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I'm odd when I drink
Death of Rats
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm kinda wondering what's been going on with me lately. Anytime I drink I seem to just, well, get out of hand anymore.
Lets see, I used to drink a lot. Well, like, every weekend with friends. We'd throw back around 10-12 beers apiece, play drinking games, have fun. I'd get drunk, but I'd always remember what happened the next morning. And when I drank, I always felt in control of what I was doing.
But then I moved away. I'm now living with a different set of friends. And once I moved, I kinda settled down on the drinking. Instead of once a week, it was more along the lines of one every two weeks, then once a month, or once a month and a half.
And now it seems like every time I drink I, well, get drunk really fast and um... make an ass out of myself. Whether it's me going around kissing dudes, yelling at people, dropping my pants, or just being weird, I've turned into a crazy drunk person. Plus, after a certain point I always, almost always, black out for part of the night (as in, large chunks of the night I don't remember). And, well, I'm not sure what's going on with it. Because I'm not drinking more than I used to, or faster than I used to.
It's just becoming a slight problem. I'm not sure if my tolerance has just gone down (while my pace hasn't) or what, but I just can't keep having these blackout out of control sessions. But I also like drinking (or well, the way drinking used to be for me). So, I mean, should I start drinking more often? Is that just a crazy thought? Would it be horrible if I started drinking once a week or every other week again?
I didn't slow down because I dislike drinking or for fear of alcoholism, just because I drink usually in social situations. I mean, I'm 24, would it be bad if I drank more often to get my tolerance back up to a point where I was no longer making an ass out of myself while at parties?
Lets see, I used to drink a lot. Well, like, every weekend with friends. We'd throw back around 10-12 beers apiece, play drinking games, have fun. I'd get drunk, but I'd always remember what happened the next morning. And when I drank, I always felt in control of what I was doing.
But then I moved away. I'm now living with a different set of friends. And once I moved, I kinda settled down on the drinking. Instead of once a week, it was more along the lines of one every two weeks, then once a month, or once a month and a half.
And now it seems like every time I drink I, well, get drunk really fast and um... make an ass out of myself. Whether it's me going around kissing dudes, yelling at people, dropping my pants, or just being weird, I've turned into a crazy drunk person. Plus, after a certain point I always, almost always, black out for part of the night (as in, large chunks of the night I don't remember). And, well, I'm not sure what's going on with it. Because I'm not drinking more than I used to, or faster than I used to.
It's just becoming a slight problem. I'm not sure if my tolerance has just gone down (while my pace hasn't) or what, but I just can't keep having these blackout out of control sessions. But I also like drinking (or well, the way drinking used to be for me). So, I mean, should I start drinking more often? Is that just a crazy thought? Would it be horrible if I started drinking once a week or every other week again?
I didn't slow down because I dislike drinking or for fear of alcoholism, just because I drink usually in social situations. I mean, I'm 24, would it be bad if I drank more often to get my tolerance back up to a point where I was no longer making an ass out of myself while at parties?
No I don't.
Death of Rats on
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How about maybe drink less?
Don't think it's rocket science or anything.
Antidepressants have been known to reduce some peoples' alcohol tolerance. Doesn't happen to everybody, but it can happen.
Seriously, though, just drink less.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
The reason I'm thinking about drinking more often (not more, just more often) is because I have the disposable income to do so now. I used to casually drink a beer or two after getting off of work. I cut that out because of financial reasons.
I dunno, I just find it really hard to find that right pace at a party anymore. You know, the pace where you drink fast enough to get drunk, but slow enough to know when to cut yourself off. I drink at the pace I used to, and then end up way past the point of being able to cut myself off.
Blah, this was probably too stupid a topic to post about.
No, there are no stupid questions. (Well, actually, there are, but never mind that for now.)
However, your idea of drinking more often just to build up a tolerance was kind of dumb.
Just be more careful while drinking.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I don't drink and never have, so this information may or may not work in the slightest.
This.
Drink less and you'll stop making an ass of yourself.
Unless the timespan between your old party-'till-you-puke days and your new party-'till-you-black-out days is measured in weeks, your decreased tolerance is probably just a result of you being that much older. You're not 18 anymore, and your body is telling you "Hey, whoa, I can't keep this shit up forever."
Listen to your body. Stop drinking to the point of insensibility. There are serious health problems associated with chronic alcohol abuse - and you are abusing it if you're blacking out every night after two hours of playing gay chicken against unwitting opponents - and while most people make it through their brief collegiate period of drunken debauchery without suffering any lasting damage, you can't keep pouring gallons of beer into your body and expecting to wake up with minty-fresh breath and delightful memories of a fun-filled frolic the night before.
And increasing your alcohol intake just because you can afford it financially is a dumb, dumb idea. If you can afford to literally piss away $10 per day without feeling any financial strain, why don't you take that $10, dump it in a savings account, and buy yourself something that lasts longer than 15 minutes? In three weeks, you could get a new XBox 360. In one week, you could take your significant other out to a classy meal. In one day, you could buy a book. Stop drinking your money, and start putting it towards something useful.
The real problem has been me getting to that level of being drunk where I'll drink just about anything I can get my hands on. It used to take at least 12 beers in a 3-4 hour period for that to happen before, now it takes like... 7.
Even though I do think I may start drinking more anyways, just because people at work are all the sudden asking me to go out to bars with them and such (finally). Which, again, is reason for me to be concerned about this. It's one thing to make an ass out of myself with my friends, but with my coworkers? Much rather avoid that.
Edit:
That's a great idea ponge! I'll have to try that out next time I drink.
tone it down though if you're blacking out. your tolerance went down because you drink less often (which I'm sure you know). scale back accordingly and you'll be fine. There's seriously no reason to want to drink more simply for the fact that you can drink more. If it takes you less to get drunk, good! you'll spend less on the stuff and you'll sober up faster.
I go nuts too at parties. Shit there were times where 2 girls and another dude + myself had a streak off in this apartment complex last year. it was during a time of night where there was relatively high traffic and we wanted to see who'd actually do it. well, we all did it and we now have a very embarresing but very funny memory.
Just tone it down. The last thing you want is a blackout. I know people who blackout every time and it's not fun to be around nor is it fun to be that person.
In the short term, i pretty much did what Ponge suggests with the alternating beer/water.
I certainly dont agree with the idea of taking up heavy and frequent drinking so your body 'gets used to it'. That kind of drinking isnt very good for you. Also beer is pretty fattening, but i've got no idea if thats a problem for you or not. But of course, thats your prerogative.
It reminds me of a saying though, especially with your history of depression: "I drank to drown my sorrows, but what nobody told me is that sorrows float"
Also, there are some light/mid beers out there that taste amazing.
And Guinness isn't all that filling for a stout either.
It's just a change of 300 feet, so I'm not sure if that'd do it or not.
Just dont get drawn into the whole "how many can you down" thing.
And then I do things like buy rounds for everyone besides this one girl who I don't exactly get along with. You know, small dickish things that if I do I really do need to remember.
But yeah, good advice everyone. I'll just try to cool it down when I drink. No reason to limit the frequency (or increase the frequency). I just need to pay more attention and not do my usual "it's drinking time, lets down 3 beers in 20 minutes!" thing.
"Hey dudes. I'm kind of concerned that I drink too much when we hang out. Can you guys cut me off after X drinks?"
Also, you could try switching your drug of choice to marijuana. No blackouts or dropping pants involved at all!
if you go out drinking at a bar, do 3-4 shots (or 3-4 beers) and just see how you feel. if you're buzzed, go for 1-2 more and stop. asking the people you go with "hey, guys, wanna make sure I stop at X drinks" is a very easy thing to ask and will get you what you want. If these people are people that are worth drinking and hanging out with, they'll happily agree to do it.
Phone them up the next day and ask for a tally. Next time you buy alcohol, only buy that much alcohol.
/thread
You're drinking less frequently, which means your body isn't used to it. Get used to pacing yourself and you'll be fine.
So I don't think it ever will, perhaps it isn't always possible to restore early adult tolerance
1) When people are going crazy town on beer, you can now watch and congratulate without the heightened expectation of joining in. You can always always grab a brew if you want, but you dont have to, and generally no one's going to bug you about it.
2) You can control how much youre drinking by controlling the proportions. Wanna blast off? Pour heavy. Need to effing chill? Pour light, a dash for flavour and not much else.
3) few people will chuck you a brew with expectations of guzzling if you already have a drink in your hand.
4) the ever present drink suggests that your drinking, wooo. So do refills. So does being generous with the liquor of the day. Just because you pour somebody a few fingers doesn't mean you have to 'keep up'- its thier drink, let them worry about it.
5) Be aware of why you are drinking. To socialize? Sweet. But if somehow you've been caught into a trap of thinking drink=fun, and your crowd just isn't as much fun as a different one, you just might find yourself getting fuckwasted to make up for the difference. People are fun, drinking is just drinking.
6) Bring something you can swallow, but dont really care for. Its amazing how far that pint will stretch when youre wincing. Be aware that fucking tasty beverages have this tendancy of creeping up on you- you drink because you like it, youre thirsty because youve been drinking, you gladly quench with more beverage, and so on until your puking so hard you taste breastmilk.
Alchohol effects your judgement (omg,rlly?) so preplan a bit while your sober and hopefully you can make unpleasent situations less likely.
I measured out my drinks (1 1/2 shot of Jerry's to one glass of coke) and drank slowly. Surprisingly enough (to me) no one cared/noticed and I didn't get drunk enough to get sick/make an ass out of myself. I just got drunk enough where beating portal in under an hour seems like a challenge. Not drunk enough where I yell at everyone then pass out after chugging half a bottle of tequila. And I'm sure I'll remember all of tonight tomorrow.
So good job guys. I think you just saved me some money/some embarrassment.
With this and the various other threads I've posted since I've moved up to Wisconsin, I'd have to say that if I do go back to school this year it'd be with the help of you guys. You've really helped me in the past year. I've gone through some bullshit, and I've acted a fool, but the PA forums have been there to help me out. I appreciate it. Very much. So thank you.
Good work man.
Also, there is one thing that may be different in your "adult" lifestyle, and that's sleep. When I was a college student, my sleep schedule was all sorts of fucked up, I would take naps everyday, sleep all day on weekends, etc. So basically when I was getting drunk on Friday and Saturday nights I probably had just recently woken up from a nap.
Now that I'm a "responsible" adult with a day job, I pretty much have a normal sleeping schedule, you know, I sleep for 7.5-8.5 hrs every night, go to work for 9 hours, and almost never take a nap. That means that when I go drinking on Friday night, it is always after I have been awake since the very early morning, and after a very long day of work/work related stress, so if you factor in the extra tiredness, it's pretty obvious that I'd get drunk/buzzed much faster as my body isn't in top form.
Plus, you probably went to the gym (or at least walked) more often when you were in college, if you're anything like me. All these probably contribute to a slightly higher alcohol tolerance.
In any case, sometimes I enjoy getting buzzed after just a few drinks, and if there's a party where I know I'm gonna get trashed (I try to minimize those nowadays), then I'll usually head home and rest for a little bit after work before heading out.