thehockeykid Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I do not understand why people drink so often, more specifically why do college students drink. If someone could offer some more insight into this aspect it would be greatly appreciated. When people drink alcohol it is a depressant which inhabits your reaction time, cognitive thinking, and judgment. So I ask to myself why would anyone want to drink. My guess is that it is a some sort of an escape from their reality in order to "have a good time". Why do people want to run away from their reality rather then work to make it better, isn't drinking being self destructive? I feel so disconnected from many social crowds as I really don't get the point in getting hammered beyond reason at Friday night before we go to the clubs, and then we order more drinks there. Is being drunk some social cue as to not be responsible for your actions while drunk? I really feel the need to ask this question for I believe that drinking is largely associated with social gathers and I need some sort of grasp as to understand why people (university students) drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithril Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 People drink to let loose and have a good time. No one's "running" from reality when they drink except alcoholics. I rarely get drunk, but I do drink to loosen up or just because it is a social norm. No one can force you to drink, but as long as they're not endangering the safety of anyone around them don't go preaching to those who just want to have some fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehockeykid Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 People drink to let loose and have a good time. No one's "running" from reality when they drink except alcoholics. I rarely get drunk, but I do drink to loosen up or just because it is a social norm. No one can force you to drink, but as long as they're not endangering the safety of anyone around them don't go preaching to those who just want to have some fun. Everyone says they just want to have a "good time" and for most people alcohol seems to be associated with that. I believe alcohol does more harm then good in society. I have seen it ruin families, break friendships, and overall ruin peoples' lives. I am so disconnected with this whole phenomenon of alcohol and its social acceptance in society. I would like for someone to educate me on the reasons as why students, with so much to look forward in life, choose to consume alcohol and why it is so socially accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hking03 Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Everyone says they just want to have a "good time" and for most people alcohol seems to be associated with that. I believe alcohol does more harm then good in society. I have seen it ruin families, break friendships, and overall ruin peoples' lives. I am so disconnected with this whole phenomenon of alcohol and its social acceptance in society. I would like for someone to educate me on the reasons as why students, with so much to look forward in life, choose to consume alcohol and why it is so socially accepted. Drinking alcohol as a college student is seen as a right of passage. If you drink in college it's ok, because you are young and figuring out your life. If you drink like you are in college, but you have a couple of kids and a wife at 40... probably not the best idea. It may not make sense to you, but it is a social norm to go out and drink in college. Most people don't use alcohol as an escape mechanism... it's when you get to this point that you should worry. Too much of anything is typically bad for you... this holds true for alcohol. Check the DSM for the definition of substance abuse/misuse/addiction... might give you a sense of when it is a bad thing. Really, up until your mid 30's getting drunk every weekend is probably "acceptable" to some degree depending upon who your friends are/where they are at in their lives. As for the consumption of alcohol... it's paired with a lot of good things like... dating hot women, sleeping with hot women, making friends, saying funny things, being confident, partying like a "cool" guy... same goes for women- drink booze and guys will like you, you'll be "cool"/sexy/confident etc... also, the government makes a lot of money of booze... Kids want to drink when they are young because it's not legal until you're 19. You start drinking when you're 16 and you're one of the cool kids. You drink when your 19 because you're finallyy allowed to... then 21 down in the states. It's just like driving a car- you do it when you're young because that is when you are first able to drive legally. There is more to it than what I've put down... but maybe that will help you understand the phenomenon a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerena Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Everyone says they just want to have a "good time" and for most people alcohol seems to be associated with that. I believe alcohol does more harm then good in society. I have seen it ruin families, break friendships, and overall ruin peoples' lives. I am so disconnected with this whole phenomenon of alcohol and its social acceptance in society. I would like for someone to educate me on the reasons as why students, with so much to look forward in life, choose to consume alcohol and why it is so socially accepted. Heh, have you ever read the novel "Animal Farm"? That novel threw me off from drinking when I was in high school. Which, looking back, was a good thing since I never got in trouble for illegal drinking! Honestly, though, there are so many reasons why students might drink. First of all, not everyone who drinks will drink to excess. Some just want to loosen up around others and feel more personable in groups and feel they'll achieve this if they have something to drink. Other people just like to feel more relaxed or simply just like the taste of the drink. And, some just want to get a little crazy But, like mith said, as long as you drink responsibly and do not harm yourself or others, either mentally or physically, I do not see a problem. On a side note, I very rarely drink. Only during the holidays or if having some sort of celebration or special get together. Primary reason why I do not drink often is because I'm cheap. And alcohol is expensive (I'd rather spend my excess money on kitty toys and cute clothes than a cosmo.) Secondary reason is because my friends rarely drink. So the majority of the time there really is no point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychoswim Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 There's part social in there.. In swimming, after every important meet (like nationals) there's always a party planned by the local swimmers and it's hugely popular with younger kids sneaking in too. A lot of swimmers get really drunk there, I've never been quite sure why to tell you the truth.. Personally I haven't had a sip of alcohol in almost 10 years... I got really sick after one such party (having had almost nothing - 1 drink in all) and ever since the smell of alcohol makes me sick. People laugh at me sometimes because I don't drink but so what, I can still have a good time. I guess in this case, as long as there's responsability, it's live and let live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<abstract> Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Most of the time I don't drink at parties. Usually I just put juice, pop, or water in one of those red party cups so it looks like I am drinking but I don't want to get drunk and embarasse myself infront of my friends... plus it is funny to see some of my friends drunk and be sober so I can remember all their shananigans.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 because all the good drugs are illegal? that's my personal opinion anyway people don't drink to escape their reality, they escape to enter a new reality, like people drink coffee to feel awake, other people take ghb to feel extremely to feel extremely sexually aroused or ecstasy to feel really happy, cuddly, and feel comfortable sharing things with each other, people do cocaine to feel euphoric, to have hyper-acute senses that make everything seem beautiful, feel hyper-confident, think lightning quick, be extremely wired. alcohol... to lower their inhibitions, say what they want, have more courage to hit on guy/girl they like. the presumption that people have "their" reality is a fallacy, there's an infinite number of realities people can experience, and drugs are just a way to facilitate a path to that other reality When people drink alcohol it is a depressant which inhabits your reaction time, cognitive thinking, and judgment. So I ask to myself why would anyone want to drink. My guess is that it is a some sort of an escape from their reality in order to "have a good time". Why do people want to run away from their reality rather then work to make it better, isn't drinking being self destructive? I feel so disconnected from many social crowds as I really don't get the point in getting hammered beyond reason at Friday night before we go to the clubs, and then we order more drinks there. Is being drunk some social cue as to not be responsible for your actions while drunk? I really feel the need to ask this question for I believe that drinking is largely associated with social gathers and I need some sort of grasp as to understand why people (university students) drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ace of Spades Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Social drinking is perfectly fine. Binge drinking is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkentm Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 lol only premeds would post this type of thread. getting drunk is fun. if u dont get that then ur probably doing it wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkentm Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Social drinking is perfectly fine. Binge drinking is not. ur right, its better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proton Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 People drink because it's fun and loosens you up a little. Most people I know grow out of the "man, I want to get plastered all the time!" phase because that gets kind of old. I don't think itmeans they want to escape reality, I think they do it because they have fun doing it. Yes, alcohol ruins some lives, but those are people who do it in the extreme and to whom it becomes an illness. Lots of things lead to injury or personal loss...people who ride motorcycles, people who gamble their life savings away, people who fall asleep at the wheel, etc. You wouldn't say that having a motorcyle and buying lottery tickets are bad, would you? Anything taken to an extreme is likely to be bad for you...moderation is key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBDOC15 Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I do not understand why people drink so often, more specifically why do college students drink. If someone could offer some more insight into this aspect it would be greatly appreciated. When people drink alcohol it is a depressant which inhabits your reaction time, cognitive thinking, and judgment. So I ask to myself why would anyone want to drink. My guess is that it is a some sort of an escape from their reality in order to "have a good time". Why do people want to run away from their reality rather then work to make it better, isn't drinking being self destructive? I feel so disconnected from many social crowds as I really don't get the point in getting hammered beyond reason at Friday night before we go to the clubs, and then we order more drinks there. Is being drunk some social cue as to not be responsible for your actions while drunk? I really feel the need to ask this question for I believe that drinking is largely associated with social gathers and I need some sort of grasp as to understand why people (university students) drink. As someone who never drinks alcohol, I've long felt the same way as you. Some things you just can't understand without being a part of though I guess. It used to bothered me that alcohol was so much a part of social gatherings and I often chose to avoid such gatherings as a result. While I still find it irrational for people to chose to drink in excess, I've come to terms with alcohol being something I have to live with. The bottom line is that humans have been experimenting with drugs for thousands of years. A variety of drugs have achieved varying levels of social acceptance for a variety of reasons, from religious to straight out escapism. While I would never consciously consume a product that can affect my mental state, there's no denying that alcohol is an important part of many cultures. While I've long felt that alcohol is too broadly accepted in our society and that youth are not effectively taught other methods to handle stress, the biggest problem I have with drinking culture is not a product of alcohol at all. Binge drinking is just a by-product of ever increasing egoism, entitlement and social apathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellorie Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'm 22 and I've never had a drink. Never wanted to. I grew up with an alcoholic parent, and when I came to university I had many unpleasant experiences with intoxicated people violating my boundaries. And drinking isn't the best idea for the mentally ill - ESPECIALLY once I got on medication. I don't really get why other people do it, but I don't really mind it either - their body their choice. I just don't go out much and generally hang out with people who are moderate in their drinking. My GF will have a beer in the evening and it doesn't really bug me. Personally, I'm a control freak. The idea of being intoxicated strikes me as more terrifying than fun. But I have my own vices - food that's bad for me, not exercising. I try not to judge others who have different vices than I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I've heard this a lot, my best friend was sexually assaulted when she was drunk and will never touch alcohol again. I also know a lot of kids of alcoholics who'll never touch alcohol again as well. I personally believe alcohol is a pretty destructive force in our society and a pretty crappy thing to be on, and that other drugs, in a pure and safe form would be a lot safer for sale, but to each (person and society) their own I guess. I'm 22 and I've never had a drink. Never wanted to. I grew up with an alcoholic parent, and when I came to university I had many unpleasant experiences with intoxicated people violating my boundaries. And drinking isn't the best idea for the mentally ill - ESPECIALLY once I got on medication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious_101 Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Drinking in a socially responsible manner among socially responsible friends is perfectly fine. I don't think alcohol is something to be avoided like cigarettes. There will always be doorknobs that abuse it. The drunk driver. Then again, you have the road rage driver that runs red lights even when sober - blame the person not the substance. The vast majority of regular drinkers are still socially responsible people. I got drunk for the first time on May 6th - the day after finding out about medschool acceptances. I do not plan on getting drunk again, but social/casual drinks with friends is something I always look forward to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feversugar Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't personally drink either, and my boyfriend doesn't as well. We are both 18, and it really doesn't interest us at all. I'm not going to judge any of my friends who do, but I really don't get the appeal either. It tastes foul and I don't find it worth "getting used to the taste". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychoswim Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't personally drink either, and my boyfriend doesn't as well. We are both 18, and it really doesn't interest us at all. I'm not going to judge any of my friends who do, but I really don't get the appeal either. It tastes foul and I don't find it worth "getting used to the taste". Hehe.. my mom and sister keep trying to get me to try champagne and wine.. but I cannot drink anything bubbly (makes me throw up!), and hate hate hate the smell of wine. I really don't see why they seem to think it's weird I don't drink at dinner with them and should change. My milk tastes just fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't really get why other people do it, but I don't really mind it either - their body their choice. I just don't go out much and generally hang out with people who are moderate in their drinking. This is pretty much how I feel. I don't drink, but I know other people find it fun and I don't mind going out with people who are drinking unless the plan from the beginning is for things to get out of control. If I ever learn to drive, I'll be a good designated driver! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
some gurl Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with anything anyone has said but this thread is making me laugh - it's turning into some therapy group for people who have missed out and are now here to justify their stories Now for a thought on the actual question. I think there is a very complex cultural aspect to the issue . I'm not going to try and decipher this topic but all I can say is that the way people drink in Canada is not the same as in other countries. Although there are some personal reasons for why people do it(the primal instincts theory is my favorite - we like to call it "letting the monkey out!"), in Canada, there is also a culture and a history that supports it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychoswim Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with anything anyone has said but this thread is making me laugh - it's turning into some therapy group for people who have missed out and are now here to justify their stories You don't "miss out" because you don't drink btw... I can have just as much fun as anyone else without alcohol and so a lot of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanMaverick Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 You might not understand alcohol, but alcohol certainly understands me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayan Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 You don't "miss out" because you don't drink btw... I can have just as much fun as anyone else without alcohol and so a lot of others. Right. Because every time I meet a girl at a club who says this she's just HEAPS of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feversugar Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Hehe.. my mom and sister keep trying to get me to try champagne and wine.. but I cannot drink anything bubbly (makes me throw up!), and hate hate hate the smell of wine. I really don't see why they seem to think it's weird I don't drink at dinner with them and should change. My milk tastes just fine Haha I know! A lot of people tell me of course it tastes bad at first, but once you drink more you'll start to like it! I don't see why I should do that lol, I don't like fish so I just don't eat any, I'm not going to force myself to keep something down until I tolerate it xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Right. Because every time I meet a girl at a club who says this she's just HEAPS of fun! Lol quoted for general truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.