Alcohol is a drug that has been legalized for purchase. It is advertised and drug pushed onto our young people. I’m not sure why it is not considered a drug since it alters brain chemistry. It causes cancers and other organ problems-liver and heart. With that said, I drink wine only once or twice a month and have to say it is kind of a wind-down from work stressors that I like in smallish doses. I think marijuana is a much safer drug.

My mom and dad drank very little and I never saw either drunk. Me, I've always enjoyed alcohol and I drink it in moderation. I certainly respect your choice not to drink and I understand why you made that choice.

I love drinking. I love everything about it. The fancy drinks. The crazy beers. The socializing. The drinking games. Last weekend I went to a beerfest in the afternoon and then a onesie pub crawl with hundreds of people. I applaud you for knowing your limits and doing what you want. I know many people can't control their drinking so shouldn't be.

I drink, occasionally, for pleasure. I like the taste of certain things -- good red wine, Bailey's, single-malt scotch. But I rarely have more than one, and I never, ever drink and drive. I go weeks without drinking at all. There are people who can't handle it; it sounds like your dad and uncles were among them. Given that the tendancy is at least partially genetic, your abstinence is probably a good idea for you.

One thing I CANNOT tolerate is people who push alcohol on others. No one should feel pressured, and no one should have to explain.

I have given up drinking and it will be a year sober around Aprilish. I always used to hang out with people who drank a lot and also some "bad boys." After my dad died, I was up to a bottle of wine minimum a day, but somehow holding onto a job. When you quit drinking, you can see things clearly and have a better understanding. Sure you can be irritable because shit happens and your happy sauce is gone. It's better to deal with life, not in a complete haze.

I don't like the smell that the body produces when someone drinks alcohol. I never did. I got drunk once. When I was sixteen and I wanted to go out on New Year's eve, my mother said to me that if you want to have a party and drink, have it at home and I will supply you with all that you want to drink. She bought the alcohol and my cousins and I drank and acted like a fool. I got sick and my whole body ached and my joints were hurting and I got sick the next day. She told me that she wanted me to know the effects of alcohol on the body and since I was in College, she knew I would be around people that was going to drink, and that I might be pressured to drink and drive. I discovered that I could not metabolize alcohol, and drinking even a little bit causes my joints to hurt. I do not drink because of that.

I have seen a lot of the negative impact of alcoholism through my job. However, there are some of us who have partaken in alcohol consumption our entire life's without negative consequences. Yes part of the appeal is getting a buzz, but not everyone becomes addicted to it and puts it ahead of important things in their life. There is strong evidence of alcoholism being genetic, so you not having an interest is probably a good thing.

I drink relatively often because I'm a happy drunk. Also because I'm an introvert who likes feeling like an extrovert sometimes. I don't like the side effects though so I don't drink most weeknights, but certainly on weekends with friends.

I read a report on some study once - don't remember the source so I don't know how valid the study was, but it seems to make sense - that due to different genetic traits, alcohol actually tastes better to some and the effects feel much better to them too.

I also took a master's level class on alcoholism and addiction,and they explained that there were 2 ways to become an alcoholic - either to be born with the trait and it can trigger the genetic predisposition as early as the first drink, or by just drinking enough to change the brain structure into an addiction to alcohol.

Alcoholism and addiction are close enough to the same thing, and I think that most people by now understand that addictions cause people to be driven to repeat a certain behavior (drinking, drugging, whatever) even when they see and recognize the negative consequences because they are so drawn to a particular reward, so averse to a different negative consequence, or both.

I would rather drink Paregoric or Kaopectate than alcohol as I can't stand the taste of alcohol. Might have saved me a lot of misery over my lifetime and certainly saved me a lot of money.

Drinking beer to get drunk is many people's pastime. Beer is relatively cheap, and sort of self-limiting, in the sense that it's quite filling, right? But, and this is a big "but"; beer can also be an extremely gratifying pleasure in the sense that there are probably as many varieties of beers and ales as there are wine varieties. You need not, in fact should not make it an objective to get inebriated when enjoying a truly good beer or ale. I sometimes have a nice cold light beer, typically with a touch of lime, and often after exercising midday. Then, with dinner, if I don't have wine (prefer red), I may have a frothy Scotch ale, or something close that is dark and malty. Many microbreweries will, for a nominal fee, set you up with a House sampler of 5 or 6 craft brews of your choice from their selection, each sample being maybe 2 oz. Of course, if you just don't like the taste of beer, or ale, then simply refrain from drinking it. BTW, there are some non-alcoholic beers out there that are decent; my favorite is Gerstel, it actually has a pretty good beer flavor.

Let me know when you find out.

I live in a place where drinking is an end all to itself. "What're you gonna do?" "Go drink.". I still don't get it.

And getting drunk to the point you puke is totally normal, even habitual for some! WTF kind of bizarro world did I get teleported to??

My 102 year old father has been drinking 1 glass of cheap wine each day for years.Research indicates that small amounts of red wine may be beneficial to ones health. I do not like alcohol except for an occasional mixed drink .Sometimes I envy people that know good wine and enjoy it ,
I never developed a taste for it nor do I care for the taste of it .

I drink ver little, go years without it, then maybe an occasional scotch, maybe 3 a year.My father was a drunk,
end of story.

I drink rarely, one or two beers here and there.

my father was the same as you describe yours. as a former potsmoker i never much went for alcohol. now i have no more than 2 glasses of redwine per year, diluted

I recently gave up alcohol for the sake of my health.. But when I was taking too, never had a change in behaviour, rather.. I will be relaxed and have more fun.
I too wonder why people become rude after alcohol.
In my child hood too, had seen my dad and uncle not becoming rude after the stuff..

I don't like the "some people can't handle it" comments. It only comes from people who don't know the issue very clearly, or intimately.

It allows some people to forget how crappy their life is, for awhile anyway. It can help shy people relax enough to talk to strangers. Helps people unwind after a really bad day. Some people just happen to like the flavor. Then there are the ones that like the affect.

Yeah I'm with you on that one. Never had any problem with it but I decided years ago that alcohol as a chemical is really a poison that people take in small (sometimes not so small) doses mixed with other flavours. No way it does you any good, despite some believing that it does.

I honestly believe its genetic . I come from a long line of Alcoholics... both parents and all my siblings . I'm the only one who doesn't drink. I drank for a while in my thirties and forties when I would go out dancing etc. But I don't have that overwhelming need to have alcohol . It's definitely genetic and it's an illness. I feel so fortunate that I somehow escaped that fate.

I consider it my good fortune that I have simply never had a palate compatible with alcohol. It is expensive and has caused a whole lot of problems for so many people. I once told a person, who wanted to meet for drinks, that I don't drink. The response was, "are you a recovering alcoholic?". Hmm. I just don't like the stuff but it seems that it is one of those rights of passage into adulthood. So many people feel that it is what they are supposed to do to prove themselves. It may be a social lubricant, but it certainly isn't something that every person handles as well as they think they do. I figure that if you like it and can drink it without being a butt then knock yourself out. But if your whole life revolves around your next drink you should consider getting help.

its escape and I used to have a drinking problem myself though I wasn't aggressive with it. glad I gave it up with smoking etc. it causes probably the most family strife, car crashes and much more than anything else yet not even a health warning on it and its sold everywhere.

I have to watch my blood sugar, so I can't drink which is a good thing for me. I drank for the effect. I tried some of the NA beer a few years ago, and thats when I realized I didn't like beer for the flavor as much as I thought. I wish my brain could tolerate pot though. I used to really like it, but now it tends to give anxiety unless I drink with it. OH well, live is still good W/O either

Like some here, I'm a happy drunk, and can keep it to a moderate level. I love the flavour of a hop-forward AIPA, a good white wine to sip through the evening, and a nice Merlot if I'm having red meat for my meal (rarely happens).

I make my own beer from scratch ("all-grain" ) so I tailor recipes to suit my tastes - it's a lot of fun.