The perils of drink...where the English and Scottish are top of the league....

[mudsticks]

Binge drinking
People drink more in France on average, but it is a different kind of drinking

I remember someone i know, who works in substance abuse saying that middle class 'functioning alcoholics' would often decamp to France to live in later life, because somehow opening several bottles of cheap vino at lunchtime over there was seen as altogether 'classier' or more culturally acceptable than starting in on the Lambrini at midday over here

Funny / Not Funny

 

[Eziemnaik]

The thing is sometimes you can have a bottle of wine and a glass Pernod or Ximenez with your lunch and you will probably be fine. If you do the same on a Friday night bender you will probably get wasted

 

[Dirk]

I was amazed to see that Afghanistan and Iran have a higher consumption of alcohol than the UK.
Must be a lot of sneaky beggars over there, considering tbey are Islamic.

 

[Eziemnaik]

Apparently the illcit market is massive in dry countries. Lawrence Osbourne described the situation in Pakistan where 1 distillery exports 5% of its products and the rest is drunk illegally by natives.
In Saudi Arabia it is quite common for poisoning from drinking perfumes to happen.

 

[Blue Hills]

In Saudi Arabia it is quite common for poisoning from drinking perfumes to happen.

Interesting factoid there - puts a new spin on
"I could smell alcohol on their breath"

 

[keithmac]

My best friends dad was an alcoholic, a proper one. He used to drink aftershave or anything else he could get his hands on.

My mate would see him asleep on the grass verge on his way home from school (plus everyone else).

Was in hospital years back really ill and they said one more drink could finish him off, he's still with us has gone tea total which is a massive achievement.

My dad likes a drink as well, I don't believe he was always the nicest person either after a few pints..

 

[mudsticks]

The thing is sometimes you can have a bottle of wine and a glass Pernod or Ximenez with your lunch and you will probably be fine. If you do the same on a Friday night bender you will probably get wasted

Yup but I think a whole bottle, or more with lunch everyday, is likely a 'problem' amount.

Not being judgemental.. It's just not good for your body.

I like a drink myself, nice beer or wine or whatever, a couple of nights a week, its just knowing when to stop.

And not using it as a 'coping' strategy for dealing with other stuff.

I grew up with an alcoholic in the family - it's not great

 

[oldworld]

I remember someone i know, who works in substance abuse saying that middle class 'functioning alcoholics' would often decamp to France to live in later life, because somehow opening several bottles of cheap vino at lunchtime over there was seen as altogether 'classier' or more culturally acceptable than starting in on the Lambrini at midday over here

Funny / Not Funny

That's pretty accurate for some that came here (not me, I prefer English bitter).
A common series of events will have been.
1. Sell a house in the UK and buy a much bigger house here for less money.
2. Start to drink during the day and begin to burn through the money (booze is cheap but still not free)
3. Sell the big house and move to a smaller one.
4. Repeat until moving into a mobile home.
We have one such group who live on a nearby campsite all year.
God help us, they've even created an English pub.
They make zero effort to integrate and I guess many would rather be in the UK if they could afford to.

Having a drink is OK but I've two friends who've wrecked their livers by excessive drinking. They blame their working lives for this where drink was a big factor and when deals were done. Both were warned years ago about their drinking but ignored the advice. Too late now and both on borrowed time

 

[tom73]

Drink has a really bad habit of creeping up on you. No set's out to have problem what's moderation to one is a problem for others.
We have a heck of a lot more "functioning alcoholics" out and about than many think. we also have plenty who have that bottle or two in the evening. Then get in the car in the morning and think nothing about it.

 

[Eziemnaik]

Yup but I think a whole bottle, or more with lunch everyday, is likely a 'problem' amount.

Not being judgemental.. It's just not good for your body.

I like a drink myself, nice beer or wine or whatever, a couple of nights a week, its just knowing when to stop.

And not using it as a 'coping' strategy for dealing with other stuff.

I grew up with an alcoholic in the family - it's not great

We can all agree moderation is the key.
Alcohol is here for us to enjoy, some people will never be able to learn where are the limits.

 

[mudsticks]

We can all agree moderation is the key.
Alcohol is here for us to enjoy, some people will never be able to learn where are the limits.

Sure its fine in moderation.

And maybe there will always be some people with alcohol problems, but we could probably arrange things so there were fewer.

Such as making it easier to ask for help with sorting some of the problems that alcohol is often used to mask.

 

[Pale Rider]

Apparently the illcit market is massive in dry countries.

A mate worked in Saudia Arabia.

A contact of his in the British embassy placed an order for a few plastic dustbins.

He wanted them for brewing, but was sent metal ones.

 

[Hover Fly]

I remember someone i know, who works in substance abuse saying that middle class 'functioning alcoholics' would often decamp to France to live in later life, because somehow opening several bottles of cheap vino at lunchtime over there was seen as altogether 'classier' or more culturally acceptable than starting in on the Lambrini at midday over here

Funny / Not Funny

Back when I lived in a chateau in the Sauternes area I avoided ex-pats in Bordeaux like the plague. They thought nothing of trying to get invited down for the weekend, even after just a chance 5minute chat in a shop. Meanwhile I was getting sick of the sight and smell of the stuff, to the point of aversion.