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Poll: On an average night out, how much alcohol would you drink?

Total votes to date: 512

* Please note that the results of the online poll represent just a snapshot of opinion from the site members who participate. The results of each poll do not necessarily represent the national picture. Participants are only allowed to vote once in each poll.

Anonymous   Posted: 26/05/2003 13:12

I ticked 5-10 drinks on an average night out, but as I don't go out very often (about once a month) I consider this to be OK. However I have been in the position in the past of being totally incapacitated from drinking too much and I don't much like being in that position either. As I get older and have a bit more sense, I can usually stop drinking when my body says "enough!"

Anonymous   Posted: 27/05/2003 10:26

The first poster has defined binge drinking - they are drinking too much in one sitting but believe it's alright because they don't do it very often. That kind of sums up the Irish mentality I think - I am guilty of it myself, only drinking once a week but going overboard on these occassions...

Anonymous   Posted: 27/05/2003 13:29

I think that it's not so much the drinking when you go out as much as the cans bottles drank at home. I find that talking to people they are not as inclined to go out anymore as it's too expensive but sometimes drink too much at home.I find this is the case and likely to continue. How does society police that ?

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 13:43

A core issue is culture - behaviour we condone and tolerate. If this were an infectious disease there would be behavioural studies to provide evidence for interventions. Health promotion to change and sustain behaviour modification and other measures. Restriction on supply and "policing" will push things underground - education and some maturity about the issue is required. There are probably a lot of other benefits that would come apart from a reduction in anti-social behaviour.

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 14:30

You do not have a box for none, does this indicate a view of the person who drew up the form??

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 15:51

I ticked the 5-10 drinks a week box. I drink only at the weekend and on the very rare occasion, I have a glass of wine with my dinner during the week. But saying that at the weekend, I definitely go overboard on the drink. It is a stupid thing really but one day I know I will have more sense about it.

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 16:05

There is an assumption in this poll that you have to drink alcohol on a night out. It is not necessary to drink/get drunk in order to have a good time. I used to be a very heavy drinker, but now my average consumption would be 1 drink on a night out (mainly because of drink-driving laws)and I find I enjoy my nights out much more and remember them!

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 16:08

I drink, on average, around 4 to 5 litres of beer per day. Is this bad?

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 16:25

I totally agree with the post that said that much more drinking is done at home, but in my case it is done at home and followed up by heading out. The price of drink has led to people consuming alcohol at home and then going out so that they don't have to pay the prices charged for drink in nightclubs. However this leads to worse binging because we are trying to drink much more before we go out so we won't be buying it in pubs/nightclubs. This will continue especially if prices continue to rise.

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 19:26

I imagine its a cultural thing that we drink so much. Also we have that silly macho thing about it which adds to the problem add in greedy publicians and increased spending power and you got a pretty powerful cocktail !!!

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 19:40

I ticket around 5 drinks though I think I was conservative. I would agree with who ever made the point that it is part of our culture. In fact there seems to be cultural status associated with the amount an individual can drink and still remain standing. Are we really that shallow as a nation?

Anonymous   Posted: 28/05/2003 21:11

The fact that (including myself)everyone wishes to remain annonymous for this poll, suggests to me that we do feel very guilty about out drinking.... I am like the guy above (it has to be a guy if it's beer!) I drink a bottle of wine a day - is this bad????

colm(pulsar)  Posted: 28/05/2003 21:59

A LOT OF CONTRIBUTORS SEEM TO BE USING THE MESSAGE BOARD AS A KIND OF CONFESSION BOX. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE DRINKERS WHO ARE HARMING THEMSELVES AND CAUSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS WILL NOT SUBMIT ANY MESSAGES HERE AS THEY ARE USUALLY IN DENIAL AND IT CAUSES THEM PAIN TO FACE UP TO THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE. I DON'T THINK IRELAND IS UNIQUE IN ITS DRINKING PATTERNS BUT MAYBE WE ARE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF IT AND LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/05/2003 08:52

To the person who says they drink 4-5 litres of beer a night, if you are not just taking the mickey, of course this is bad and you are an alcoholic. I live with a person who drinks at home and it is sometimes unbearable. Since the price of the drink went up this person does not go to the pub anymore even though I wish they would so I don't have to see how much they drink. I love a few drinks as much as the next person but I could go months without a drink and wouldn't care if I never had a drink again. Alcohol destroys lives if taken to excess. I don't want to be a killjoy or anything but when it is acceptable in a society to drink as much as we do we forget the effect it has on families and loved ones in the later stages of alcoholism.

Jim(Jimgclarke)  Posted: 29/05/2003 10:45

We don't drink socially in Ireland as they do on the continent and elesewhere. We binge drink, swilling large quantities over periods of hours without eating in the interim. we all know that moderate alcohol drinking (a glass of wine or dark beer each day) has minor health benefits, but the damage done by the way Irish people drink, shocking the system, is disastrous to the body.

Anonymous   Posted: 03/06/2003 19:33

Bless me father for I have sined, I confess I did it I drank as much as anyone else and went home with the pockets empty afterwards. Then I eventually counted the cost of it and the cigs and I gave it all up!.Like some of you I switched to drinking at home and going out at the weekends , and when I came home from the pub I had one or two out of the fridge. It went on and on,I decided one day to give it a rest, and I go weeks or months without a drink. Thankfully now it doesen't rule me anymore, I'm the one now that calls the shots! and I don't drink at home anymore, I can see the differance in my pocket too. [WLT]

Anonymous   Posted: 05/06/2003 16:08

I would drink 2-3 Drinks

Edel(edelflan)  Posted: 05/06/2003 16:33

Certainly, the current focus on alcohol is very welcome and I agree that changes are required in many areas in relation to alcohol. Nonetheless, the majority of us do not cause public disorder or arrive in A&E inebriated or even stagger home,but there seems to be an increasing sense that having a few drinks(even 5!)on a Saturday night is tantamount to social deviancy.Surely, that is not the avenue we want to pursue. A more balanced approach to changing the pattern of use and attitudes towards alcohol is what is required rather than its total demonization.

Anonymous   Posted: 06/06/2003 23:16

None.I dont drink alcohol.

Anonymous   Posted: 11/06/2003 15:08

I drink 3 or 4 alcoholic drinks spaced out with mineral water or diet coke (there's enough sugar in alcohol and I don't need any more from soft drinks). The price of soft drinks and mineral water in pubs is prohibitive - if they were cheaper people might be more willing to drink less. When I go home from the pub I drink a pint of water with a rubex tablet dissolved in it to give my body a chance to recover from the alcohol.

Anonymous   Posted: 16/06/2003 11:20

I think the "problem" is caused by the vast amount of fun most people have when they meet up in the pub. I'm not talking about the lunatics downing vodka slammers all night and then going out and beating someone up. I know from my own experience that the laugh I have with my buddies in the bar is so good that sometimes you end up having more that you should (about 6 pints beer total). 6 pints would be very normal as far as I can gather from watching the drinking habits of people over the years. If we weren't such a social bunch I think we would not have the issues that we do. I have been in French bars and it all seems rather boring you don't get the interaction you do over here. And yes I do give up the drink for a few months every year so I can go out and have a laugh without booze. Maybe its just habit that we drink so much!

Pol(dublingurrier)  Posted: 04/10/2003 11:57

None.

Anonymous   Posted: 29/08/2004 21:14

I drink usually on a Friday, when we gather at a mate's garage, about ten of us, all aged 35-45. I drink about three pint bottles of 5% Steinlager, and then we go to my place, where I have a bar out the back. At that point I guess I could drink another three to eight pints. That would get me wrecked. Usually I'll have a weak joint and then temper the drinking a bit. I like to have my head together for the kids, in case there's an emergency or something. I understand I fit the bill as a binge drinker, but I'm fine with that. I can happily go three weeks without a drink at all, but with the pressures of life, every now and again you need to just stop and get off for a few hours.

Anonymous   Posted: 30/09/2004 23:22

ive read everyones veiws and i would say im a binge drinker ; or maybe i may have a problem i dont drink every day i can drinkabout 2 days out of 8 weeks but its upsetting my family so its obviously a problem i dont suppose i look lovely hammerd out of my head but i never actually mean to get drunk do any of you think i have a problem

Anonymous   Posted: 02/03/2006 16:09

I have had the same problem for years now. I binge drink and cant control it. Some horrible things have happened to me. I have hurt myself and got into stupid situations. I have felt guilty the following morning and for days after and then it all starts again. I am now in the process of saying enough is enough and do i have to stop completely. I love a glass of wine with a meal out and wish i could stop after 1 or two but it doesnt work all of the time. I only drink socially and when i am in certain company. It seems there are a lot of people out there with the same problem. Is there any support to help us with it. I would welcome any comments.

creambun  Posted: 02/03/2006 20:00

i go out most weekends wen i hav the chance.i wud spend on average 60-80 euros and it is always a good nite.no fights or rows just a good laugh wit my friends.

mareo  Posted: 03/04/2006 12:22

three is mylimit. if i drink any more i get a headache between the eyes the next day.

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