Arghh so sick of alcoholic world!

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Of course, you have to blame the rapists for rape.

Unfortunately, though, any sort of violence is frequently fuel by excessive alcohol intake.

I agree. People who are making conscious choices, generally allow others to do the same as long as others are not being hurt by the choices made.

I haven't smoked ever, but considering alcohol I think one of the main problems is that the effects vary in each individual in totally unpredictable ways. You can't possibly know in advance how you react to alcohol whether dependence or behavior wise. I can easily control my behavior while intoxicated and alcohol isn't something I crave or even like in any way. But for others it isn't as easy. They behave badly while intoxicated and/or become alcoholics no matter their initial intentions.

I personally can't understand why people drink in excess, when the "positive" physiological effects of alcohol to mood and so on are at peak after just couple of drinks. After that it's downhill no matter how much more you drink. But I guess it is about the personal variance I mentioned. Some can't reason it and thus can't stop.

Since 1 use of alcohol is not shown to cause alcohol abuse, I personally find it not rational to say that alcohol is all bad when the person saying that it's bad has not ever used it. Behavior is not necessarily representative of the internal state of the person, as all autists probably know.

Consumption is a problem. It how people manage and control themselves. One after another to other drink. Non addicted people still can go overconsumption. Apparently many academic studies say that 2 stand glasses or can/bottle of beer, and a glass of wine is maximum limit for our health and mentality.

What people here have to take into consideration for the OP, is that he, like I, am Australian.

Not sure if this has been brought-up yet.

In Australia, drinking is a HUGE part of our culture and not doing so is generally considered socially unacceptable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... _countries

According to these 2015 statistics, Australia has the second highest alcohol consumption internationally.

Despite the fact our population is 8% the size of the U.S., the United States is ranked 24th

We're certainly not the 'casual drinker' types either - Aussies binge drink and they do it often.

So, even if OP can just say no, and even if his friends respect his choices, he still may be missing out on A LOT of social activities purely due to the fact alcohol will be involved and he doesn't want to be around his friend's when they're drunk.

Yeah, it can actually mess with your social life if you're friends with drinkers, even 'social drinkers' (no such damn thing).

Just have a glass of orange juice--and pretend it's a screwdriver.

Even non-drinkers can be adversely affected by living in a "saturated" drinking culture. That isn't a choice they make, it's a fact of life - we all exist within the context of dominant cultural forces. Telling the OP to "suck it up" if he doesn't like it doesn't erase the fact that alcohol impacts on us all. A particular sadness is foetal alcohol syndrome and the children whose lives are so diminished by it, and anyone who has survived as an adult child of alcohol abusers has a story to tell which goes far beyond personal choice. That is a much bigger picture. I am not a spoilsport type who says that alcohol is a terrible thing in itself. Abuse of alcohol is though, when it has consequences for innocent victims, like those killed by drunk drivers.

Or have a glass of tomato juice---and pretend it's a Bloody Mary

Or some flavored club soda, put an olive on a stick---and pretend it's a martini.

A glass of Coke----could very well be a Rum and Coke.

We are free to choose, but in reality many, if not most, who choose to drink would be better of.

I have lived in several apartment buildings during my life and pretty much always I have at least one neighbour who is physically violent towards his wife while drunk. Not nice, but that is the sad reality. Alcohol causes alot of collateral damage. In that sense it differs from overeating or smoking for example.

By the way I didn't know that Australia is one of the leading countries in alcohol consumption. Wouldn't have ever guessed. I would have bet Finland to make it to the medals though... But little do I know... lucky number seven.

I'm a close neighbour of VisInsita. The alcohol culture here is also pretty strong. A thousand years ago, all free men were obliged by law to brew beer for Yule, and everybody was expected to get drunk. I read somewhere that most religions throughout history used alcohol as part of rituals. It's hard to escape traditions that are this strong.

I enjoy alcohol in moderation, but then again there are no alcoholics in my family, so I don't have any negative feelings about it. In the past, I've found it fairly easy to escape alcohol if I didn't feel like drinking, but that may have to do with the fact that everybody thinks I'm weird so they let me be weird about it. Also, I'm female, which means the guys don't bother me about it much. It might be different for men.

It's fascinating, though, how offended some heavy drinkers can be that others aren't drinking. I don't know how they manage to take it as a personal insult.