Boards
Brittney shown drinking some wine with her fam.
We know, we know, a lot of teens drink lots of liquor for fun (which you shouldn’t do until you’re 21, but we’ll stop preaching now). But where do you draw the line between alcoholism and just plain ol’ partying?
Last night’s episode of Intervention brought up this issue with Brittney, a 24-year-old gURL who her family claims is an alcoholic. But according to Brittney, she’s just acting like any other normal gURL her age. She says, “When I do go out for a drink, I go overboard. But ask anybody: who doesn’t go out to drink and get completely messed up?”
During the episode, Brittney is never really shown drunk. Her mom and sister talk about the crazy stuff she does when she goes out drinking, like blacking out, going home with the wrong guys, and passing out at friends’ houses. But think about how many times other teens and young adults do the same thing — binge drinking and making stupid decisions is usually just considered partying, especially in college.
So what’s the difference between having a few drinks every day and pounding back shots and beers every weekend? What’s the difference between the people who feel like they need alcohol on a daily basis, and people who feel like they need it on Saturdays in order to have a good time?
WDYT, gURLs? Where do you draw the line between partying and having an addiction? How often do you and your friends drink? Do you feel like binge drinking to have fun is totally normal? Discuss below!
Can You Trust Him?
Just because you are at a party, does not mean you have to go drink. and if you go to a party, and you or the people there are not 21, and above, you don’t need to be there in the first place, and 2nd, you don’t need to pick up any type of drink. If you go to a party, you can talk w/friends, dance, have fun. Getting pissy drunk and tipsy certainly isn’t cute (in my opinion) and you can have fun w/o getting wasted.
Whats the point of going to a party and knowing you may forget about all the fun you just had the next day… just because you drunk.
Drinking is something you should limit yourself too. If you get around alcohol and you cant help yourself, and its ruining your life, and your physical and mental state, i think that is a characteristic of an alcoholic and you should practice self control.
But go to a party, have FUN! Don’t get behind the wheel after you had alcohol. Please. I hate turning on the news and seeing a great night being tragic because of a DUMB decision.
Be smart.
If you’re drinking every week to the point of getting drunk (which i consider being sloppy, falling, blacking out, getting belligerent, basically you can’t think straight or make decisions like you normally would) then you’re binge drinking. If you can’t spend one Friday or Saturday night without drinking than it could be considered alcoholism in my eyes. And if your friends know you get too crazy when you drink and continuously shove drinks in your hands despite you saying a serious “No” it’s probably either because they don’t want to be the only drunk girl there, or they just want you to lighten up, which you don’t necessarily need to drink for!
A lot of people I know have been partying and drinking so much they’ve forgotten how to have fun outside of that, even I did for a while. (When I was about 17, I’m 19 now.) They can’t go to a place and hang out with people with out something to drink. (I had this problem for a while because of my challenges over coming my immense shyness -__- but eventually I realized I could fight it without alcohol.) When they get into that every weekend “trashed” cycle it’s a sad thing to watch, because their life becomes so empty, superficial, and repetitive they can’t find happiness in anything except getting wasted.
One of the biggest signs of an alcoholic to me is someone who not only is completely dependent on alcohol for social interactions, but they even drink (to the point of being tipsy/drunk) by themselves to make daily life easier or forget about sad things. This is when you should really be concerned for your friends/family because they’re using alcohol as a crutch or to run away from their problems. If they can’t even remember who they hooked up with, or getting naked, fighting someone, or driving, these are also things to be very concerned about. They might say “they’re just having fun” “living it up” or being “adventurous” but when those things start happening, it’s more than that, and those are just excuses to make themselves feel better about it.
Remember to be supportive and understanding and not just a preacher. And also don’t act like you’re better than them, some people just get lost! But also, don’t let them bring you down, if you find that several people in your life are like this and they won’t change for you or themselves despite your efforts, maybe it’s time for some new friends, one’s that will lift you up and be there for you and not just consumed with their own problems and having fun all the time.
Hope this helps people out there. My mom was a serious alcoholic for years and it ruined our relationship, and I in turn, went to alcohol, parties, drugs and all the wrong guys to distract myself and “have fun”, and was depressed and lost, but I dug my way out of that hole and it feels like I’m watching some of my friends dig their way into it. Every one is fighting their own battle, so just try to help each other out and keep your head above water.
P.S. I still drink on occasion, but I have self control now, and it feels great not to be the sloppy drunk girl at the party and still have fun (without looking like a damn fool.) lol
i dont think pounding the beers once in a while but ive seen alcholism first hand and it ruins who you are and how people see. WINE ONLY B*TCHES!
Think about the first time you went overboard, you probably had maybe 3 beers? But as you get older you kinda have more of a tolerance and you can handle more alcohol. I think we need to be in tune with how our bodies work and what are tolerance levels are. Think about it: You go to your first party and its with older kids and you have never had alcohol before, the older experienced drinkers are going to start drinking a lot more, remember NEVER to feel pressured to stay on par and drink the same they drink. You should never have drinking challenges since everyone is SO different. But hey, a beer bong doesn’t count
For some people its just not necessary to drink in order to have fun, but i mean i think i gets you on the mood, i drink every weekend and im 16 but i almost never get drunk and never black out, and its totally normal cause i live in Mexico.
I think that you don’t have to drink to have fun and if someone influences you to have a drink your mind isn’t strong. and it is not good to drink if your under 21 and if your over 21 and can handle it is OK to drink !
I think that you can have fun without alcohol. I think it’s fine to have a few drinks, but getting drunk is not needed. I personally don’t and have never drank alcohol before. i’ve seen the way my dad get’s i never wanna be in fear of being an alcoholic so i hope to never drink it.
I don’t agree with binge drinking. I drink ever now and then. But binge drinking is not partying. Blacking out and passing out and going home with random guys isn’t partying either. It’s just being an idiot. People can die from alcohol poisoning.
I don’t drink. On occassion, I’ll have a beer with my boyfriend or with my friends, but other than that, drinking just doesn’t appeal to me. Even in a small town with very little to do, I make my own entertainment by going out and hiking, playing video games with my boyfriend, or just whatever. Even when I go to parties, I never drink. I’m always the sober one. I’m the one that gets all my friends home safely. I guess from my point of view, everyone has a little bit of alcoholism in them if they drink a lot. If you drink a lot, you’re already well on your way to becoming an alcoholic. If you know when to quit and step over that line, you’re probably going to be dependent on alcohol at some point in your life. If you use alcohol to drown your sorrows, you’re more than halfway there. And then, when you’re completely dependent on it, you are an alcoholic. I understand drinking at a party to have fun, but you can have plenty of fun without the drinking. Watching other drunk people is rather entertaining. Just make sure you’re not the only sober one so you don’t have to take care of all the drunk people yourself.
Besides, partying and drinking all the time can give you a seriously bad reputation. If you plan on going into a Law Enforcement career like I do, if you get caught doing anything illegal, even the smallest thing, it really could keep you out of a job. Not only that, but if you have a bad reputation because of it, people will certainly treat you differently.
I drink every weekend . I live in a small town where there is nothing to do for fun except for partying . Everyone that I hang out with drinks all the time , and its almost like thats all we ever talk about anymore ..
thats being an alcoholic
ps.iloveyouxo couldn’t be more right. If you can’t go a day without alcohol, simple you’re an alcoholic.
Where do you draw the line between partying and having an addiction?
If you can’t party without alcohol, it’s an addiction.
How often do you and your friends drink?
Not very often, I don’t go out and drink with my friends becaue I’m only 14 but I’ve drunk alcohol before, with parents’ permission. Not to the extent of getting drunk, only a couple of drinks or so.
Do you feel like binge drinking to have fun is totally normal?
It might be seen as normal if you’re trying to fit in, but no. In my opinion it’s not.
you’re an alcoholic when you depend on alcohol every day and need it to get through your day. You’re partying or “binge drinking” when you’re at a party and you have one to many. http://t.co/b5aa1H5
I agree with the gurl “ps” above the difference is when your an alcoholic you need to drink and need to be under the influence of alcohol to live a “normal” life. Sadly when someone gets to that point it makes their attitudes completly change. But if you feel like you need to drink to have a good time thats nothing. Some people will even say they needed a little liquid corage do something that normaly they wouldnt do. Like get up and actually dance at a club. (who doesnt know one of these chicks) lol
“What’s the difference between the people who feel like they need alcohol on a daily basis, and people who feel like they need it on Saturdays in order to have a good time?”
People who feel they NEED alcohol on a daily basis, in my opinion, are alcoholics. If you can not go ONE day with out a drink, you have serious problem. I’m studying Psychology with a focus on Substance Abuse Counseling, so this is very serious topic to me. I didn’t watch Brittany’s episode, but just by some of the facts in this article, she doesn’t sound like an alcoholic to me. She just sounds like the average 24 year old girl who likes to go out and have a good time, which there is nothing wrong with that. Although, that’s how alcoholism begins. This behavior, especially if frequent will definitely lead to problems down the road.
It is possible to have a good time without alcohol. It most cases, especially during the college years, students feel it’s a necessity for the perfect night. Ahem, I have to disagree. Once again, too much partying and constant drinking just gives you a bad reputation and like I said before, can cause major health problems as the consumer progresses through life.
My friends and I drink everyday that i feel like i cant go to bed without some alcohol. then one time when i tried not having one before bed time. i realized that it’s all BS. Besides, I can party with my friends without alcohol. but if they wont let me, then i guess they’re not my friends after all.