If you drink alcohol, why do you drink it?

[JustWonderingIfImNormal]

I’m sat here sipping my vodka and coke and this random question popped into my head.
Do you drink because you like the taste or something else?
I drink alcohol to numb my problems (not healthy really, I know) I also drink because It relaxes me. Just to add I’m not an alcoholic- I rarely drink really! And I’m only having the one.
Also what is your favourite tipple? Mine at the moment is Smirnoff cherry vodka and Coca Cola. I’ve only just discovered it and it tastes good.

I drink because I love getting absolutely wasted and having a brilliant time with my friends.

Sometimes I drink to relax

I like the taste. I dislike being intoxicated. I rarely drink and when I do drink I tend to drink small amounts.

I like the taste and I enjoy being drunk

Taste - especially as it’s hard to find soft drinks that aren’t sweet. I do like an alcohol free beer but haven’t found nice wine or gin alternatives yet.

Effect - I find social occasions a bit easier/more fun with a glass or two. That small loss of inhibition/anxiety is helpful.

I also find it helps me relax even if not going out - it’s a way of marking the weekend as we don’t really drink in the week.

I do limit it especially now I’m 40+ and hangovers are just getting worse.

It relaxes me and I find it fun. I also quite like the sense of not knowing how the evening will turn out - it brings a sense of excitement. I'm currently doing dry January but I'm looking forward to a glass of wine next weekend.

I started drinking it because I was brought up in a wine growing area and my parents would open a bottle of sparkling wine at 6 pm every evening. My sister and I would share the bottle with them and then they would open a second.

I then started drinking quite heavily at university because I am very shy and it made me feel more socially confident.

In my late 20s to now (50) i drank to overcome feelings of anxiety, depression, stress. Complete self medication. I like how the first glass makes me feel- relaxed and happy. But I can't stop at one and things get messy. It exacerbates my stress and low feelings and actually never really helps anything at all.

Today is my Day 2 of a hopefully completely alcohol-free future. It's time I learned how to tackle my issues head on and without a crutch.

I'm drinking a lot less than I used to. I used to use it to block things out, or as a more socially acceptable form of hurting myself, as I'm not meant to drink with my medication and it makes me feel awful. Currently having a nicely chilled white wine, and it does taste nice, but your question has made me question why I'm drinking it after a few weeks of not drinking 🤔 I really need to up my efforts in giving it up for good

I drink to get drunk! Classic binge drinker. It makes me feel happy and willing to have a good boogie. But mostly just at weddings or the occasional party now. I go 'out out' about twice a year at the most. I like a fruity cocktail, gins, rums etc.

I don't see the point in drinking a glass of wine after work. I don't see the point in drinking alcohol just for the sake of it. I'd rather have a cup of tea.

I’ve already answered upthread that I enjoy a few drinks at the weekend for taste and effect. But I did Stoptober because it had started to creep into the week and it’s a useful reset every now and again. During Stoptober I danced sober at a gig and it was quite enlightening. I’m 52 and think that’s part of not giving a shit. I still like a drink though.

It takes the edge off things when times are hard and it slightly improves things when times are good.

My experience is the same. I am an alcoholic, although I don't drink anymore, and as much as I drank for the effect, I also loved the taste of wines.

I actually had a non alcohol red wine last week and it may as well have been Ribena...

I enjoy the taste and the effect ( a buzz and relaxation of day to day worries and stress).

@48Times11 Hey congrats on the alcohol free journey!

Thanks! I'm reading all the quit lit and feel empowered.

I drink for the taste and the social aspect. I would prefer not to feel drunk. I love gin and tonic (but haven't yet found an alcohol free one as nice as Monkey 47) and I have very specific wine taste. I love wine. I have a small glass most nights, and occasionally 2.

I love the taste, I love (to me) that it signals the weekend or a 'nice' event

I like the taste. I don’t like being really drunk but I like a small buzz (2/3 drinks) and don’t often drink more than this. I find anti-alcohol literature often tries to persuade you that you don’t like the taste but I do! I only drink tea, coffee, water and alcohol really. Mostly water. I don’t care for soft drinks or sweet stuff more than once in a blue moon. I do however really like the taste of a white wine or G&T! There are some nonalcoholic beers and ciders that are quite nice too.

The mistaken feeling that it "makes things better". So either I'm bored watching TV, and it's something to do. Or I'm on a walk, and it's nice to pop into the pub. Or I'm socialising and it's nice to have a drink in my hand. Or I'm in some beautiful part of the country/world and I want to top it off with a drink in the sun.

These are really false beliefs (for me anyway), I have just as nice time with a soft drink. But I've also had so many good times with friends and loved ones drinking. Or if I have a boring evening ahead it's something to "look forward to" (like a nice slice of cake).

I like the taste. Wine/ champagne/ margaritas. I don’t like feeling tipsy/ drunk at all though! I do like the psychological “that’s the day over, I can relax” part of pouring a glass and sitting down though too.

I don't drive very often anymore and when I do it's almost always white wine. A nice cold Marlborough sauv Blanc is ideal. I like the taste and the happy relaxed feeling it gives me. But any more than two glasses and it's not worth the hangover these days.

I tried non alcoholic wine a few times when pregnant. It wasn't nice. Some non alcoholic lagers were ok, and I drank a lot of ginger ale.

I only drink socially to get drunk.

I like the taste of lager, merlot and Zinfandel. Everything else is pish tasting.

I like the sense of relaxation after a glass of wine or half pint of lager.

I like the lowered inhibitions which mean I can have a good dance onto the early hours on a night out.

I wish i was better at drinking. I had half a glass of rose earlier and it just makes me hot and bothered.
I wish i could enjoy it.

1. to blur the edges of a busy life. By 5 pm I’m ready for a drink. I’ll usually have something 4/7 days, and pass on the other 3.
2. To be sociable: fancy cocktails with my sister and her partner (he makes a great negroni) and to enjoy an evening of good wine and chat with my parents. I don’t go out much but I love to meet up for an early evening beer with friends on a Friday. Or to have friends over for a long, boozy lunch once in a while.
3. Genuine interest in and enjoyment of good wine: we live in France and have an actual wine cellar: DH goes to several salons a year to stock up. so we generally drink very good wine with dinner, at least 4 days a week. We don’t spend money on much else.

@48Times11 Good luck with your alcohol free journey. Congrats on taking that step.
@43ontherocksporfavor Thats amazing that you danced sober! I wish I could be that brave. It’s times like that I definitely use alcohol as a confidence booster!
@Hopperinhawkins yes, I like a drink to start the weekend too.