I'm not worried by how much I drink, but by HOW I drink.

[Uplanded]

I think I might be at the start of a slippery slope.

I have never drunk much as have a low tolerance. I drink maybe a bottle of wine a week, two max. No spirits at all.

But when I drink, I pour half a bottle into a tumbler and down it rather than sipping.

AIBU to think this is not normal?

I don't buy that most people don't drink for the effect of being tipsy/drunk. Maybe some do but if you are drinking to just enjoy relaxing with a drink there are much healthier and tastier options for that.
If you are drinking for the feeling you get after drinking it makes no difference what glass you use or how long it takes to drink it.

What's the reason you drink like this - in secret, just for the effect, to heal anxiety? These are indicators you should try to find another way to meet this need

I think it’s about picking apart why you do this. Do you drink all drinks this way? Probably fine. Do you only do it with wine because you’re doing it in secret and what the hit really fast? Probably not fine.

I’m an alcoholic (nearly 2 years sober) and I’d nearly always drink wine like that, because I was trying to hide it from other people and I had 2-3 bottles to get through. As long as the quantity doesn’t escalate, I don’t think it’s an issue really, but keep an eye if it does.

It seems a bit of a waste. Why not get some beautiful wineglasses and practise sipping your wine and savouring the taste?

I mean who really likes the taste of alcohol? And even if they do there are lots of other nice flavoured non alcoholic drinks so surely everyone drinks it for a bit of a buzz or they would drink a non alcoholic drink? Especially as you can get non alcoholic beers and wine nowadays

I like the taste of alcohol. Yes I drink to get a bit of a buzz. But that doesn’t mean I down it to meet that objective, I love a nice cold glass of dry wine on a summers night, or a full bodied red by th4 fire of an evening. I’ve never sat and downed half a bottle of wine.

Do you have a problem with your nose - a blocked nose or a broken sense of smell?
Do you drink enough water? Try quenching your thirst with a glass of water before drinking alcohol.

One bottle of wine per week is quite a bit.
Stop at one or two glasses per week if you don't want to drink much.

I think two bottles of wine a week is actually quite a lot.
And yes downing it is obviously to get drunk. Getting drunk every now and then with trusted friends on a night out or an event is not a big deal but just at home is worrying territory.
Why are you doing this? To relive stress? To block out emotional pain? You need to consider this and perhaps seek some counselling around it.
I'm not judging, many people including myself have used various vices to help take the sting out of life. And it sounds like you have recognised that you have a problem here. It's what you do next that matters.

Taste wise I never liked beer, started with straigh whiskey and still find wines can be hit and miss.

So for me the heat/spice from tongue to stomach recognises the alcohol while my nose can be fooled. (Im not saying that I cant be fooled in blind testing either). And Im lazy so hate reading lables to see what has been added in.

alcohol is cheap, socially acceptable, a good muscle relaxant, legal pain killer, can mask social anxiety and generally 'pause' brain function etc etc.

So its why the buzz is wanted that should be the question.

And recognising that a 'glass' of wine [ 2- 6 units in the OP's post] hitting the body (liver) in 5 - 10 min is different from the same volume being cleared over a number of hours.

Not sure why you have posed this question. Surely you know it’s not normal. When have you ever seen someone in a film, TV programme, in a pub or restaurant pour half a bottle of wine into a tumbler and down it? You haven’t, because it’s not normal.

Comparing it to how you drink water is irrelevant because you don’t drink alcohol to quench your thirst. Wine is drunk to appreciate the taste. You can’t appreciate the taste if you’re knocking it back in one.

I used to know someone who did this.
He really disliked the taste of alcohol but he had a serious drinking problem and he would down as much alcohol as he could in the quickest way possible purely to get off his head drunk. And he used to disappear for days at a time on benders.

I honestly think if you are aware you are drinking wine this way then you should try and get out of the habit. When I drink red wine I definitely sip it but I always have a glass of water to drink at the same time as the wine.

Why do you do it? Have you tried just sipping it?

It's quite a odd way to drink wine, if anything it must be quite disgusting. If you are concerned about your drinking I would always advise just stopping and see how you fare.

I mean...

If I'm really thirsty and it's summer and there's a cold beer ready for me after a swim or a ride or whatever then yes....

But otherwise no. Definitely not wine.

And honestly these days I'm on the alcohol free so it's all just sugar anyway

Op if you’re drinking for the effect, then why not switch to something cheaper. Get a bottle of vodka and knock back a strong one with a soft drink of your choice. It has to be more palatable than gulping down wine.

id not advise it at all. but like others the only reason I can see why someone would be gulping tumblers of wine is to get drunk. And if that’s the case, then you can at least save some money doing it.

What happens if you try to sip it?

How do you drink a cup of tea?

Are you going through anything stressful at the moment or feeling fed up?

Are you drinking wine when you're thirsty, so reflex is to quench yourself and end up over drinking?

It's not normal. Maybe have a glass of water before having the glass of wine.

I'm one of those who don't drink to get tipsy/drunk.
Yes there are other drinks, but there's something about watching tv or having a bath with a glass of red.
I'll usually have 2 medium glasses a time, never a full bottle.

What kind of wine is it?

Is it low alcohol Barefoot rose, or a powerful dry white wine?

Im going to stop or at least slow down as the comments about alcoholism have worried me.

To answer some of the questions,

• no I don't particularly enjoy the taste (decent white)
• I do it in the kitchen while cooking tea
• yes I get a buzz from it
• when I'm out with friends I mostly drive so no drinking

It's not in secret as I don't hide away but also have young teens and would not want them to copy. Which I suppose says it all.

That’s fairly grim op. Necking something you don’t enjoy in the kitchen when cooking.

Yes I was going to say, in addition to what others have, is it enjoyable? I mean I had my times when i could do it, I loved Rose wine especially the sweet ones. But they are to be sipped. And like another has commented enjoyed with a meal.

What is it that makes you want to drink it like that? Do you know.

Best of luck

I would class that as self-medicating.
So along with not drinking I would be looking at how you your partner(?) and the teens can change your/ their daily / weekly activity to eliminate the need/want.

It sounds like you’re thirsty when you drink. Have a pint of water first, and then follow that with your alcoholic drink.

It really doesn’t. And I’m also sure the op doesn’t think she’s downing wine every time as she’s thirsty.