Does anyone else drink most evenings?

[SandraOhh]

I do. Wine usually, a couple of glasses. It's how I unwind. I do skip some nights. I know it's not great for you but everyone has their vices. It helps me cope and feel happier and more able to 'do' life.

No doctor would tell a patient to start drinking for health reasons

They would in some countries!

@ManifestDestinee

No doctor would tell a patient to start drinking for health reasons

They would in some countries!

Where were you think of? People often talk about France but they’ve got a big public health campaign running to try and get people to drink in moderation.

@HarrietsChariot

Yes I drink pretty much every night, usually a couple of beers or a bottle of wine, and a few measures of spirits. I tried to have a "dry" day once a month but since lockdown that's fallen by the wayside. I confine my drinking to a 2/3 hour window in the early evening so don't think it's much of a problem, just normal. The only downside is the cost, I spend about two grand a year on the stuff which is pretty shocking to be honest, but at least that means if I ever quit I'll effectively give myself a 10% payrise. Oh and the (sort of) benefit is that I can carry lots of shopping because my arm muscles are used to lugging it back from the supermarket every week.

Have you had a liver function test (just a quick blood test at you GPS). I think you might get quite a shock!

If you only drink socially - well unless my social life is just dead compared to everyone else - that's likely to limit drinking to just once or twice a week?

It would limit mine to once or twice a year 😆

Where were you think of? People often talk about France but they’ve got a big public health campaign running to try and get people to drink in moderation

Yeah, moderation. There's no call in France for people to not drink at all. Actually I was thinking of Italy, it would be perfectly normal for a doctor to suggest a couple of glasses of red wine to both relax and for the known health benefits.

Yeah, moderation. There's no call in France for people to not drink at all.

Where did I suggest that there was a call for everyone to be tee total?

The known health benefits are cancelled out by the known health risks related to alcohol. Maybe I should have said no UK doctor would be encouraging someone who didn’t drink at all to start drinking small amounts of alcohol. I only know about our own health service and medical training. It just wouldn’t happen.

I've been drinking every night for donkey's years, don't like lunchtime or afternoon drinking and don't start until 9 pm, used to drink red wine until I had cancer of the breast 20 years ago, ( ok now) and started drinking white wine instead, my tolerance levels have gone done, shame as l love Negronis; l like my wine with a couple of lumps of ice now since having Covid last year, I'm going to be 71 at the end of the year. The only time l was off the booze is when l have been in hospital or when l couldn't drink (as recently as last week) because of the antibiotics l was taking then l resorted to no alcohol drink, it's come on leaps and bounds, i'm not an alcoholic, l lived with a functioning alcoholic for years and have worked with them in my last job SO the moral of the story is not every one who drinks is an alcoholic, think before you chat.

The known health benefits are cancelled out by the known health risks related to alcohol

That's opinion, not fact. Tell it to the centenarians of southern Italy who have been drinking local red wine daily for 90 years about the health risks of alcohol, they like a laugh!

@ManifestDestinee

The known health benefits are cancelled out by the known health risks related to alcohol

That's opinion, not fact. Tell it to the centenarians of southern Italy who have been drinking local red wine daily for 90 years about the health risks of alcohol, they like a laugh!

Yes. The majority opinion of the medical community.

You don’t seem to understand that “increased risk” doesn’t mean that everyone who drinks to excessive levels will suffer. Same as not every smoker gets lung cancer. Just at increased rates compared to the rest of the population. You don’t know who’s going to be unlucky.

@PurpleDaisies

You don’t seem to understand that “increased risk” doesn’t mean that everyone who drinks to excessive levels will suffer. Same as not every smoker gets lung cancer. Just at increased rates compared to the rest of the population. You don’t know who’s going to be unlucky.

I do of course understand that, but that doesn't change the point made at all.

The data tells us that moderate drinkers are healthier than both non drinkers and heavy drinkers. There are a great many reasons for this, but one of them is that moderate drinking doesn't actually increase your risk.
You're talking about "excessive levels" when the discussion is actually about moderate drinking. You've confused your basic premise and you think its me that doesn't understand?

Drinking every day can easily be at excessive levels.

@Drinker

I've been drinking every night for donkey's years, don't like lunchtime or afternoon drinking and don't start until 9 pm, used to drink red wine until I had cancer of the breast 20 years ago, ( ok now) and started drinking white wine instead, my tolerance levels have gone done, shame as l love Negronis; l like my wine with a couple of lumps of ice now since having Covid last year, I'm going to be 71 at the end of the year. The only time l was off the booze is when l have been in hospital or when l couldn't drink (as recently as last week) because of the antibiotics l was taking then l resorted to no alcohol drink, it's come on leaps and bounds, i'm not an alcoholic, l lived with a functioning alcoholic for years and have worked with them in my last job SO the moral of the story is not every one who drinks is an alcoholic, think before you chat.

There is a clear link between alcohol use and breast cancer. www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/3173

@PurpleDaisies

Drinking every day can easily be at excessive levels.

I would say that drinking everyday is usually at excessive levels. What daily drinker is going to rigidly stick to 1 x 275 ml glass of wine each day (2.3 units, which over 7 days (16.1 units) is actually slightly in excess of the 14 units per week maximum recommendation?

I'm agreeing with you by the way

My mum used to drink a glass or two a night when we were kids. And my dad went to the pub after work most nights for a couple of pints.
They died at 57 (mum) and 62 (dad). Both suffered kidney and liver failure.

@ManifestDestinee

The known health benefits are cancelled out by the known health risks related to alcohol

That's opinion, not fact. Tell it to the centenarians of southern Italy who have been drinking local red wine daily for 90 years about the health risks of alcohol, they like a laugh!

Well it’s the opinion of the NHS and Cancer Research too so I’m going to go with them.

I don't, but I used to

I would say that drinking everyday is usually at excessive levels. What daily drinker is going to rigidly stick to 1 x 275 ml glass of wine each day (2.3 units, which over 7 days (16.1 units) is actually slightly in excess of the 14 units per week maximum recommendation?

But the 14 units is just one countries guideline, and it is basically plucked out of the air as a number. There's little science behind it at all. Drinking more than the amount the NHS says is allowed does not mean you are excessive drinking.

Nope. Because it only winds you down, makes you happier and makes you feel like you can 'do' life

You just listed the reasons why I DO drink every night, not reasons not to!

I enjoy alcohol, but feel that energy, relaxation etc has to be "borrowed" from somewhere. That's how it works for me anyway.
I may feel energised after a glass or two in he evening, but that leads to greater tiredness the nex day. It may relax me, but that can lead to a little more anxiety the next day.
I don't think sleeping after drinking is particuarly restful either- it may lead to a deep ling undisturbed night, but the quality of sleep isn't great. Alcohol dehydrates- and has a lot of calories.
I do drink sometimes, but not a lot and no more than one night a week.
I prefer to manage stress in my life in other ways.

Nope. Because it only winds you down, makes you happier and makes you feel like you can 'do' life

You just listed the reasons why I DO drink every night, not reasons not to!

Only because you took it out of context by removing the rest of the sentence!

@lazylinguist

Nope. Because it only winds you down, makes you happier and makes you feel like you can 'do' life

You just listed the reasons why I DO drink every night, not reasons not to!

Only because you took it out of context by removing the rest of the sentence!

Maybe I'm too drunk to finish a full sentence

Where were you think of? People often talk about France but they’ve got a big public health campaign running to try and get people to drink in moderation.

And they've also got Emmanuel Macron, and avowed wine drinker, telling people that lunchtime drinking is the French way of life and that it's a public duty to preserve it!

I do not but I grew up in an alcoholic household.

I have a drink if I am out with friends but at home we save drinking for Christmas only really.