much.

Care to elaborate?

I’m not a big drinker. I have a glass or two of wine 3 or 4 times a year but oh my goodness I really do enjoy it when I do. Wine is beautiful.

I'm 40 and it just doesn't occur to me to drink at home. I've never really had alcohol with a meal or anything
I drank on nights out, mostly to get drunk but a glass at home doesn't appeal to me

This is clearly the crux of the issue. Someone is going to film you and bung it on social media. No more " what goes on tour, stays on tour".

My theory is because smoking has gone down. I mean back in the day a cigarette and a drink was just a great feeling, wet and dry, or so we thought.

A lot of cheap alcohol just tastes like piss. You're unlikely to be drinking expensive wine or interesting spirits. Smoking masked that.

People have given great reasons in this thread and I agree with the expense of it too. Its just not worth it, paying all that money to feel hungover the next day.

I also feel like being drunk is viewed very, very differently now. In my youth, bands would get hammered and throw things out of hotel windows or be visibly drunk on stage and everyone would laugh about it with the attitude of "haha! they're so wild and crazy arent they- what are they like?!" in a kind of bemused, isnt it funny/cool way. I remember as a kid when Oliver Reed was on TV very obviously steaming drunk, it was considered humorous and fun by everyone. Literally noone at the time expressed any genuine concern for him.

However, when Amy Winehouse was stumbling about drunk on stage years later, everyone was utterly shocked (and rightly so- it was really sad and worrying). Being drunk is no longer seen as "funny" any more and I think thats far healthier and due to better education about the very serious effects of alcohol abuse on people's mental and physical health.

It's insanely expensive.

Alcohol is also a depressant and tbh young people of today seem to struggle with their mental health as it is.

I’m not young but I’ve never drunk as an adult - my parents were both addicts. Being around drunk people is also really, really shit when you’re sober - alcohol only makes the drinker think it’s more fun, in reality it’s rubbish for everyone who has to deal with them.

It also doesn’t taste great and costs a fortune. If younger generations are eschewing it then good for them as far as I’m concerned. It’s a public menace.

I think its great things are changing - its really dysfunctional to think anyone has to drink to have a good time and we are now seeing the quite serious health consequences in my age group (40s) of people who succumbed to that idea back then.

I agree with this, but it seems if you say that on here, you're accused of being judgemental or miserable or boring.

Two of my grandparents drank themselves to death and I had the awful experience of finding a client laying in their own mess (twice) because she'd been drinking. She was only in her fifties (but looked 80), drank herself into oblivion and eventually died of multiple organ failure, alone, in hospital.

I think when you've had bad experiences with alcohol, you see a whole different side to it.

I don't actually care if other people drink and plenty of my friends drink (as does DH) but it's not for me. It actually scares me a bit, in all honesty.

This

Mine do - have done since about 16, as have all their friends. My generation were nightmare drinkers. The only difference I can see is that they are much more into the gym, fitness and nutrition - perhaps one of the better things to come out of social media.

Sparkling water is hardly a sweet drink, lol.

Not sure if I'm 'young' anymore... but 2 parents with booze issues put me off for life. Nothing positive comes from being drunk, most people just embarrass themselves. Once you've stood up to the peer pressure 2 or 3 times then it becomes easier and people accept it eventually.

You aren't scottish I'm guessing 😂

@velvetcoat makes SUCH a good point about everything being photographed and filmed nowadays!! So many factors like this go into stopping nights out from feeling like an escape.

It’s interesting that all the alternative drink suggestions are sweet drinks - all those who don’t like alcohol seem to have a sweet tooth, perhaps that’s why they never really liked the more bitter/savoury flavours of wine/beer in the first place.

i can drink sweet drinks with lighter meals that I’d normally have white wine with (and increasingly am the driver so do) but do find myself struggling for red wine alternatives.

There’s possibly a gap in the market there!

Drugs. Lots of young people now taking psychedelics (mdma, lsd, mushrooms) etc and either staying home watching the walls warp or going out and loving on everyone. No hangover the next day and much cheaper than buying drinks all night.

Drugs are cheaper?

I don't know whether I'd be classed as a young person for the purposes of this discussion, but I'm 28 and from my perspective, and looking back to my teens/early twenties, I'd say it's for a few reasons.

We're more aware, possibly, of the negative effects of alcohol these days. Campaigns, documentaries, social media, etc. I think that has stopped alcohol from feeling like just a natural normal part of life in the same way it maybe did in years past.

Social trends do tend to come in waves. I think for a lot of us, our parents were more hard drinking in their youth and at uni, and maybe tended to drink habitually at social events and on an evening. The response to that, as a trend, is that the next generation/s veer the other way and question the role of alcohol in their life. Maybe the next few generations who are parented by us will swing back more the other way.

Money. Nights out are fucking expensive. It's always been thus, I suppose, but it seems harder and harder to have a genuinely cheap and cheerful night out. EVERYTHING is expensive, even when you're trying to stick to cheaper drinks. The expense kind of takes the shine off what used to feel like fun and freedom.

The tide is turning thank goodness and yes, younger people do still drink but they dont seem to go out and get smashed, falling out of clubs like we used to. I think there are several reasons for that:

1. Everything is photographed and filmed now. I thank the Lord that wasnt the case when I was young as I'd have to emigrate if my young drunken shenanigans ended up for the world to see
2. Focus on health/appearances. SM is all about health and wellness now, doing yoga on mountain tops in sports gear etc - thats what people want to see, not people with their mascara half way down their face whilst they vomit kebab onto the pavement because that just looks rubbish
3. Nightclubs are on the way out. I live in a popular nightclub town and half of them have closed since the 90s/00s and are now shops or boarded up. I suspect people use dating apps to meet people now rather than club nights and you can hardly turn up to a first date off your head.
4. Culture. The culture has changed- I grew up in the 90s with ladette culture where getting shit faced was considered "cool"- it's not now, it's just a bit sad. Most of the cultural icons I grew up with are now sober because they developed alcoholism and serious health issues from it.
5. Safety reasons - far more aware of personal safety now and drink spiking etc

I think its great things are changing - its really dysfunctional to think anyone has to drink to have a good time and we are now seeing the quite serious health consequences in my age group (40s) of people who succumbed to that idea back then.

Well yes, because it's a discussion forum and you asked a question?

Most of my family drink and so do my friends - it has no impact on our friendships or relationships. I just have a coke or a mocktail while they have wine or beer. It's really not a big deal.