How dependent are you on alcohol?

[Lacessit]

A post on another thread got me to thinking how many farangs here are dependent on alcohol.

I am not judgmental or virtuous about this, just curious. I have seen a few people die quite badly from their prolonged consumption, and I know several others who will go out the same way.

I also see the eruptions of angst which occur when it is a dry day due to a Thai holiday, and the railings against Thai liquor laws.

Alcohol has been listed as a Class 1 carcinogen since 1989. Its health effects in terms of liver cirrhosis have been known for about 300 years.

What do you think?

Cheers.

 

[moogradod]

In my younger days I used to drink quite a lot. Oktoberfest without beer ? ???? Thailand Holiday without drinks ? Cocktail Mixing was even one of my hobbies and I did maintain a home cocktail bar with more than 160 different spirits and liquors and I visited a lot of the famous bars around the world just to try them out.

 

With age the desire to drink became less and less. And now since I have a severe Cardyomyophaty alcohol can kill me. Although sometimes I like at least to drink a very very little bit. Extensive Dinner without multiple matching wines ? A No-No. But a sip for me and a gulp for my wife.

[nikmar]

weekend alcoholic + weed. Going dry for a while after last weekend led to a 2/3 day hangover. 

[scubascuba3]

Wasn't a poll option for me but i like a few beers on a Friday. If you drink daily it easy becomes a habit

[richard_smith237]

There's a missing option... 

 

- I drink when I want, either alone or socially, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, at other times I go for weeks or months without.

 

 

The reason I wanted to add that - on 'other threads' which involve a discussion of alcohol there is always a 'puritanical' group who simply cannot accept the middle ground between abstinence and destructive dependency... 

 

 

How dependent am I on booze...  Truthfully I'd suggest very...  I'm also very dependent on playing football 2-3 times per week, I'm very dependent on at least a couple of really enjoyable meals per week, I'm dependent on a couple of cups of coffee each morning... 

 

I'm quite dependent on a lot of things I enjoy.....  

 

BUT... IF you're talking 'addiction' and serious risk to heath compared to just 'enjoying something'... then thats different. 

 

If I had a choice, give up coffee or booze I'd say I'd give up booze... but that depends on the quality of coffee I can have !!!...  oh hang on, that also depends on the quality of booze because there are some awesome single malts out there...  and then there are some great wines... and some cracking craft beers... 

 

My head hurts...   I think I'll have  glass of wine and a nice rib-eye then....  ... so... Dependant much ?? quite likeley !!!! - I just can't be bothered to argue with the puritanical fools who fail to see the balanced middle ground with this stuff... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

I just enjoy beer most of the time eating as well, I don't drink enough to get drunk I know cut off point when socialising.

[OneMoreFarang]

When I go out to bars with friends then usually I drink.

Sometimes also wine or beer with food.

 

I never had an alcohol problem.

When I am drinking, I always knew when I have enough. Sometimes I stop in the middle of the 20th or whatever drink because I know now it's time to stop.

And after a night out with lots of drinks I never felt like repeating that again rights away. Maybe a few days or a week later, but never the next day.

 

In a way I seem to be lucky with that attitude. Some people just never stop, even if they are already totally wasted. I never understood.

[steven100]

How dependent are you on alcohol?

 

extremely dependent ....  entirely dependent ...  must have.

[steven100]

you guys crack me up    !!  ...........   hahaha ...

[steven100]

 

what's  1st prize    ?

[JensenZ]

56 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The reason I wanted to add that - on 'other threads' which involve a discussion of alcohol there is always a 'puritanical' group who simply cannot accept the middle ground between abstinence and destructive dependency... 

I thought I should clear this up as there are more than one type of non-drinkers.

 

Suggesting a non-drinker must be abstaining is a narrow assessment. Some non-drinkers might be abstaining as they used to be heavy drinkers or they are alcoholics and they hopped on the wagon.

 

I've never drunk alcohol and don't like it. It's that simple. I prefer other beverages. I have been drunk and hate the feeling afterwards. I occasionally partake in a glass of wine. I'm not a non-drinker for health reasons. 

 

There's no judging others who drink, and often I go out with friends who drink. I would suggest people take better care of their livers though, as they are hard to replace and one of the most important organs in the body.

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

you guys crack me up    !!  ...........   hahaha ...

Why he sounds like lightweight to me. ????

[2baht]

I'll have green tea, thanks!  (Weird, hey)?

 

 

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

I thought I should clear this up as there are more than one type of non-drinkers.

 

Suggesting a non-drinker must be abstaining is a narrow assessment. Some non-drinkers might be abstaining as they used to be heavy drinkers or they are alcoholics and they hopped on the wagon.

 

I've never drunk alcohol and don't like it. It's that simple. I prefer other beverages. I have been drunk and hate the feeling afterwards. I occasionally partake in a glass of wine. I'm not a non-drinker for health reasons. 

 

There's no judging others who drink, and often I go out with friends who drink. I would suggest people take better care of their livers though, as they are hard to replace and one of the most important organs in the body.

Well at least you realise not everyone the same.

[JimTripper]

I think a lot of expats are drinking out off boredom, then it becomes a habit.

 

When in a foreign country and not speaking the language there is simply not a lot to do unless you’re a loner and like exploring around on your own. The welcoming accessible activities for expats that are sociable in nature and don’t speak Thai are mostly bars and girls.

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, 2baht said:

I'll have green tea, thanks!  (Weird, hey)?

Not really I have liquorice tea, green tea of many flavours, mint tea, liptons tea, water, soda, soy milk, coconut milk and Chang beer. ????

[JensenZ]

7 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well at least you realise not everyone the same.

Sure. Could you explain what I don't realise? The reason for my explanation is that people who drink often feel that non-drinkers are judgemental (puritanical). I don't give a flying f*** how much people drink or what other drugs they may use.

[scubascuba3]

7 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I think a lot of expats are drinking out off boredom, then it becomes a habit.

 

When in a foreign country and not speaking the language there is simply not a lot to do unless you’re a loner and like exploring around on your own. The welcoming accessible activities for expats that are sociable in nature are mostly bars and girls.

There is other things to do apart from bars and girls

[save the frogs]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Alcohol has been listed as a Class 1 carcinogen since 1989. Its health effects in terms of liver cirrhosis have been known for about 300 years.

If it was listed as a carcinogen since 1989, I don't think too many people knew about it. 

Maybe now that aspect is getting more attention.

 

Another aspect I am interested in is what does it do to the gut microbiome? You know how when you have a wound, you pour rubbing alcohol on it? Alcohol kills everything, doesn't it? What is it doing inside the gut? 

 

[Mickeymaus]

This poll is not fair. If you are alone you are only allowed to drink less than 4 standard drinks a day. And less in this case means only up to 3 ???? And there is nothing to select if you mix the drinks with recreational drugs ????????????????. 

[Thailand]

16 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

I thought I should clear this up as there are more than one type of non-drinkers.

 

Suggesting a non-drinker must be abstaining is a narrow assessment. Some non-drinkers might be abstaining as they used to be heavy drinkers or they are alcoholics and they hopped on the wagon.

 

I've never drunk alcohol and don't like it. It's that simple. I prefer other beverages. I have been drunk and hate the feeling afterwards. I occasionally partake in a glass of wine. I'm not a non-drinker for health reasons. 

 

There's no judging others who drink, and often I go out with friends who drink. I would suggest people take better care of their livers though, as they are hard to replace and one of the most important organs in the body.

Takes some doing? An alcohol alternative?

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I also see the eruptions of angst which occur when it is a dry day due to a Thai holiday

Why can't they drink beer out of a cup, like everybody else. 

[bignok]

1 beer every 2 weeks max.

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

This poll is not fair. If you are alone you are only allowed to drink less than 4 standard drinks a day. And less in this case means only up to 3 ???? And there is nothing to select if you mix the drinks with recreational drugs ????????????????. 

IMO if you consumed more than 4 standard drinks a day alone and every day, you would be getting into the alcoholic category. Perhaps I should have said 4 or less.

Obviously, there are quite a few permutations and combinations of alcohol and other drugs, I can't explore them all in a poll.

One word of caution. Paracetamol is a very common painkiller. Combined with alcohol, it can cause lethal liver damage.

[Pink Mist]

A reported troll post and personal attack have been removed 

[Sandboxer]

Alcohol is dependent on ME! 

 

Without me and my army of billions of like-minded reality-distorting warriors, alc would just sit in a warehouse like a pathetic loser and rot away till its shelf life expires.  Much like the ugly women who would never get any D without drunk men around them to compromise their standards.

[Lacessit]

12 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

If it was listed as a carcinogen since 1989, I don't think too many people knew about it. 

Maybe now that aspect is getting more attention.

 

Another aspect I am interested in is what does it do to the gut microbiome? You know how when you have a wound, you pour rubbing alcohol on it? Alcohol kills everything, doesn't it? What is it doing inside the gut? 

 

Alcohol is one of the factors in mouth, esophageal and stomach cancers. In the colon, it can induce diarrhea.

[billd766]

I quit 3 years ago.

 

I used to be a heavy drinker until just over 3 years ago, when I sat down and realised that I was drinking 3 or 4 x 750 ml bottles of hong Thong a week.

 

I figured that as I had been drinking beer and spirits since I was 15. at 75 it was time to give my 75 year old body a chance to recover if it can.

 

Now all I drink is 1 mug of Nescafe 3 in 1 coffee with extra milk, and about 3 or 4 litres of water mixed with Oral Resuscitation Salts and a bit of Blue Boy Sala for flavour, a day.

 

I don't really miss it.

 

I have a mixed box of alcohol under the table that has been there for years and I expect my Thai family will drink it off after my cremation.

 

Now I have 1 shot of rum and coke on New Years Eve and that does me for a year.

[giddyup]

At the ripe old age of 80 I find 2 beers or one glass of wine is my limit, my metabolism just can't tolerate more than that without suffering a mild hangover.

[Lacessit]

31 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I think a lot of expats are drinking out off boredom, then it becomes a habit.

 

When in a foreign country and not speaking the language there is simply not a lot to do unless you’re a loner and like exploring around on your own. The welcoming accessible activities for expats that are sociable in nature and don’t speak Thai are mostly bars and girls.

I think you may be right for quite a few expats. Back in the day when I still frequented bars, I reckon I bought far more lady drinks than I had myself.

I had a scooter, and getting on it half cut never seemed like a good idea to me. Especially if I was doing takeout with a pillion passenger.