I'll have a beer here and there but get drunk, maybe once a month tops.
I grew out of that in my early 20's. I drink a beer or two daily now. More than that on weekends only. As I got older it just hurt more an more in the mornings.
Fair enough.
So far it's looking like I drink too much, but I'll hold off to decide.
Aren't you bipolar? That's not a good combo.
You should probably not be surprised. As it was told to me by a couple of Geordies while I was visiting Newcastle, one main difference between Brit drinkers and American drinkers is that Brits only know one way to drink: binge.
Obligatory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm8vDlj7jaU
Very true, it is a bit of a self medication thing, I know when not to drink if my mood is in certain places, similarly I know when drinking will help my mood (although that's not a popular medical opinion)
Self medicating thing??? Well you being bipolar and drinking a lot is NOT a good thing and you CANNOT self medicate. Don't you take medication?
When I was 21-25 I was drinking my life away. Drunk all the time, blackout drunk quite often too. Then my favorite thing to do was drive, sometimes I wouldn't even remember how I got to places. That did not work out so well.
I'll occasionally have a drink, maybe once or twice a year, if at all.
I am on medication, and it is somewhat effective, But I can tell you for a fact, while I would never advise a bipolar person to use alcohol in this way, I am alive today because of alcohol, I would have killed myself If I hadn't had the option to get drunk instead, so in the right circumstances it has it's uses.
Wow dude, you're obviously an alcoholic too. Binge drinking is alcoholism as well. I bet you going to see a psychologist would help you immensely and people might even start liking you.
Hah, don't get hasty.
The difference is that, I'm not a compulsive drinker. I don't feel the need to drink, while I do drink, and when I do it I drink a lot. I use it as a tool when it will benefit the mood I'm in or compliment it. If I go 6 months without drinking it's no concern, I think it's a bit of a different culture in the UK, around my way people go out and get drunk once a week on whatever day off they have, and as I have lot's of different friend groups, I end up going out on more than one of these nights, not every week but some.
Binge drinking is a way of life in Essex. It's "the norm"
Also, I do see a psychotherapist once a week.
Ahh ok makes sense. So if someone snorts a ton of cocaine only on times when it'll benefit the mood or compliment it, it's fine.