Its thursday night and I have a drink in front of me right now. But I have been watching trailerpark boys...
Something like 37% of the Irish 'binge drink' whenever the drink according to this weeks Economist (IIRC). Of course, they defined it as 5 drinks in one sitting, which would mean that I pretty much never do anything but binge drink. I wonder if getting up to go to the bar for another counts as a separate sitting?CameronPoe wrote:
The US 'definition' of what alcoholism is a lttle over the top. By their 'definition' practically everyone in Ireland is an alcoholic. Real alcoholism is when you have become dependent on alcohol - when you need to drink every day and find it difficult to cope with not having your fix. We Irish drink to excess on a regular basis but we can take it or leave it - we are still in control.
Ya, I'm drinking too much.
But I quit tobacco.
But I quit tobacco.
But tobacco makes you smell funny, whereas alcohol makes you more attractive to the opposite sex. Or something. Therefore, alcohol = win.
I would call someone an alcoholic if they can't go a day without having it and/or can't function properly without a drink a day. I always have a beer or two after work just like I would drink a soda(Which I don't drink) or bottle of water. I frankly love beer and all its glory, have brewed my own, etc. I know many people that might call me an alcoholic for drinking a beer or two a day, but I'm not dependent on that. I don't HAVE to drink a beer a day which people don't believe when you tell them that.
if you want to booze then switch to wine cause it will lower your cardiac risk thereby offsetting the other risks caused by alcohol. but according to this study any alcoholic equivalent will do and you're better off being a problem drinker than not drinking at all. so if you like your nightly six pack then go for it...you'll live longer than those who don't!
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archi … 67,00.html
March 31, 1994
Study Says A Bottle of Wine a Day May Be Moderate
A newly published Danish study concludes that it's almost as safe to drink up to six glasses of wine a day-- or one 750-milliliter bottle-- as it is to consume one glass a day.
The study, published in January in the British Medical Journal, examined how various amounts of alcohol consumption affect the risks of dying. The researchers focused on the association between the self-reported alcohol consumption of 13,285 people aged 30 to 79 and the subsequent deaths of 2,229 of them. The study was conducted over 12 years starting in 1976, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
The report confirms the findings of many previous studies: heavy drinkers and teetotalers may die sooner than might be expected, while light to moderate alcohol consumption during adult life has little influence on lifespan.
However, the Danish study also broadens the spectrum of wine drinking that might be considered safe and healthy. Light drinkers, defined as those consuming little less than one drink a day (one to six glasses a week), had the lowest risk of dying earlier than expected. But people who drank the equivalent of up to a bottle of wine a day had mortality risks that were only slightly higher than those of the light drinkers, the researchers discovered.
"Among the drinkers, the risk was significantly increased only among those drinking more than 42 beverages a week [about one 750 ml bottle of wine a day],'' wrote Morten Gronbaek of Institute of Preventive Medicine at Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. He co-authored the study with seven colleagues.
Heavy drinkers--defined as those averaging more than 10 drinks a day--were two and half times more likely to die earlier than expected than those drinking less than one glass a day.
The Danish study didn't distinguish between beer, spirits or wine, defining one drink as an 8-ounce can of beer, one shot of spirits or a 4-ounce glass of wine.
The study left little doubt that teetotalers were not doing themselves a favor by abstaining from drinking. The researchers said more than a quarter of the 595 teetotalers who died did so earlier than expected, partly because they didn't drink. "The number of deaths [among teetotalers] attributable to abstaining rather than drinking one to six beverages a week was 159," the report stated.
Non-drinking women, in particular, could benefit by switching to a glass of wine a day, the statistics reveal. In fact, the relative mortality risk rates for a teetotaler, male or female, were similar to those for someone who drank about 11 bottles of wine a week, or about one and half bottles a day; both categories were nearly one and half times more likely to die earlier than expected compared to the so-called light drinkers.
Based on these findings, the Danish scientists concluded it may be inappropriate for public health officials to promote total abstinence as healthy.
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archi … 67,00.html
March 31, 1994
Study Says A Bottle of Wine a Day May Be Moderate
A newly published Danish study concludes that it's almost as safe to drink up to six glasses of wine a day-- or one 750-milliliter bottle-- as it is to consume one glass a day.
The study, published in January in the British Medical Journal, examined how various amounts of alcohol consumption affect the risks of dying. The researchers focused on the association between the self-reported alcohol consumption of 13,285 people aged 30 to 79 and the subsequent deaths of 2,229 of them. The study was conducted over 12 years starting in 1976, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
The report confirms the findings of many previous studies: heavy drinkers and teetotalers may die sooner than might be expected, while light to moderate alcohol consumption during adult life has little influence on lifespan.
However, the Danish study also broadens the spectrum of wine drinking that might be considered safe and healthy. Light drinkers, defined as those consuming little less than one drink a day (one to six glasses a week), had the lowest risk of dying earlier than expected. But people who drank the equivalent of up to a bottle of wine a day had mortality risks that were only slightly higher than those of the light drinkers, the researchers discovered.
"Among the drinkers, the risk was significantly increased only among those drinking more than 42 beverages a week [about one 750 ml bottle of wine a day],'' wrote Morten Gronbaek of Institute of Preventive Medicine at Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. He co-authored the study with seven colleagues.
Heavy drinkers--defined as those averaging more than 10 drinks a day--were two and half times more likely to die earlier than expected than those drinking less than one glass a day.
The Danish study didn't distinguish between beer, spirits or wine, defining one drink as an 8-ounce can of beer, one shot of spirits or a 4-ounce glass of wine.
The study left little doubt that teetotalers were not doing themselves a favor by abstaining from drinking. The researchers said more than a quarter of the 595 teetotalers who died did so earlier than expected, partly because they didn't drink. "The number of deaths [among teetotalers] attributable to abstaining rather than drinking one to six beverages a week was 159," the report stated.
Non-drinking women, in particular, could benefit by switching to a glass of wine a day, the statistics reveal. In fact, the relative mortality risk rates for a teetotaler, male or female, were similar to those for someone who drank about 11 bottles of wine a week, or about one and half bottles a day; both categories were nearly one and half times more likely to die earlier than expected compared to the so-called light drinkers.
Based on these findings, the Danish scientists concluded it may be inappropriate for public health officials to promote total abstinence as healthy.
Wooyay, cheers Soupy, it's always nice to comfort yourself with that ypu'lldie later than non drinkers. And in my mind I'll just tell myself it works the same with beer too.
Cancer is a disease, lupus is a disease, etc........Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is a self induced drug addiction. It is a personal responsibility issue. Cancer or Lupus is not. Please stop trying to compare the two.ThomasMorgan wrote:
Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. "Dammit, Otto, you are an alcoholic." "Dammit, Otto, you have Lupus." One of those two doesn't sound right.
Totally agree. However, some people are chemically prone to addiction. But, everytime someone says " I have an addictive personality " I want to slap them and say: have a spine you wretched fuck.lowing wrote:
Cancer is a disease, lupus is a disease, etc........Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is a self induced drug addiction. It is a personal responsibility issue. Cancer or Lupus is not. Please stop trying to compare the two.ThomasMorgan wrote:
Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. "Dammit, Otto, you are an alcoholic." "Dammit, Otto, you have Lupus." One of those two doesn't sound right.
...that's like, uber red flag for alcoholism.BUDFORCE wrote:
So, for me at this stage in my life, I dont really think it is a problem at all, although I know I am classed as an alcoholic.