Something possessed me to click on the drink aware website today. Apparently the recommended daily consumption (for men) is 3-4 units per day (about the equivalent of a couple of cans :? )
So through the week I'm prolly going to have 5 or 6 cans a night and then maybe double that friday and saturday. Sometimes Sunday too. "Binge Drinking" is defined as
Quotedrinking more than double the daily recommended units of alcohol in one session.
So, by this token I'm Binge drinking monday-friday, chased down with double binges at the weekend. God help me if there's a party - I'm easy double that again.
Okay so it's prolly mostly propaganda and scaremongering but at the same time I was wondering why I'm tired and depressed pretty much all day every day until I get a beer in my hand so, in the interests of science I'm going to try and cut down a bit just to see if it actually kills me.
Wish me luck...
Good luck, dude. Giving up addiction is hard work. You can do it.
It's not addiction! Beer is food - I'm going on a bit of a diet is all :x
The way I typically see binge drinking defined is for men 4-5 drinks in a two hour time span. It's 3-4 for women. At least, that's how we usually define it in surveys.
Funny thing though, I did these focus groups a few years ago and that was one of the questions I asked. To define "binge drinking", and of course it was all over the map, though a good chunk basically put it where someone was sitting in a chair and taking care of a whole case before the lights go out.
However it's defined, if you're thinking it might be a problem, cutting back to find out is not a bad idea.
Precisely, you came to the conclusion to cut back. That's a huge step.
Recommended daily allowances are all over the place, full stop. There was a good program the other day about it (it may have been the news, now I think of it, but I doubt it since it involved original research and fact-checking).
Anyway, going by the standards of many European countries, the UK weekly allowance is a fair bit higher. Yet going by Russian and Australian standards (IIRC), the UK is full of lightweights who cant hold their beer (which is true anyway). I think the Australian weekly recommendation is a full 12 units higher than the UK one.
So shop around, and find a standard you like.
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 01:22:00 PM
However it's defined, if you're thinking it might be a problem, cutting back to find out is not a bad idea.
THIS.
huh... i always thought that binge drinking was about getting drunk and staying drunk for an extended period of time. (more than the night)
i thought drinking till you were loopy for the night was just called a party.
at any rate, i had a room mate for many years that drank probably around 8 cans a night. he wasn't really drunk on a continuous basis, but he definitely had a problem. and it went up over the course of time that i knew him. it slowly became an albatross, and eventually destroyed him. a creeping drinking problem like that is, perhaps, more dangerous than a boldfaced bender habit, in the sense that it can be swept away without thought.
It is heartening to see someone examine the issue, before it causes them harm! Good luck.
What's a "session", anyway? If I have a couple of cocktails with friends for two hours, then go to a club and drink four beers in four hours, then go to an afterparty and have three more in another two hours, is that three sessions of several hours, or one 8-hour session?
i think that classes as an 8 hour session.
Hmm. So, "typical Friday" puts me in the danger zone. Well, no surprise there.
But you're not doing that EVERYDAY.
There are so many conventions out there for measuring binge drinking that after awhile, it becomes pretty meaningless. For an adult person, the more important thing is whether or not their pattern of drinking is negatively impacting their life. Socially, physically, etc.
Quote from: Suu the Infallible on May 09, 2011, 01:54:30 PM
But you're not doing that EVERYDAY.
But then it wouldn't be binging, right?
Quote from: R.W.H.N. on May 09, 2011, 01:56:03 PM
There are so many conventions out there for measuring binge drinking that after awhile, it becomes pretty meaningless. For an adult person, the more important thing is whether or not their pattern of drinking is negatively impacting their life. Socially, physically, etc.
This is the part I've been paying attention to of late. I've reached the point where if I drink like I did when I was 25, the following day is a complete waste, rather than just needing a handful of Advil and a beer. So, gradual scaling back, using SCIENCE to see what works best. I know I should be drinking less than I do now, but I'm making progress.
I learned recently that I hate the feeling of being drunk. Buzzed, fine...drunk, NO. Hungover? HELL NO.
"Getting drunk is better than being drunk."
-LMNO, circa 1992.
I realised I was drinking about 20 units in a night, once a week. Now down to 6 and it feels almost the same with an easier hangover. Just as much fun with less chance of dying in a really boring way.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD on May 09, 2011, 02:07:33 PM
"Getting drunk is better than being drunk."
-LMNO, circa 1992.
Yep.
I swear, I've done more drinking in the past year than I have in my entire life up to this point.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
I wouldn't brag about it. Just sayin'.
Re: OP
I thought that was supposed to be a daily MINIMUM for maintaining a Scottish metabolism :?
Problem with scottish metabolism is it's only supposed to last you to your mid 30's
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on May 09, 2011, 03:52:15 PM
Problem with scottish metabolism is it's only supposed to last you to your mid 30's
Then the haggis just collects just above your kilt?
Quote from: Doktor Blight on May 09, 2011, 03:53:53 PM
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on May 09, 2011, 03:52:15 PM
Problem with scottish metabolism is it's only supposed to last you to your mid 30's
Then the haggis just collects just above your kilt?
No, generally it's liver failure and/or coronary thrombosis
Quote from: R.W.H.N. on May 09, 2011, 01:56:03 PM
There are so many conventions out there for measuring binge drinking that after awhile, it becomes pretty meaningless. For an adult person, the more important thing is whether or not their pattern of drinking is negatively impacting their life. Socially, physically, etc.
Yeah. I call this the "does it make you feel ooky?" guideline.
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 03:13:43 PM
I swear, I've done more drinking in the past year than I have in my entire life up to this point.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's a divorce thing. Trust me. I'm the resident expert on divorce.
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 03:56:32 PM
Quote from: R.W.H.N. on May 09, 2011, 01:56:03 PM
There are so many conventions out there for measuring binge drinking that after awhile, it becomes pretty meaningless. For an adult person, the more important thing is whether or not their pattern of drinking is negatively impacting their life. Socially, physically, etc.
Yeah. I call this the "does it make you feel ooky?" guideline.
You bet. I've learned to pay attention to that, "what the fuck am I
doing?" feeling.
Okay so I have 14 tins of fosters in the fridge. I'll drink half tonite then half tomorrow then I'll see how I get on with a couple of nights dry until the weekend :|
Quote from: LMNO, PhD on May 09, 2011, 03:57:38 PM
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 03:56:32 PM
Quote from: R.W.H.N. on May 09, 2011, 01:56:03 PM
There are so many conventions out there for measuring binge drinking that after awhile, it becomes pretty meaningless. For an adult person, the more important thing is whether or not their pattern of drinking is negatively impacting their life. Socially, physically, etc.
Yeah. I call this the "does it make you feel ooky?" guideline.
You bet. I've learned to pay attention to that, "what the fuck am I doing?" feeling.
It gets confusing when you get older and things that TOTALLY DID NOT MAKE YOU FEEL OOKY five years ago make you feel a bit like you want to die the next day. For me, it took a while to adjust my behavior down. Like, having four drinks last night at the show. I even made sure to drink a whole pint of water in between each. Still, that shit's a no-go for me these days. And that was whiskey... if I'd had four beers I wouldn't be on the computer right now, I'd be on the toilet crying.
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 03:57:21 PM
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 03:13:43 PM
I swear, I've done more drinking in the past year than I have in my entire life up to this point.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's a divorce thing. Trust me. I'm the resident expert on divorce.
Yeah, you're most likely right.
I figure I almost never drink at home alone. I've gotten tipsy a few times, but I don't think I've been really hammered since last June. (I was pretty messed up at Vinland Raids last year.) St. Patrick's Day this year, I SHOULD have been trashed, I'm still not sure how I put down four of Lady T's Turtle Juices and stayed sober enough to navigate stairs solo.
Couple of beers gaming or sitting around the campfire, I'm not gonna worry about... and I haven't had too much without INTENDING to do so, so I figure I'm still okay.
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 04:13:30 PM
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 03:57:21 PM
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 03:13:43 PM
I swear, I've done more drinking in the past year than I have in my entire life up to this point.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's a divorce thing. Trust me. I'm the resident expert on divorce.
Yeah, you're most likely right.
I figure I almost never drink at home alone. I've gotten tipsy a few times, but I don't think I've been really hammered since last June. (I was pretty messed up at Vinland Raids last year.) St. Patrick's Day this year, I SHOULD have been trashed, I'm still not sure how I put down four of Lady T's Turtle Juices and stayed sober enough to navigate stairs solo.
Couple of beers gaming or sitting around the campfire, I'm not gonna worry about... and I haven't had too much without INTENDING to do so, so I figure I'm still okay.
Just give yourself a little leeway for a while and don't feel guilty about it! Especially don't succumb to the idea that "I'm too old for this" (that time will come soon enough). If you're able to maintain your responsibilities, it's ok to go a little wild during this time.
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on May 09, 2011, 03:56:08 PM
Quote from: Doktor Blight on May 09, 2011, 03:53:53 PM
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on May 09, 2011, 03:52:15 PM
Problem with scottish metabolism is it's only supposed to last you to your mid 30's
Then the haggis just collects just above your kilt?
No, generally it's liver failure and/or coronary thrombosis
related?
(http://ugliesttattoos.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/61585845-c08d-46f4-b38b-5283d95e43ac.jpg)
Everybody put down the bottles and get drunk on life!
RWHN,
Failed motivational speaker.
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 04:21:46 PM
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 04:13:30 PM
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 03:57:21 PM
Quote from: Luna on May 09, 2011, 03:13:43 PM
I swear, I've done more drinking in the past year than I have in my entire life up to this point.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's a divorce thing. Trust me. I'm the resident expert on divorce.
Yeah, you're most likely right.
I figure I almost never drink at home alone. I've gotten tipsy a few times, but I don't think I've been really hammered since last June. (I was pretty messed up at Vinland Raids last year.) St. Patrick's Day this year, I SHOULD have been trashed, I'm still not sure how I put down four of Lady T's Turtle Juices and stayed sober enough to navigate stairs solo.
Couple of beers gaming or sitting around the campfire, I'm not gonna worry about... and I haven't had too much without INTENDING to do so, so I figure I'm still okay.
Just give yourself a little leeway for a while and don't feel guilty about it! Especially don't succumb to the idea that "I'm too old for this" (that time will come soon enough). If you're able to maintain your responsibilities, it's ok to go a little wild during this time.
Nah, I'm feeling a lot younger than I did when I was hanging around the house doing nothing. This is a good thing.
I'm not feeling guilty... just a little cautious. (Dad's alcoholic, so I do try to watch it.)
Quote from: R.W.H.N. on May 09, 2011, 04:23:04 PM
Everybody put down the bottles and get drunk on life!
RWHN,
Failed motivational speaker.
Hmmm.... whiskey means water of life....
Yeah I'm down with that!
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 04:09:59 PM
It gets confusing when you get older and things that TOTALLY DID NOT MAKE YOU FEEL OOKY five years ago make you feel a bit like you want to die the next day. For me, it took a while to adjust my behavior down. Like, having four drinks last night at the show. I even made sure to drink a whole pint of water in between each. Still, that shit's a no-go for me these days. And that was whiskey... if I'd had four beers I wouldn't be on the computer right now, I'd be on the toilet crying.
Yeah. That sounds about right, though not as extreme.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD on May 09, 2011, 04:47:49 PM
Quote from: Nigel on May 09, 2011, 04:09:59 PM
It gets confusing when you get older and things that TOTALLY DID NOT MAKE YOU FEEL OOKY five years ago make you feel a bit like you want to die the next day. For me, it took a while to adjust my behavior down. Like, having four drinks last night at the show. I even made sure to drink a whole pint of water in between each. Still, that shit's a no-go for me these days. And that was whiskey... if I'd had four beers I wouldn't be on the computer right now, I'd be on the toilet crying.
Yeah. That sounds about right, though not as extreme.
Consider that I am 5'3" and am a big-boned girl at 130 lbs, so adjust it for your manly size. Probably the equivalent of 7 drinks for you.
P3nT: Motivation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr7j70ENqKc) (I'll be your brother for the duration of making this song make sense)
You EVIL LITTLE BASTARD!!! MY FUCKING EARS :argh!:
Quote from: P3nT4gR4m on May 09, 2011, 06:32:21 PM
You EVIL LITTLE BASTARD!!! MY FUCKING EARS :argh!:
That'll learn you, you twisted little bastard.
years ago, I filled out a questionaire at the "safe with drugs" stand at the Sziget festival in Budapest.
I was being really honest and then it said at the bottom "if you answered yes to five or more question, you have an alcohol problem" :(
One of the questions was "if you have a drink that's not quite finished and the group you're with is going somewhere else, do you gulp down the last bit or leave it there?" -- FFS, I consider it good manners to not leave half a beer standing around when I leave. Especially at somebody else's place, I hate it when I have to throw away half-finished bottles or cans ...
Anyway.
So I sat down with the guy at the stand and had a discussion (in bad English). Basically it came down to this. I drank quite a bit more than I do now, back then, cause I was in college and my body was younger. But compared to some friends, it wasn't that bad, either. So the guy told me, that behaviour might be (or seem) okay right now, but if I'd keep up the same pattern till my fourties, I was going to have a problem, and I could make a choice to not continue it.
That made a lot of sense to me. What I was drinking was in the context of college*, and indeed I wasn't planning on continuing that way after I finished. But it was a good realization to make concrete and gave some thought, so I made the decision that I should consciously pay attention to changing my drinking habits as I got out of college, and not run the risk of just continuing in the same manner.
So I did. Currently I'm drinking two cans of beer (34 oz) most week nights, and a couple more one night per week. I still think this is slightly too much. Either I'm going to cut down the two cans to every other night, or I want one "dry week" per month. Both options are kind of hard, but I'm trying, and at least with that goal, it won't become more than that.
* afaik, in the Netherlands they actually have different rules for "alcohol problem" for students, otherwise a shitload of students would be categorized that way, and most of them really cut down after college, anyway.
Who the fuck continues college-age habits into their forties? That whole premise is bunk. It's like administering a "you might be a loser if..." test to 19-year-olds and then saying "well, yeah maybe not now, but if you're still doing the same thing when you're 40..."
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up in the back yard topless at 2 am.
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:56:24 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up on the couch at 2 am.
Yep. Except I bet that doesn't get yet another angry letter from the HOA and the golf course.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:57:06 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:56:24 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up on the couch at 2 am.
Yep. Except I bet that doesn't get yet another angry letter from the HOA and the golf course.
No. No it doesn't.
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 02:06:23 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:57:06 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:56:24 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up on the couch at 2 am.
Yep. Except I bet that doesn't get yet another angry letter from the HOA and the golf course.
No. No it doesn't.
Speaking of which, I'm off to the HOA meeting. :)
TGRR,
Is reasonably certain he'll have a good time.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 02:08:38 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 02:06:23 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:57:06 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:56:24 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up on the couch at 2 am.
Yep. Except I bet that doesn't get yet another angry letter from the HOA and the golf course.
No. No it doesn't.
Speaking of which, I'm off to the HOA meeting. :)
TGRR,
Is reasonably certain he'll have a good time.
One of these times, take Freeky and have her video it. I want to see!
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 02:13:38 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 02:08:38 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 02:06:23 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:57:06 AM
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:56:24 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 01:47:38 AM
I have 2 jiggers of bourbon a week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.
Once in a while I accidentally and then I over the wall onto the golf course, and nobody will speak to me for a week. But that's an accident, and doesn't count.
Heeee! That's like when I accidentally a whole bottle of wine and then I and wake up on the couch at 2 am.
Yep. Except I bet that doesn't get yet another angry letter from the HOA and the golf course.
No. No it doesn't.
Speaking of which, I'm off to the HOA meeting. :)
TGRR,
Is reasonably certain he'll have a good time.
One of these times, take Freeky and have her video it. I want to see!
At least come back and tell us how it went. :)
I think they thought I was being unreasonable.
I, on the other hand, thought they were a pack of officious pricks with a BAD case of Big Fish in a Little Pond syndrome.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 10, 2011, 03:57:24 AM
I think they thought I was being unreasonable.
I, on the other hand, thought they were a pack of officious pricks with a BAD case of Big Fish in a Little Pond syndrome.
:lulz: Sounds like you may have been the only one there with a decent grasp on reality.
Quote from: Nigel on May 10, 2011, 01:37:00 AM
Who the fuck continues college-age habits into their forties? That whole premise is bunk. It's like administering a "you might be a loser if..." test to 19-year-olds and then saying "well, yeah maybe not now, but if you're still doing the same thing when you're 40..."
Well, yeah, it is a pretty stupid obvious thing to realize. But remember, this was in Eastern-Europe.
I still think, at that age, it was a good realization for me that "hey yeah, this lifestyle is going to have to come to an end", both confronting and comforting at the same time.