What's your relationship with alcohol?

laoislad · October 13, 2018, 05:45:26 PM

Quote from: An Watcher on October 13, 2018, 05:39:41 PM
Must say, excellent thread that seems to have struck a chord with quite a few people on here.  I admire their honesty and good luck to them.<br>
Personally I drank the bit out at secondary school, university and for years later.  Drinking to get drunk to enjoy the craic.  Have to say I really enjoyed it but at the same time I wonder what could have been and where would I have been without it.  <br>
Now I hardly drink at all but I do enjoy an odd blow out which only amounts to about 7/8 pints these days!  Many of my friends still drink away and they look at me funnily when I say I don't drink in the house or I'm not bothered with just a few pints.  It's all or nothing with me but each to their own.<br>
Now I'm married with kids I think I've alot more confidence.  The nerves are gone.  I wouldn't want them to see me with drink and I want to enjoy my time with them e.g. swimming, cycling etc.  I worry what damage I did to myself previously but I've always been relatively fit and the drink never had the hold of me.  Different for some of my mates.

Were you drunk when you typed that?!!

whitey · October 13, 2018, 05:47:17 PM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RX2opvj7WE8

Well worth a watch

An Watcher · October 13, 2018, 07:07:30 PM

Haha, actually put a bit of thought into that today so copied and pasted it from elsewhere. Apologies for the code in there!!

ONeill · October 13, 2018, 07:22:16 PM

I drink flat out. Not a problem. Get up for work and all good at home. Might drop dead but sure what the hell. 43 good enough. Sure what else is there to do. Long time fcukin dead.

Tony Baloney · October 13, 2018, 07:31:57 PM

Getting hammered in late teens and into twenties is a rite of passage in Ireland. I would have been a binge drinker back then but would never had the stomach for more the next day so long benders weren't my thing thankfully. I never drink during the week now and will always have a couple in the house on a Friday and a few more on a Saturday. To be honest I love drinking in the house at the weekend otherwise those nights would be the same as a week night. Was out last Saturday and had 6-7 pints of stout which is definitely my limit these days. Back in the day I'd have had that before I started drinking.

BennyCake · October 13, 2018, 07:51:09 PM

A poll would be interesting here

Best of luck to those who struggle.

Ireland needs to really get to grips with drink culture. Minimum pricing isn't the answer either. If you're serious about it, off licenses need to go. Never will happen though.

Personally never eeally got into drinking. Kind of annoyed me when I was looked at like I'd two heads when I said I don't touch it. But I'm comfortable with it now. I don't really give a shit what people think. The longer I went without the more I realised I don't want or need it, or coyuld be arsed with all it entails. I suppose seeing some family members struggle with drink helped in my abstinence from it.

Boycey · October 13, 2018, 07:59:01 PM

Yeah Benny what would you or actually anyone like to see as the options in the poll. I think I have to create it?

BennyCake · October 13, 2018, 08:02:41 PM

Quote from: Boycey on October 13, 2018, 07:59:01 PM
Yeah Benny what would you or actually anyone like to see as the options in the poll. I think I have to create it?

Maybe a range of frequency of drinking, units taken.

thejuice · October 13, 2018, 08:15:28 PM

It nearly ruined me in my twenties. Seriously lucky not to be dead or had life altering injuries. A lot of scrapes and waking up with bloody noses and black eyes and cuts with no recollection of what happened. Worst happened abroad in Germany while at a music festival. Another lad died the same night at the festival and people thought it was me. I was so out of it I didn't wake up till about 3pm. I was penniless and lost everything bar my clothes which were soaked. Only for the generosity of strangers I don't know how I'd get home.

After that I decided to sort things out so I'm down to about 1 to 2 beers a month. I have kids now and lots of responsibilities personally and professionally that getting drunk just isn't worth it. Also I'm into my fitness now so every beers feels like a set back rather than a gain. I don't have time for a social life outside of kids parties or work nights out but they're pretty dry affairs these days.

Tony Baloney · October 13, 2018, 08:16:10 PM

Quote from: Boycey on October 13, 2018, 07:59:01 PM
Yeah Benny what would you or actually anyone like to see as the options in the poll. I think I have to create it?

Currently have an alcohol problem, drink too much and think it could become problematic, only take a few at the weekend or social occasions, can take it or leave it, don't drink. Something like that or else number of units per week which could be an eye opener!

charlieTully · October 13, 2018, 08:43:38 PM

I try to quit for a few weeks every Jan and Sept and I don't last a week. Been part of my life for so long now I wouldn't know how to live without it even though it fills me with guilt and regret etc etc. Plus waking up going oh no wtf did I post on gaa board fb etc last night and scramble to delete it in the hope no one has read it. Modern phones and booze don't mix well.

ONeill · October 13, 2018, 09:09:18 PM

Quote from: charlieTully on October 13, 2018, 08:43:38 PM
I try to quit for a few weeks every Jan and Sept and I don't last a week. Been part of my life for so long now I wouldn't know how to live without it even though it fills me with guilt and regret etc etc. Plus waking up going oh no wtf did I post on gaa board fb etc last night and scramble to delete it in the hope no one has read it. Modern phones and booze don't mix well.

Drunken gaaboarding. Remember the time Ziggy declared his love for Syferus.

quit yo jibbajabba · October 13, 2018, 09:21:34 PM

Had an epic drunken post one night back in the day. Would have resulted in a banning for sure and would have been a wanted man round south derry lol, thank christ it didnt send

illdecide · October 13, 2018, 09:31:37 PM

I'm really shocked TBH about how many lads have drank the shit out of themselves but it's really good to see that majority realised that it can't be sustained and took action to either stop or reduce the intake, I've seen a few marriage break-ups close to me thru the alcohol and seen a few sights so maybe that's why i feel the way i do about it.
For anyone struggling or have a problem I really hope it works out for you and if posting up here and talking to some here with experience that can help you out then do it and best of luck

seafoid · October 13, 2018, 09:35:57 PM

Quote from: BennyCake on October 13, 2018, 07:51:09 PM
A poll would be interesting here

Best of luck to those who struggle.

Ireland needs to really get to grips with drink culture. Minimum pricing isn't the answer either. If you're serious about it, off licenses need to go. Never will happen though.

Personally never eeally got into drinking. Kind of annoyed me when I was looked at like I'd two heads when I said I don't touch it. But I'm comfortable with it now. I don't really give a shit what people think. The longer I went without the more I realised I don't want or need it, or coyuld be arsed with all it entails. I suppose seeing some family members struggle with drink helped in my abstinence from it.

I could never get past 5 pints. I had a few pints a few months ago . That might be once a year but would drink wine if I was doing a meal for people. I can't stand spirits but would use them for cooking.

I never really thought about drink and Irish society until I spent a while living in a Muslim country. Alcohol and gambling are banned so there are no offlicences, no pubs and no bookies. In any population x% of people will have addictive tendencies. Cheap alcohol just distributes the risk amongst the population. The costs are very high and society bears them . Same as gambling.

The 3 lads who died outside Louisburgh last Christmas had been drinking

« The jury also heard the three men had called to the Gibbons family home earlier and were advised not to drive as they had too much to drink.
Mary Gibbons said in a statement the three men had vodka with them and were drunk when they arrived at her house. The three had met for Christmas drinks in Louisburgh earlier.
After the alarm had been raised, an emergency operation involving gardaí, members of the local community, Westport Coastguard, the Order of Malta and Rescue 118 helicopter from Sligo got under way.
The men's bodies were found by search teams more than 12 hours later.

I remember the lads were laughing and thinking it was a great laugh.
"The lads were starting to panic when more water began to fill the jeep. I thought I had to get out of the jeep now.

"I had to pull myself out of the jeep to get out of it. I got out of the jeep and swam over to the bank.
"I could hear screaming coming from the jeep which lasted only a few seconds. Then there was complete silence.

"I then went to try and get back into the water but it was too strong."

Martin's death at such a young age leaves us with a sense of an unfinished life, many things undone, many things maybe unsaid. We struggle very much to understand why. And the terrible reality of the extent of the tragedy has left us with nothing but our raw human emotions — a gnawing sadness, shock and disbelief, anger, helplessness and tears," said Fr Mattie, "so many tears." »