Is there any point in getting drunk? Be Serious! I'm 21 + have never been drunk. Am I missing out on anything?

Answer 1

I drink now, but used to be teetotal, and here's what I think:

You can have a few drinks, and enjoy sensibly without having to get drunk. Alcohol can be a supremely enjoyable social lubricant, so I would say Yes you are missing out if you're teetotal, but No if you have the odd drink but never get drunk.

People in New York often go out for a few drinks with their friends or colleagues after work, and after a couple (literally) of drinks often go "Oh, I'm starting to feel a bit tipsy, better call it a night & head home" - and they go home.

In my experience, people who never touch the stuff, tend to take things very seriously and get easily stressed out, and are often a little intolerant (though not necessarily).

I believe this is partially due to the fact that they miss out on certain psychological benefits of the relaxing properties of alcohol, and that feeling that makes people "lighten up" as a result.

They often also miss out on the social side of things as going out for a drink is a big part of British social culture....even those who go out with their friends and colleagues to pubs and bars but don't drink at all, often can feel a little left out as they're not fully sharing the experience with their friends, and are not on the "same level", due to the effect alcohol has had on them by way of lowering inhibitions, relaxing them, and generally making funny things & comments that little bit extra funny :)

If you are teetotal but go out with your friends, I'm sure you've had the experience of watching them laugh their heads off at something that you think was only mildly amusing at best. I say better to be the one enjoying the laughter than the one standing there saying "ok, it wasn't that funny".

Remember, enjoying alcohol sensibly doesn't involve hangovers, or being sick, or behaving like an idiot. Teetotalers often suggest this is the doom that awaits all drinkers, but that's simply not the case - that's only people who don't know their limits, and drink too much. Again, taking examples from other cultures rather than the notorious British binge drinking culture - the Germans may drink 8 or more beers during the beer festival, but gradually over the course of the day, and they don't behave like arses (unless wearing laederhosen counts), or wake up with hangovers. The Belgians and Spanish love beer but often drink just a few drinks and always in half pint measures. The French and Italians enjoy a bottle or two of wine together at dinner, without a family meal descending into vomit, fights and hangovers the next day.

There are many people in Britian who also enjoy alcohol sensibly...it's just that they're less visible than those who abuse it. After all, you'll notice the group of guys singing loudly staggering down the street, or the bloke throwing up at the side of the road - but you're not going to notice the group of 4 friends who go out and have 3 or 4 beers, an enjoyable chat and get together, and then quietly go home their separate ways.

HOWEVER, all that being said, if you don't feel you're missing much, then you need to remember, obviously alcohol is addictive, chemically and psychologically, and if you do start you run the risk of becoming one of the people who are unable to limit themselves sensibly.

It's impossible to not miss out on some things in a human lifetime. You can't experience everything, and you need to choose which experiences are important to you, and which you don't need or want.

If you do decide you want to try a drink or two, remember the official definition of binge drinking is more than 4 pints of beer or equivalent in a single sitting. I recommend if you do, you start with enjoying a glass or two of wine when having dinner out, or a couple of bottles of beer when watching the football with your mates, and stick to that.

Answer 2

Getting drunk is great, I highly recommend it. If you find you get sick and feel rough the next day you've obviously been doing it wrong and need a bit more practice.

The best thing about drunk people is they do things they would normally only think about, but not do. It's funny.

Getting drunk with people also helps build bonds.

If there was no point in being drunk the pub would not be such an integral part of our social history.

Answer 3

You never said you did not drink, so if you are happy just to have the few social drinks then so beit.

I am suspect that you are being pressured by your peers to get drunk if this is the case, then tell them that you will let them know if you want to get drunk and when. And that you have better things to do with your money than spend it all on booze.

There is no pleasure in being drunk but at the end of the day it is something you will have to find out for yourself.

Slange!

Answer 4

For me, the point of getting drunk is transformation. When you get drunk, you become another person. Drunkenness comes with loss of superego, liberation of animal desires, courage (sometime too much courage), carelessness for everyday troubles, irrationality (most grand schemes are designed around an empty bottle, which none of them become true), and last but not the least: not caring about social rules. If I like a girl and I am drunk, I'd go talk to her. However, if I were sober... bah!
To sum up, I think the main reason for getting drunk is the need to escape. To escape from one's self. The worst cases of me being wasted coincides with my emotionally low points. That is why you do not see people who are in peace with themselves getting wasted. Not feeling the need to get drunk shows strong character, I think.
Believe me you are not missing out on anything.

Answer 5

Everyone on here that has said that you are not missing anything doesn't drink themselves either by choice or out of religious beliefs. Everyone who says you are missing things obviously enjoys drinking. Why not just try it and decide for yourself? I used to not drink and decided to give it a shot, turns out it was great and something I have no idea why I didn't do sooner.
As for your question, "is there any point in getting drunk". Is there any point in drinking coke when water is all your body needs? Is there any point in watching a movie? Some things are just for fun, alcohol is one of them.

Answer 6

Are you kidding yourself,21 and never been drunk where do you live under a rock!!!!
I'm not saying get drunk every night,but at least once in your life you have to have the experience!!!!!!!!
Forget about hangovers they pass the funny stories of the dumb stuff you'll get up to with mates last a lifetime!!!

Answer 7

no you are not missing out on anything i stopped drinking 5 yrs ago but i wish i had never started coz now i sit down and count my losses, they are many especially on missed opportunities and broken relationships not to mention injured self esteem that took me five years to repair and still working on it trust me dont start it will only deplete your bank account and bring cheap intimacies that you dont need.

Despite the short term effects of drinking alcohol, which include impaired judment, slurred speech, loss of motory skills, loss of balance, nausea, and slowed reaction time, there are some long term effects that you should think about if you are a heavy drinker. Alcohol kills brain cells, pure and simple. Alcohol actually kills more brain cells at a much quicker rate than marajuana. Another effect is over long term use, drinking heavily increases your risk of getting diabetes. This is because every alcohol is processed by your body as a sugar. It will actually start turning into an alcohol sugar as soon as it touches your tongue. If you are either hypo- or hyperglycemic, you should seriously consider the ramifications of drinking and consult your physician for anymore definitive answers.

Answer 8

Stay true to yourself. There is no reason to get drunk. I'm quite a bit older than you and have never been and I don't feel I've missed anything. I think it is sad people can't have fun and enjoy themselves without getting drunk. I want to always be in control of myself and not be making a fool of myself.

Answer 9

The only point I can see is to establish a credible reference point you can use later in life when you talk with your kids about why it is stupid to get drunk. If you have never had a drink though, you might just turn on the switch that causes so many problems for alcoholics.

Answer 10

If you don't have any strong objection to it, or health reason to avoid it, you might as well give it a go. Life is short, it's something interesting to experience, and you might enjoy it.

Lots of people will drink to the point of throwing up, feeling ill, or later being unable to remember the 'night before'.

That seems kind of lame to me. But if you know when to ease back on the alcohol, you can drink to a point where you feel very warm, relaxed and comfortable.

It's a nice state to be in, if you can stay there.
But peer pressure, 'lad(/ette) culture' and peoples' poor self control mean that a lot of people just drink to excess.

Answer 11

The only thing you are missing is the hangover the next morning. Drink in moderation

ps when you are drunk you tend to show yourself up more or you are more likely to get into trouble.