To think you can't have as much fun without alcohol?

[AgentZigzagGotAGoodGoosing]

I don't mean drinking alcohol all the time, or getting ratarsed/falling down drunk.

And I don't mean in every situation, obviously I have great times without drinking.

But I think it's good for you to let your hair down every once in a while, perhaps with other people who are also drinking, it relaxes your tongue and great hilarity can ensue.

I know a couple of people who don't like the lack of control alcohol brings with it, not for religious/medical/negative experiences with alcohol reasons, and IMO this anal clenching control is evident in other areas of their lives and I think they miss out.

Jooly in all honesty it rather depends if you're being an arse or not. Are you?

It depends - if someone is being a prick - nasty or really out of order - I would laugh at them
I have laughed with drunk friends many times and I have been drunk on occasion

But when you are sober and see what SOME drunk people do - fall about in the gutter, lying in the street, skirt hitched up etc - of course I would be like 'look at that'
If I did those things when drunk I would be horrified - the problem we have in this country is not enjoying a drink, it is this stupid binge culture of get as much in as possible - it is a bit pathetic

I can honestly say I have never been drunk/ I usually do the driving and manage to offend people regularly by refusing 'just the one' :(. I'm not meaning to be offensive I am just aware of how alcohol would affect me (very sleepy) and wouldn't trust myself to drink after 'just the one' even if I were to be under the limit. Even when not driving I rarely drink because I don't want to fall asleep.

I really don't see the problem as long as I am not doing anything to prevent other adults from choosing to drink. I have an amazing talent for talking tripe (99% of the time) and I am always willing to get up on the dance floor. I am so aware of how ridiculous I look there is nothing anyone could say that was news IYSWIM so I don't need alcohol to get up and dance.

The problem is not enjoying a drink it's the binge culture and the attitude of 'can't have a good time without drink'

YANBU. It's sociable, fun, tastes nice, good with food etc.

To the teetotallers who are saying that people who are drunk are boring - for the drunkards, sober people are more boring. I think it's just about the comapny you are in, if you are all sober then great or if you are all drunk then great. but sober people and drunk people don't mix too well!

That's the thing about alcohol MsK (sorry called you MrsK before) because it makes you feel good, you want more because you want to feel even better.

Then it has the built in payment that if you have too much you feel like crap and get a hangover the next day.

The people I feel sorriest for are those who use alcohol to block out the incredible psychological/emotional pain they're in. Luckily I'm not one of them, but I can totally understand it.

Loving the name wanksock

unrulysanta- that's the problem! I don't think I'm being an arse, and my tipsy friends don't seem to think so...but you're the sober one, so to you, maybe I am! You could be thinking that I am an arse, I'm not sure!!

This is why sober people make drinking people nervous

I was joking when I said drunk people are boring. I think sober and drunk people mix. Of course they do. They're just people. It's when one party is unhappy with another party's choices that you have problems. If I didn't mix with drunk people I couldn't go out with half my friends half the time. Surprisingly enough we go out, we chat, we laugh, we eat food, we dance. We even enjoy it. Nobody gives a feck about what people are drinking. Maybe my friends are just monumentally uninterested in becoming the alcohol police.

Being sociable is sociable and it tastes nice if you like the taste of it. You can't generalise about other people's valid choices.

Well said SOH.

'You can't generalise about other people's valid choices'

I think you'll find MN can and does SOH

Hmm, I kinda think it is sociable to all be doing the same thing.

Another issue for the drinkers when they are out with a sober one is that they will remember EVERYTHING

I like a good drink. But if i never had a drink agsain, I wouldn't mind.
But I don't 'get' this picture painted, of drinkers bullying non drinkers into having a drink.
I have never ever done thta, or seen it.
I couldn't care less whether you are drinking a pint, sex-on-the-beach- or a coca-cola.
What sort of people do you mix with where drinkers care thta there are non drinkers or drinkers think that non drinkers are watching them, scorning them ?
It doesn't go on in my head when i go to my works christmas do, or when i go to a party, whetehr I am drinking or not.

I think you are doing the same thing. You're all out, having fun, laughing, catching up, sharing.

If you've got time to notice what other people are drinking, then you're doing it wrong.

Just how drunk do people have to be to stop thinking you're an arse? Are you a four pinter for example?

I'm sure you're fine - don't be nervous - we're not taking notes and relaying them to central control for transcription.

I guess I should never start going out again. After reading this thread I feel like I would offend everyone. Maybe its just as well I am skint :(

Oblomov, my friends don't do it. It's friends of friends or partners of colleagues etc. There are a few people who just can't accept it and urge you to just have one or occasionally even pour some alcohol into your orange juice for you. They're just nobbers though.

xstitch, it is upsetting isn't it? Just a bit. Fret not, I'm skint and teetotal. Come here. I have lots of lovely soft drinks and I don't judge. I think most people don't judge.

Completely agree with SOH. And people do get quite cross when they realise that you don't drink.The person I know who does it most is actually a very moderate drinker but her dh is an alcoholic and I think she thinks that his problem is highlighted when others are sober.

SOH I have had people slip alcohol into my lemonade. I am really lucky I noticed or I could have been arrested driving home or worse. this was a 30 something too, not an immature teenager.

Someone slips a vodka into an orangejuice ?
Now my dh likes a drink too. Can easily drink 5 pints and appear totally sober. But if anyone, friend , colleague or anyone, did that to me, he would go absolutley spare.

SOH it sounds like your friends are not massive drinkers then. My group of friends are quite into their booze. So on a night out it would be a few rounds of shots, sharing bottles of wine etc. So it would be noticed if someone wasn't drinking. I stopped going to the pub with them when I was pregnant because I just didn't enjoy it while not being able to join in.

some people. Most people are too busy spying on Jooly. :)

Putting alcohol secretly into someones soft drink is fucking creepy and smacks of other sinister things.