I can count the number of times I’ve been drunk in my life on one hand. I’ve been there, done that with alcohol and I’m over it. In fact, I haven’t had a drink in more than three years and I really don’t get the obsession with it.
- It’s not good for your health. Study after study has proven that drinking is bad for you. Forget those random studies that say wine can help you live longer—the overwhelming consensus is that there’s literally no level of drinking alcohol that’s safe. Excessive consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning, increased blood pressure and cholesterol, the weakening of your immune system, and even organ failure. Is it really worth it? I don’t think so.
- It makes people act like idiots. If you’ve ever been sober on a night out around a bunch of drunk people, you know how true this is. Drinking makes people loud, obnoxious, and sometimes even violent. How many fights have broken out between drunk people at a bar? How many bad decisions have been made under the influence of alcohol? Sure, you may want to unwind, but find another way that doesn’t make you forget or regret what happened the next morning.
- You’re not cool for getting wasted every weekend. There’s nothing more immature than people who think they’re the life of the party who are doing life right because they go out every weekend and get off their heads drunk and then spend Sunday hungover and unable to get out of bed. That might be fun when you’re 21, but by the time you’re nearing 30, it’s time to get a grip.
- It ruins relationships. While some studies have suggested that couples who drink together are happier, I’m skeptical about how true that actually is. In fact, I would go so far as to say that alcohol actually ruins relationships and tears families apart. Alcoholism is a serious issue that affects couples, parents, children, siblings, friends, and everyone in between. Is a beverage really worth losing what’s most valuable in life?
- It doesn’t even taste good. To each their own on this one, but wine and beer are gross and cocktails are so excessively sweet in large part that you might as well just pour yourself a glass of non-alcoholic juice and get on with your day without all the terrible side effects (or the high price tag). I’d much rather have a freshly brewed iced coffee or even a Diet Coke.
- It’s the only drug you have to justify NOT taking. Seriously, if someone offered you heroin tomorrow and you declined, chances are they wouldn’t press the issue and you wouldn’t be seen as a “loser” or be told that you “need to loosen up” because of it. Not the case with alcohol! Even well into adulthood, the peer pressure to drink is insane. When you tell people you’re cool with having a non-alcoholic drink, they look at you like you have two heads or tell you that “one won’t hurt.” It’s literally insane.
- It’s an unnecessary crutch. There are many people who claim that alcohol is a great social lubricant, and while I’m sure that’s true, is that really a good thing? If you need a drink every time you leave the house or whenever you hang out with a certain group of people to be able to cope with it, I think counseling might be a more worthwhile use of your time and money. I don’t say that flippantly at all—I truly believe that using alcohol as a crutch is a serious problem that will only get worse over time.
- It’s definitely not necessary to have a good time. For those who drink to kick back and unwind, I have to wonder if they have no other hobbies. Is there anything wrong with having an occasional glass of wine or a beer just because you want it? Of course not. But if the first idea that pops into your mind when you think about having fun involves alcohol, that’s an issue. There are so many awesome things to do in the world that don’t include alcohol—you just have to broaden your horizons.
