Let's talk about booze

[Azifri]

I agree with you that there are many factors that influence how someone reacts when drunk, and any person can get crazy drunk. Still, my experience is quite similar to what Vothn said; here in Switzerland for example, in general you drink small amounts but more often, mostly wine and beer. In the US (I was in the east coast, VA/DC), binge drinking was more of a thing, and beer and distilleds were more common than wine. Even one of my American professors, who had lived in Holland, would talk about the cultural differences.

There are many studies around, and in general they all point to alcohol being one piece in a larger puzzle in which culture plays a huge role. In fact, just saying "alcohol" is already a generalization that's probably too big, since there are so many alcoholic products and each one is part of a unique culture.
To give you a personal example, in the link you posted I wasn't surprised to see Chile (I lived there) among the countries with life losses in which alcohol was associates. There is a problem with "macho" culture there, and alcohol can exacerbate it. Even if you were to remove all beer, wine, and chicha from the country, deaths associated with that type of violence would still exist, they would just not be associated with booze anymore for study purposes.

[QueenofBabyLoon]

Med school student (coming from a country that produces real alcohol) advice: Your body is really bad at metabolizing alcohol. Then, when it does metabolize it, it passes through highly toxic intermediates.

I think this is reason enough not to drink. Then again, if you need to(then you should ask yourselves some questions), do it slowly and with restraint. In the big scheme of things, alcohol is way worse than weed. Five minutes of binge-drinking can kill you, you can't fatally overdose on weed (mind you, I am not a weed apologetic, I am just trying to put things in perspective here - weed is dangerous in its own way).

Oh, and no, alcohol is NOT food. People who think that are generally alcoholics and end up with severe megaloblastic anemia.

[Azifri]

Alcohol as in Ethanol/ethyl alcohol is not food, although it can be used in food production.

-but-

Alcoholic beverages are both food and a potential drug.

The drug part I think has already been discussed here.
Alcoholic beverages are a caloric source, used as a way to preserve carbohydrates, and still in many places a safe way of consuming liquids. Now, do we still need this caloric source in today's rich western world? If we were to look at it just from a caloric point of view, probably not. In the poor and isolated parts of Chile? Actually yes. There are still places in the world where fermented drinks are consumed for sanitary reasons. Just as example, some years ago I went with a friend from vet school who was working in agricultural extension, to a group of islands in the south of Chile where the drinkable water wasn't always reliable, and was given chicha at every place we visited, because people didn't want their guests to pick up something from the water.
Now, going back to the food aspect of alcoholic beverages. In food preparation for example, some dishes will not work out the same without the wine or beer in them, not just because of the flavor, also the solvent effect of ethanol. And then, we can't ignore the organoleptic properties of alcoholic beverages: a glass of wine is an equally important part of the main dish if it was prepared with that in mind.

Here is what I think is a good read about culture, food, and booze: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2013.841118
A quick pubmed search will point you to more articles about alcohol and health.

I wonder if the same is happening to you. When I was a vet student, after physiopathology (and even worse after infectious diseases), I became super black and white about certain behaviors, aka, why would I eat X if it does Y to me, or why would I risk getting Z. Fast forward 15+ years and that's fortunately all gone; being a person who can take informed risks is probably the best side effect of learning.

[vothnthorvaldson]

I wonder if the same is happening to you. When I was a vet student, after physiopathology (and even worse after infectious diseases), I became super black and white about certain behaviors, aka, why would I eat X if it does Y to me, or why would I risk getting Z. Fast forward 15+ years and that's fortunately all gone;

This!

I think it's pretty inevitable, and actually simply the normal path to walk: first we are ignorant because we lack the knowledge, then we have some knowledge but we don't know how to use it and are not aware of how much is still missing, then hopefully one day we have a good understanding that our knowledge is and will always be incomplete and that we have to deal with that factual situation because it will never be as perfect as we would want.

But it's a constant battle to remind ourselves that. I certainly does not always in normal life, will be more careful but still forget at work.

A related and very difficult thing to deal with happens for people who do specialized studies (my background is in research but that could also happen with any kind of skilled job, for example artisan alcohol making to go back to original topic): At a specific time and on a specific subject, it's possible to be the person who know the most about said subject in the whole world, and to be the one who has the best grasp on all the little nuances about that subject. And then let's take one small step away from this subject and here we are, complete ignoramus, wondering what was the point to master such a ridiculously tiny subject if the rest of the topics our knowledge is so pathetically deficient. It gives a very, very weird feeling.

I'm so off topic, sorry.

[liamnaughton7]

I like a good whiskey every now and then...

[gosmosdar]

The last time I started drinking I found myself in a rehab... Thanks to my parents who could help me out. So no, now I don't any drugs/alcohol. I recommend you to find the nearest treatment center if you suffer from addiction, here are the addresses: https://addictionresource.com/addiction-and-rehab-hotlines/ I know what it is, so my advice: stay out of it.
Take care.

[PaulieBlade]

In my early twenties I used to drink quite a lot. Now it's no longer the case. Maybe I got too old or too responsible or too appreciative of the lack of hangover.

[Meroi]

Hm-m, I can certainly say that I'm not a big fan, usually it's just a couple of beers a month. Strangely enough, I do love vodka - my head is pretty clear after a couple of shots and I feel great, idk why. The last thing I drank was Khor, it's said to be best ukraine vodka and I know why - the price is decent and it's pretty good. My friends also said it's great for cocktail making. So this is it.

[PaulDevers]

I've been super-interested in drunk behavior for a while now. My friends drink, but I'm not a big fan of the taste of any liquors or beers, but the behavior change is super interesting. I remember hearing somewhere that 'drunk you is just regular you but ignoring your inhibitions', (no idea if that is even true.)
I really wanted to get drunk to see what I was like 'without inhibitions', so I did at the Halloween party... as it turns out, according to my friends, nothing changed except that I couldn't walk very well. XD I was still quiet and stuff. Which is good guess!
I wonder how much of that phrase holds up vs. just urban legend.

[AbigailMcLeansFSg]

You take drinking alcohol too serious. As for me alcohol is a great way to relax after a tough day. The best part of the day is when I get back home, open a bottle of red wine from my newly bought freezer from temperaturesensei.com, turn on Netflix and simply chill. I don’t say to get drunk every evening till the point when you are wasted and can’t control yourself. A glass of wine, champagne or beer before going to bed is so relaxing. My sleep is much better when I drink some alcohol during the dinner. It makes me forget and take easily the problems I came across during the working day.

[KhanSpring]

I personally have had a few shamefull drunk moments, because I would forget to eat through out the day and in the evening I would drink as I would normally do or a bit more or mix alcohol.
Guys, if you haven't had much drinking yet take this advice with you - never mix different types of alcohols - expecially when you had spirits. One of my worst hangovers was due to mixing beer, gin, vodka and a few different types of shots. Thank God with a group of great people, who barely knew me, but got me home before I do anything stupid.
Now, as I get older I drink in the evening to enjoy my meal and relax, rather than drink for the idea.
Getting drunk is horrible, what comes in the morning after that could be even worse. But sometimes you have to experience it to learn your limits.

[CodeMonkeyArts]

Today is 'Name Your Poison' Day which is celebrating Bartenders so...this is fitting!

I enjoy having a drink. I like the taste of certain alcohols (Beer, Whiskey, Tequila and Rum are my faves). I tend to become more talkative and upbeat when I drink around a group of people. However if I am enjoying a few drinks on my own in my home, I do get very sleepy (also depends on the drink too). Red Wine makes me more lethargic than a margarita but Margarita has high alcohol volume.

My greatest advice is to keep hydrated with water! Not more alcohol but more water. Carbs can help but keeping hydrated is the best way to stave off hangovers and slow down on the drunkenness. So keep hydrated kids!

[AmandaJ-art]

I've never been drunk before (Just tipsy)
I've been trying out many drinks to find what I like.
So far the only one I liked was a gin and cranberry drink. It was pretty sour but ok. I just don't like anything.

[KhanSpring]

If you don't like it, don't force yourself.

[AmandaJ-art]

I don't drink what I don't like. I'm just experimenting with alchohol. It's a new thing to me.

[KhanSpring]

That's a good.
Letting me taste different types of alcohol is the only liberal thing my parents did while I was growing up.

[AmandaJ-art]

That's cool! I was super against drinking before I turned 18. I couldn't help but try some ^^'

[KhanSpring]

It is different with everyone. I started trying little by little after I turned 14. On the other hand, my brother, who is 15 going to be 16 in a few months, doesn't try out much, because he simply doesn't want to. He'll have a sider or a beer and that's it.

[Freemints30]

Yeah that's what my parents did when I was 16. Like having one sip of different beverages...and have me spit out alot of them. Really thou I will try quite a a few the only alcohols I like were Wines and peanut butter punch(and the drink that has 1% or less alcohol content). I tried beer and though it was dish washing liquid in water.

Never gotten drunk since if the since I don't drink often and not really liking strong alcohols.

[C_o]

I'm a recovering alcoholic/drug addict, I spent most of my late 20's/early 30's in and out of treatment facilities and rehabs (I'm sober now). As a consequence I know more about alcohol and what it does to the brain than most people do. For something so socially acceptable, it sure can kill you in an unbelievably horrifying way if you're withdrawing from it (I was detoxing in a facility once with a celebrity who was coming off of heroin, and he told me that he felt bad for ME). Kind of a weird plug, but my comic deals with this. Write what you know :+)