Drinking Alcohol - How much do you drink + Advice

[Tyleralp1]

Being on a forum with many studious people here, the topic of alcohol came into my mind. After reading up on a lot of doctor and scientific reports, it is claimed that alcohol is bad for brain development and supposedly makes you "less smarter". Therefore, I have a few questions to ask the AN Cohort.

1. How much do you drink?
2. Did you ever drink U 18? If so, how much?
3. Do you think drinking has impacted on how "smart" you are?

Another point I want to raise is in relation to the underage drinking. So..I have a fair few friends my age who like to drink at parties and gatherings. Currently, I abstain from such practices after reading various reports on how it's bad for brain development and reduces thinking ability - which I don't want for VCE!!

Assuming I don't binge drink, and just say have the occasional drink here and there, will I be putting myself in much danger? That too, is there anything which is "good" in that sense, and then certain alcohol strengths or drinks I should avoid?

Feel free to pitch in, and share your advice or reply to the above questions. All is welcome!!

I look forward to hearing the discussion on this

[Russ]

I can do an effort post if you want to see some of the research but in general drinking socially isn't going to significantly affect brain development (socially means a beer with dinner or whatever, not cracking a case with some mates). You shouldn't avoid drinking solely because you don't want to impair your thinking ability.

I drank under 18 regularly, never really to excess other than my first horrible experiences with spirits. I don't think it really made be a different person or made it harder for me to work or study and I doubt you'd develop side effects so rapidly anyway.

[Tyleralp1]

Thanks a lot for you reply!! Don't worry about an effort post though.

Yea, I don't intend on doing it excessively. It's more so that I'm not really the odd one out as well.

What you said is reassuring - I'd hate to think drinking now would cost me marks in two-ish years time

[mishamigo]

Firstly, considering you're underage, ensure you have parental permission to consume any alcohol, in written form, to provide for the party host (and the police if anything bad happens!).
Also, I'm going to give my honest personal opinion, which some may disagree with. I'm totally cool with this, these are just my experiences and I'm only sharing so that others don't make some of the stupid choices I did, alcohol (in large doses) really is bad!!

1. I don't drink much at all now. I had a few drinks on Christmas and New Years (maybe more than a few on New Years...), but I don't drink in many situations. I used to drink at clubs, but stopped because I had a tendency of getting pretty messy and not dancing well at all, haha. I generally consume maybe 4 standard drinks in a month?

2. Yes, I drank under 18. Between 15 and 17 I drank too much. Like, bottle-of-vodka-at-once too much. There was a stage when I was drinking every weekend with my mates. Sometimes not even at a party, just meeting up in a park. Note that I do not condone this at all, looking back it was horrid and I wish I hadn't done it. During year 11, I returned to only drinking at 18ths, but I was still drinking quite a bit at these events. Then during year 12, I cut right back. By the time I was 18 I was drinking minimal amounts.

3. I think I've been pretty fortunate in having no serious ongoing repercussions of my binge drinking. That being said, I'm pretty sure that, yes, it has impacted my academic results, however generally only through over consumption.  Between hangovers and skipping classes to sleep in after a night out, I missed a decent chunk of school. It doesn't seem like much because it's only year 9/10, but these are the years that build the foundation for VCE. if I had paid more any attention in my advanced Maths classes back then, I would have done much better in methods in VCE. I also neglected studying to go out, effectively reducing my results. Also, I believe my memory isn't quite as efficient as it used to be, but nothing major.

In sum, I believe it is fine to consume limited amounts of alcohol on occasions, but not regularly, especially when underage. As Russ pointed out, social drinking generally doesn't have any major effects on development. If you're wanting to do it to fit in, just hold a bottle of coke, or an energy drink or something. If you do want to drink, keep it light, and I'd say discuss it with your parents or someone that knows you closely before you make a decision. As long as you don't neglect your studies, you will be fine.  Know yourself and know your limits, and (when it comes to alcohol consumption) stay within them!!!

[Aaron]

I drink once every couple of months, and I would have to say I've seen no real changes. I did tend to drink more when I was Under 18, and again, don't think that really made much difference. I think the key is to be sensible and don't over do it. Moderation is the key.

Of course, you would see some effects if you went out every weekend and had heaps, no doubt.

[itsdanny]

Firstly, considering you're underage, ensure you have parental permission to consume any alcohol, in written form, to provide for the party host (and the police if anything bad happens!).
Also, I'm going to give my honest personal opinion, which some may disagree with. I'm totally cool with this, these are just my experiences and I'm only sharing so that others don't make some of the stupid choices I did, alcohol (in large doses) really is bad!!

1. I don't drink much at all now. I had a few drinks on Christmas and New Years (maybe more than a few on New Years...), but I don't drink in many situations. I used to drink at clubs, but stopped because I had a tendency of getting pretty messy and not dancing well at all, haha. I generally consume maybe 4 standard drinks in a month?

2. Yes, I drank under 18. Between 15 and 17 I drank too much. Like, bottle-of-vodka-at-once too much. There was a stage when I was drinking every weekend with my mates. Sometimes not even at a party, just meeting up in a park. Note that I do not condone this at all, looking back it was horrid and I wish I hadn't done it. During year 11, I returned to only drinking at 18ths, but I was still drinking quite a bit at these events. Then during year 12, I cut right back. By the time I was 18 I was drinking minimal amounts.

3. I think I've been pretty fortunate in having no serious ongoing repercussions of my binge drinking. That being said, I'm pretty sure that, yes, it has impacted my academic results, however generally only through over consumption.  Between hangovers and skipping classes to sleep in after a night out, I missed a decent chunk of school. It doesn't seem like much because it's only year 9/10, but these are the years that build the foundation for VCE. if I had paid more any attention in my advanced Maths classes back then, I would have done much better in methods in VCE. I also neglected studying to go out, effectively reducing my results. Also, I believe my memory isn't quite as efficient as it used to be, but nothing major.

In sum, I believe it is fine to consume limited amounts of alcohol on occasions, but not regularly, especially when underage. As Russ pointed out, social drinking generally doesn't have any major effects on development. If you're wanting to do it to fit in, just hold a bottle of coke, or an energy drink or something. If you do want to drink, keep it light, and I'd say discuss it with your parents or someone that knows you closely before you make a decision. As long as you don't neglect your studies, you will be fine.  Know yourself and know your limits, and (when it comes to alcohol consumption) stay within them!!!

Wow, kind of enlightening to hear of similar experiences from other people. I was in the same boat during Year 10, but drugs also played a major role. To say the least, I would say my memory is the most affected, specifically the short-term. I'm not sure whether it was the alcohol or the drugs, or perhaps both, but definitely something that was overdone and I don't condone this to people who are incredibly unstable emotionally and/or psychologically (the repercussions are incredibly sad). I believe it is key to ensure to keep it in moderation, as with everything. I went through the same thing during Year 11 and 12, but definitely kept it in moderation, and although I have no regrets, I can't deny that it did not have an impact on my academic results. I had significant symptoms of liver damage in the middle of this year according to the diagnosis at my GP, and yet I've still been drinking from time to time in large amounts, definitely something I still need to work on, just don't make the same stupid decisions I made. I also definitely agree with missing out on the core and foundation that I could have learned in class, which definitely hit me back when it came to Year 11 and 12, having to learn the fundamentals of really basic things (and being scrutinised by the teacher on a daily basis) and attaining horrible results. However, in the end, a lot of people at my school were actually quite surprised at my final results given my past (I am still pretty stoked), but it goes to show that you can change and be the better version of yourself, it all has to do with your mindset and self-will. All the best for 2014.

[slothpomba]

Being on a forum with many studious people here, the topic of alcohol came into my mind. After reading up on a lot of doctor and scientific reports, it is claimed that alcohol is bad for brain development and supposedly makes you "less smarter". Therefore, I have a few questions to ask the AN Cohort.

Care to share those?

It depends where i am regarding how much i drink. If i'm at home, maybe once a week, if that (depends if we have anything around the house too), i might have a beer or glass of wine or two. It's good to relax while you're watching the soccer or just to have with a meal. If i'm not drinking something alcoholic, the only thing i ever drink is green tea. I don't drink soft-drinks or anything like that so it helps provide a bit of a "break" from where i usually get my fluids. If i'm out at a bar with my mates which maybe happens 2-3 times a month, i'll probably have significantly more than a few glasses.

I had a few drinks when i was under 18. It honestly isn't that big of a deal but i think it still should be kind of looked down upon just due to the potential of substance abuse and kids that age have less of an idea about the world. In European culture its quite OK, if not normal to maybe have a drink or two on very rare occasions like that. I have a few French friends who would have diluted wine when they were say 15...16.. etc. Similarly for a few of my Slavic/Baltic friends.

I think the important thing to realise is that 18 is somewhat of an arbitrary number. Any number we pick will always be arbitrary. Some people are more physically developed in terms of their ability to process drugs and toxins than others by that age, some people are more mentally, socially and emotionally developed by that age than others too. It really is up to the individual circumstances to a degree.

If you have a few drinks occasionally, it's not like you'll be permanently brain damaged for life. A few in moderation once every few months or in a month and you will likely be fine. Alcohol is only really dangerous if you abuse it on a consistent basis. The definition and amount needed to count as abuse varies but drinking every day, to get very intoxicated, obviously meets that definition. Thats where you enter into the territory of neurological damage and damage to the rest of your body. A few within a month and you will be very far away from this territory.

In Europe, before the water supplies were sanitary, it was normal to drink alcoholic drinks at every meal and kids also had watered down beer or wine. This is due to the fact that alcohol is an anti-bacterial and would kill some of the nasty stuff in the water supply of the time. People seemed to be more or less OK for that. Some people think it might be the reason why Europeans have robust alcohol processing genes, due to the fact it was drunk so often. People in Asia tended to prefer to boil their water to sanitize it (tea, etc) and this might be the origins of the lack of ability of some Asian people to process alcohol (just a bit of trivia for you).

[Tyleralp1]

Thank you all so much for your replies!!

Indeed I do sense the message here is to be responsible and do so in moderation. I appreciate you all sharing your experiences, on what to do, and advice on what not to do. Whilst not being formerly "medically correct", I do believe your anecdotes have provided me some reassurance that nothing too drastic would occur if I do begin to start drinking socially.

Feel free to keep the posts coming

[LastOfUs]

1. I don't drink unless my parents go away for a few days and I invite people over to get hammered, usually at my expense to download.
2. I am underage and yeah I do drink but rarely, only on those few times my parents go away.
3. Nope. I can say that the first time I actually drank to get drunk I got acute alcohol poisoning and blacked out. I didn't feel like myself for like a week and I was going through some crisis where I had a split personality disorder or something cause I felt completely foreign, when in fact I just destroyed myself. Worst week of my life in the lead up to my one YR12 exam.

Drinking is an Australian culture and despite this being an educational forum where the large majority would be induced into alcohol-abstanince, you can't really go wrong with the occasional drink. When I do drink however I never drink beer and always drink hard liquor such as bourbon or whiskey to have an almost immediate effect.

What I think would be an amazing thread topic would be marijuana during VCE - I've never touched any illicit drug in my life and I've researched alot about weed and I think it could actually be advantageous to deal with stress in particularly VCE which basically rules our life into adulthood.

[HossRyams]

1. Only at parties/events or when I go out with friends = Probably only once or twice a month? I pretty much didn't drink at all during Term 4 in my final year of VCE though.
2. Yes. Probably the same as I drink now except of course during SWOTVAC/exams. Eh. Started when I was in my late 16s.
3. Not at all. If anything I think if I never went out/had fun during VCE, I would've gone insane and would've hated Year 12 -> maybe give up, don't try. Then again, I'm not really big on drinking, it's just an occasion thing I do honestly know people who drink regularly who absolutely.... smashed VCE......... And I do know people who drink regularly who don't give a shit about school. So it really depends on the person all in all.

Edit: oh and I should mention that I generally drink in moderation anyway, and never get too crazy or anything.

[ShortBlackChick]

Firstly, considering you're underage, ensure you have parental permission to consume any alcohol, in written form, to provide for the party host (and the police if anything bad happens!).

I laughed when I read this, I mean imagine walking into a party and handing the host a consent letter first thing, but apparently it is the law!
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/aod/alcohol/alcohol-law.htm

It is the law, but I havent seen it in practise anywhere. First, I doubt whether most kids have parental permission to drink in the first place and second it just sounds ridiculous to implement.

Not having a go at aj, but the law itself

[vox nihili]

1. I don't. I'm a diseased pain in the arse though, so that's mainly why. Although I kind of like the sanctimony that comes from not drinking alcohol.
2. I did, but not really. I'd have a cider at home or something like that, because I quite like the taste. Also, trying various things of course. A sip of dad's beer or wine when I was a kid. All those beautiful Australian traditions.
3. Obviously not because the most I ever drank in one sitting was only slightly more than one standard drink.

Drinking to get drunk is a big no-no. Don't do it. Despite the fact that a lot of people your age do and that it seems the "normal" thing to do, it's really not. It's best to avoid that kind of drinking, because that is quite obviously damaging and leads to a higher risk of having an accident of some sort etc. Not going to bore anyone with the details of that, seeing as it's shoved in our face so often.

Underage you probably shouldn't drink at all. Just say no to people if they offer. Wait until you're 18, and then try it responsibly. Don't quote me on it, but I'm fairly sure it is now illegal in Victoria to supply anyone under the age of 18 with alcohol, even if you are their parent. I know that's pretty commonplace in all states, and am fairly sure that Victoria was one of the last to do away with it. Those laws are there to protect people and are based fairly broadly on the latest medical evidence about how to stem the problem. The later you're exposed to alcohol, the better

Edit: from the link that ShortBlackChick supplied above, I apparently got it wrong sorry. It was my understanding that Victoria had changed its system to completely ban supply of alcohol to underagers. This is incorrect. It is with parental permission. In other states though, I'm fairly sure it's illegal all together. Perhaps there was a push in Victoria to adopt that system as well, alas, not yet Sorry about that!

[Russ]

There is nowhere in Australia where it is completely illegal for parents to give their children alcohol to drink? Some places won't let you do it in public restaurants but it's legal everywhere in the home afaik

[vox nihili]

There is nowhere in Australia where it is completely illegal for parents to give their children alcohol to drink? Some places won't let you do it in public restaurants but it's legal everywhere in the home afaik

I just had a quick look around, because after I realised that the first thing I said was bullshit, I better actually check my facts. New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Tassie all allow a guardian/parent to supply. Western Australia, it's illegal full stop to supply to a minor.

[Russ]

Really? That's so dumb, ugh. Although it explains a lot about Perth I guess.