Alcohol Consumption Guidelines: Do you care?

[djnotts]

"I gave up drinking once.
.
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.
.
.
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Worst 30 minutes of my life!"

Delete "once", insert "3 or 4 times", worst "few days of my life" each time. But last time I gave up insanely (literally) bad 5 - 10 days, then 16 years and 4 months so far some of the best days of my life despite the never-ending desire to start again. One day at a time and counting....one almost hopes for the "only months to live" pronouncement which will be the green light to have a pint of Guinness and treble gin chasers.

The consumption guidelines are meaningless for an alcoholic. There is NO safe amount. I despair of the handful of doctors and nurses who have said to me "....after so long, just one or two drinks won't do any harm...."

[Manc33]

Nope (don't drink). I wasn't an alcoholic but if I had 1 pint it had to be 6 pints (maybe I was an alcoholic but didn't know it?!) so I just stopped drinking. It was never a problem for me but the once-per-week I did do it, I always drank too much. Never missed it.

[leftpoole]

If you read my post, the only scientific proof of alcohol intoxication is reduced motor skills. Whether it makes us happy or sad or angry is purely subjective. Many psychologists will say that these are simply facets we have been able to suppress and that alcohol merely disinhibits these emotions.

Which again, is a process of perception. Happiness after all is just a construct of the mind. It's just an idea and it should be clear by now how unreliable they can be...

What part of motor skills cause a person to end up in bed with another, having unprotected sex, starting another life, and/or getting a sexually transmitted disease? That is most often a lapse of judgement, one they wouldn't make of sober.

I can do that while perfectly sober, if given the opportunity.

Excellent

[leftpoole]

I've got the fire lit.
Stacks of hot water and I've just had a deep hot bath .......................... and a glass of wine.
Out of the bath now (as you can tell because I'm on a computer) and I've poured myself a second glass.

I actually do not want to give up alcohol, though I can appreciate and understand people who do and the reasons they do. I don't have an issue with alcohol - I enjoy it and it relaxes me.

I drink whiskey Southern Comfort in fact. Every day. 24 units a week. I’ve recently been in Hospital yet again. I missed my daily dose but when I arrived home didn’t have a drink for another week.
Not missed as such, but I do like my daily dose!
John

[Mick F]

I've been to many alcohol abuse presentation/lectures in my time in the RN.

I often recount the visual representation that they used using bus routes and bus stops - green, yellow and red.
If you're on the green bus, you can go where you like and get off at any stop you like, and maybe hop on another green bus and hop off again somewhere else. You can use the green bus as many times as you like and if you want, you can get onto the yellow bus.
If you're on the yellow bus, you're restricted on where and when you can get off. Again, you can get on anytime and anywhere, but getting off is restricted. If you want, you can get onto the red bus.
Once you're on the red bus, you're on it permanently.

I've always been on the green bus, but I use it almost daily and thoroughly enjoy the ride.
If I don't use the bus, I miss it, but I can cope easily.

I'm lucky, thank goodness.

[NUKe]

Green bus is functioning alcoholic?

[Mick F]

Could be.
The fact that someone on the green bus can get on and off whenever they feel like it. I tend to get on it, and have never ever been tempted into the yellow bus.

There are days that I don't get on the bus at all, but they're rarely consecutive days nowadays. I rarely stay on the green bus for more than three hours, and it usually in the mid/late afternoons only. Tend not to drink after 6pm. Maybe Fridays I'll be drinking until 8pm. Can't remember having a hangover for decades.

[gbnz]

Could be.
The fact that someone on the green bus can get on and off whenever they feel like it. I tend to get on it, and have never ever been tempted into the yellow bus.

There are days that I don't get on the bus at all, but they're rarely consecutive days nowadays. I rarely stay on the green bus for more than three hours, and it usually in the mid/late afternoons only. Tend not to drink after 6pm. Maybe Fridays I'll be drinking until 8pm. Can't remember having a hangover for decades.

So how many units per week? I've known people who take about two hours for a bottle of whisky and others on half a pint over 4-5 hours

[Mick F]

Units?
Dunno really.
Last drink last night was maybe 8pm whilst watching Titanic (my heart will go on) and went to bed at 10pm.

Walked the dog this afternoon and called in at the Rising Sun on my way home . Two pints of Bass about 3pm, then home.
Three cans of Old Speckled Hen plus eating evening meal, and that's it now. Nearly 8pm. All done, not drinking now for the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow, I'll be off cycling 30miles ish and ending up in Plymouth calling in at Evans. I need to consider winter cycling gear so I'll see what they have on the racks. May not buy, but I'll see what's available.

After Evans, I'll be off to Wetherspoon's for a beer or two and a snack, then catch the 14:54 back to Gunnislake. Home 16:45 or so.
Being a Friday, we'll be walking down to the Rising Sun later and as the weather is good, we'll be in the garden ............... beer or two or three .................. no more I would expect.

I'm happy.
What's not to like about being happy?

[al_yrpal]

Not tonight, stressful time at the moment due to Mrs's total loss of mobility. Two whacking great G and Ts.


Al

[Sweep]

and it usually in the mid/late afternoons only. Tend not to drink after 6pm. Maybe Fridays I'll be drinking until 8pm. .

Contrary to what some folk think, and maybe see it as a sure sign of well on the road to hell, I think there's a lot to be said for daytime drinking. If you can spare the time. And aren't operating heavy machinery etc.

Alcohol interferes with good quality sleep.

[millimole]

I very rarely drink. An occasional small glass of port is my limit. Until this year it was maybe twice a year. I might have pushed the boat out to double that since March.
I just don't like the taste, and alcohol upsets my stomach.

[Cyril Haearn]

Gave up thirty years ago, that should skew the statistics

[Pebble]

Home Brew fanatic here, just love drinking beer, always have done.

I do keep a record of what I drink and keep below the original 20 units* a week recommended max (average currently of 17.2 units per week over last 3 months) I also have 4 nights a week off and keep my brews to around the 4% ABV so as I can get about 10 pints for my 20 units, not interested in brewing strong stuff as that would mean less to drink.


*(A few years ago under completely bonkers sex equality madness the max recommended units for men was reduced from 20 to the 14 units max per week that was suggested for women.)

[Cyril Haearn]

@Pebble
So your weekly figure is below, but daily on the three days you drink is above?

An adult male may weigh 70 kg, or 140 kg, is that allowed for?

More statistics and analysis please