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Original poster

To think that there is far too much emphasis on alcohol?

168 replies

MycatsaPirate · 01/02/2018 15:08

It's wine o'clock. Kids playing up? have a glass of wine! Gin flavoured cheese, gin with fucking unicorn tears, prosecco everything.

I am not teetotal and I certainly had my time in my late teens when I partied hard every week and probably drank far too much at the weekends but right now it seems that drinking at home, every night is becoming the norm.

I see it constantly on here and on facebook and Instagram - photos of wine glasses, gin glasses and references to it being 'a hard day' and 'needing a drink'. Now I'm sure some of those are a one off but it seems that drinking daily, especially among women, is becoming more of a thing and it's really not very healthy!

When was the last time you had a drink? I actually can't remember but it was in December because I bought a bottle of Baileys and I think I had a glass or two on Boxing day.

Would anyone on here admit they might have a problem? I have seen a fair few people on facebook admit they were struggling to stay Dry in January and I think that's bloody sad.

OP posts:
PunkrockerGirl59 · 01/02/2018 21:30

Well said Bluntness

They should also be made to clean up their own vomit
Yes that's really going to work, isn't it? Confused
Paramedic to the semi-conscious drunk "hey drunk, clear up your own vomit"
Drunk to paramedic "fuck off" Vomits again. Paramedic places drunk in recovery position.

Ffs

Pawpainting · 01/02/2018 21:39

And yeah, I've done dry JAN, about to do dry Feb, because It helps me lose weight and I find it easy, however when I chose to drink again I really won't give a thought to some random sitting on their sofa with their cup of tea and their cats arse mouth stewing over folks enjoying themselves

😂 Well said

JennyOnAPlate · 01/02/2018 21:52

I agree op.

I grew up with two parents who drank at home every night and I fell into bad habits with alcohol too. I drank three or four nights a week for years until I decided to massively cut down six months ago.

Bluntness100 · 01/02/2018 21:54

Honestly. I'm sure the tut tut brigade have some form of secret rota going on.🤣

Countrymiso · 01/02/2018 21:59

Completely agree middling and yes to cleaning up or fined.

LemonysSnicket · 01/02/2018 22:10

I’m having one right now.

I drink probably every 3 days ... but would everyday if I didn’t have work.
I acknowledge that my relationship with alcohol is problematic though

HoppyHannah · 01/02/2018 22:31

It is a personal thing. If someone chooses to have a drink either at home or elsewhere it is not your problem. There is far too much Nanny Statism going on already. Is anyone an adult here and capable of making their own choices?

Children are monitored and controlled for their own good, cannot have this and that in lunchboxes anymore, but school dinners are not great either. And I suppose there will be a chippy within range after school anyway. We all did it.

I am heartily sick of all this control of our lives. But it is a creeping thing no doubt.

Fight back against it! That's all I can recommend.

Bluntness100 · 02/02/2018 09:31

Totally agree Hannah,

These threads are beyond ridiculous. The overwhelming majority of people drink responsibly, yes there are problems with binge drinking, yes there are alcoholics, but they do not make up the majority by any means.

There are problems with other things, people who abuse food for example. Abuse sugar, whatever, yet you don't see a monthly thread on "do you think there is too much emphasis on cake, let's sell it in plain wrapping".

I wouldn't be surprised if the people who start these threads are sitting overweight and abusing food whilst being judgey. Yet when someone starts a thread about over eating it's all "stop being so fucking judgemental, you don't know my problems" but when it's booze it's fair game.

There are far more overweight people than there are alcoholics. Obesity is a huge problem, yet it's offensive to mention it in the way the op mentions alcohol.

Pick your poison and someone somewhere abuses it.

Original poster
MycatsaPirate · 02/02/2018 19:10

Have a go at me all you want.

My DP's BIL was a drinker. He had a couple of drinks every night and then a few extra at the weekend. He had a liver transplant two years ago. He died last night.

So you carry on screwing up your health all you wish and laugh about it while you're doing it but don't think I'm sad because I don't need to drink alcohol every night to function.

OP posts:
Original poster
MycatsaPirate · 02/02/2018 19:13

Bluntness Yep, I'm overweight. Not through food issues, but through mobility problems from a disability. Hope you feel MUCH better for being as judgy as you accuse me of being.

OP posts:
lilabet2 · 02/02/2018 20:23

I agree OP. Alcohol is great occasionally, in social situations.
Drinking every night is unhealthy and using it as a clutch to cope with life stresses and anxiety is asking for an alcohol problem.

My Dad has an alcohol problem and it has caused serious problems for my family.

There will be far more younger people with liver cirrhosis and various cancers in the future as a result of our binge-drinking culture.

Pawpainting · 02/02/2018 20:31

There are far more overweight people than there are alcoholics. Obesity is a huge problem, yet it's offensive to mention it in the way the op mentions alcohol

Obesity is a bigger cause of liver disease worldwide than alcohol is. Most people who drink do so in moderation and will suffer no I'll effects. Not so with being obese.

Pawpainting · 02/02/2018 20:32

*ill effects

lilabet2 · 02/02/2018 20:32

Sorry to hear about your DP's BIL Mycats, that's really sad.

I don't think that people understand that alcoholism is just using alcohol daily to cope with life and/or binge drinking on a regular (not daily) basis.

Our culture has an unhealthy relationship with booze and many people continue behaving like teenagers boasting about how much they've had to drink, which is just embarrassing.

There are so many kids in the UK who are suffering as a result of their parent's alcohol problems and so many people who are going to end up with serious health consequences down the line.

Bluntness100 · 02/02/2018 20:38

Hope you feel MUCH better for being as judgy as you accuse me of being

And I'm sure people who drink and have a problem with it do so for their own reasons, be it mental health or otherwise. Just like uou eating too much and being overweight, it's because of the mobility problems. Food is the issue, not your mobility, because I'm sorry, if you're overweight you're eating more calories than you need and it's not healthy. Just like drinking too much. You just picked a different poison.

So yes, if you're going to judge, you need to be able to take it back. Many people have problems. Negatively judging them helps no one. It doesn't matter if it's overdoing the food or the booze. It's not pleasant.

I'm sorry about your brother in law. His alcohol intake sounds average. Are you saying he had cirrhosis of the liver? It's unusual to give someone a liver transplant if they have problems with alcohol, and it doesn't seem he did. Or was there another reason he required a liver transplant?

ViceAdmiralAmilynHoldo · 02/02/2018 22:32

Very sorry to hear about your BIL OP, that sounds very sad.

However "a couple of drinks every night and then a few extra at the weekend" don't kill you. Well, not a couple of small glasses of wine and then four small glasses of wine on Saturday night. That's more than recommended, and not good for your health but is not in liver transplant territory. If your BIL's death was down to alcohol misuse he must have been drinking way more than that. You have to drink about a bottle of wine a night, and two a night at the weekend to cause that sort of damage, unless there is an underlying problem.

There is a massive difference between drinking say 15 units a week (that's two glasses twice a week and three glasses on the third) and drinking 70+.

FancyABrewOrTwo · 03/02/2018 05:31

So you are happy to judge anyone that drinks alcohol but you are overweight because of mobility issues and not because you eat too much for your requirements? Can't you see the irony in that?

As people have pointed out obesity is as much of an issue as alcoholism and not surprisingly some people choose to drink and some people choose to overeat. It's the smug judging I have an issue with not how others choose to live their life.

Lethaldrizzle · 03/02/2018 06:05

'There are so many kids in the UK who are suffering as a result of their parents an alcohol problems' - I'm betting there are a lot more suffering from their parents obesity problems. I'd rather be a fit drinker than an over weight teetotaller

Tika77 · 03/02/2018 06:16

OP, you can’t be teetotal, you said you drank in December.
I agree with you though, needing a drink every night is alcoholism.

AnnaT45 · 03/02/2018 06:38

OP I'm so sorry for your loss and I totally understand where you're coming from, when my Mum died of lung cancer (never smoked) I wanted to scream at people smoking to stop.

I do see where you're coming from although I must admit to having a glass of wine if I've had a tough day with the kids. I sometimes just fancy one but I don't necessarily need it.

I have friends who drink every day and it worries me, as I remember reading you need to rest the liver at least one or two days a week. DH used to drink every night, just one glass, but had knocked that habit now for peppermint tea GrinI don't judge people who do but do think the body benefits from some sort of break from it

I think our culture is very booze heavy. I work with a lot of US based clients and when I ask them what they've done at the weekend it's always around being active I.e going for a hike, doing gym classes and so on. In fairness they are generally California based which helps I guess but I never hear them say 'went out for drinks sat night and spent Sunday recovering' which is what I hear from uk colleagues. I appreciate that's a small group of people but I do notice the difference.

The last time I drunk was over a week ago, I had two small glasses of wine over lunch.

Countrymiso · 03/02/2018 06:41

OP, you can’t be teetotal, you said you drank in December.
Op never said she was, in her opening post she said "I am not teetotal"

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 03/02/2018 06:41

Yep, I'm overweight.....Hope you feel MUCH better for being as judgy as you accuse me if being

I doubt she feels "better" as you put it OP, but definitely has the right to judge you following your judgey posts, especially as it's largely reported that being overweight puts a huge strain on the liver, not just alcohol.

Lethaldrizzle · 03/02/2018 06:45

AnnaT I think USA has a bigger obesity problem than we do in the uk

AnnaT45 · 03/02/2018 06:50

lethal yes it does, but I I was talking about alcohol and not food-that's a whole other topic!

Tika77 · 03/02/2018 06:51

Country, you’re right, sorry. Going back to reading again. :-)