Australian Politics Forum - Alcoholisim in Australia

1993Zebra New Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 22 Queensland Gender:	Alcoholisim in Australia May 23^rd, 2013 at 6:37pm After reading quite the eye opening book, 'Sobriety High: My year without booze' by Jill Stark, it got me thinking. Now this question isn't about whether you have read the book, but whether you think that alcoholism is a problem in Australian's today?
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mantra Gold Member Offline ozpolitic.com Posts: 10750 Gender:	Re: Alcoholisim in Australia Reply #1 - May 23^rd, 2013 at 7:17pm Alcoholism is a huge problem in Australia especially for our youth. It is available almost around the clock and clubs and pubs stay open until 5 or 6 am. We have become a nation of very heavy drinkers - probably on par or worse than the UK. In another 20 years, next to obesity, cirrhosis will be the big killer.
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John Smith

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #2 - May 23^rd, 2013 at 7:34pm

it's not just Australia, we just like to think we do everything bigger and better than everyone else, that includes drinking ...

I met a Englishman who used to drink a case (24) longnecks every night (for those who don't know their beers, that 750ml bottles) ... bugger me, now he could drink ... have to hand it to him though, every morning he was up at 5am for a 5 mile (not km) run ... to be fair, he used to work for the British navy, Submariner, so he could have just been trying to make up for the months at sea without any beer.

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Mnemonic Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 1530 Melbourne Gender:	Re: Alcoholisim in Australia Reply #3 - May 23^rd, 2013 at 9:39pm I don't get it. What is it with alcohol? What's its appeal? I enjoy soft drinks, but I get little pleasure in drinking something that burns my throat and makes my cheeks go red. Give me a Coca Cola, Sprite or Fanta any day.
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Amadd

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #4 - May 23^rd, 2013 at 10:55pm

It's a work hard play hard attitude we have here in the west.

I think that pressures are greater than ever before and getting worse, so people look for a quick relaxation fix that is not natural and not sustainable.

If it's not the grog, it will be something else; sex, gambling, drugs, etc.
Time rarely permits pastimes that bring about a natural state of relaxation, and that ability I think gets lost in the ether for a lot of people, sometimes never to return.

I watched a TV show last night which displayed how the (mostly) young English tourists behave when they engulf the once sleepy Thai island of Koh Phangan for the fabled full moon party, which is actually a tourist invention.
They make an absolute mess of the island and themselves, but it's good business for the bemused Thais who fuel them with bucket loads of cheap alcohol.

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Mnemonic

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #5 - May 23^rd, 2013 at 11:10pm

Amadd wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 10:55pm:

If it's not the grog, it will be something else; sex, gambling, drugs, etc.

I think video games and masturbation are a better option.

Amadd wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 10:55pm:

I watched a TV show last night which displayed how the (mostly) young English tourists behave when they engulf the once sleepy Thai island of Koh Phangan for the fabled full moon party, which is actually a tourist invention. They make an absolute mess of the island and themselves, but it's good business for the bemused Thais who fuel them with bucket loads of cheap alcohol.

I don't know why anyone would want to go to a distant land where the laws are different to their own, muck around and abuse their own bodies with dangerous chemicals without fear of the consequences. You could end up in jail, find you've been robbed, bashed up, shot, killed or that you're in a far worse state than ever before. Cheesy

The only reason I can think of is peer pressure. Your friends wanted to go and you didn't want to miss out.

Well for me the answer is no!!!!!! I would not go to Thai with a bunch of friends who don't respect their bodies or their personal security enough to not engage in something so reckless.

Oh BTW, was it The Hangover? That's American.

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Amadd Gold Member Offline Mo Posts: 6217	Re: Alcoholisim in Australia Reply #6 - May 24^th, 2013 at 1:08am Quote: I think video games and masturbation are a better option. They're in the "etc." category. It's a fantastic country and it's a bit of a pity that a lot of young westerners don't get to appreciate it any more than their local boozer.
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Sir Spot of Borg

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #7 - May 24^th, 2013 at 4:14am

mantra wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 7:17pm:

Alcoholism is a huge problem in Australia especially for our youth. It is available almost around the clock and clubs and pubs stay open until 5 or 6 am.

We have become a nation of very heavy drinkers - probably on par or worse than the UK.

In another 20 years, next to obesity, cirrhosis will be the big killer.

Alcoholism and obesity are causes not diseases. Cirrhosis and ???? i think you meant but what is the ????

SOB

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Sir Spot of Borg

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #8 - May 24^th, 2013 at 4:20am

Mnemonic wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 9:39pm:

I don't get it. What is it with alcohol? What's its appeal? I enjoy soft drinks, but I get little pleasure in drinking something that burns my throat and makes my cheeks go red. Give me a Coca Cola, Sprite or Fanta any day. Shocked

IMO soft drinks are as bad as alcohol. They are full of sugar (like alcohol) and they are jus tas bad for your liver and kidneys. If you are prone to liver problems you shouldn't drink either although i read something recently about how no amount of alcohol is a safe amount it was prolly propaganda aimed @ taxing alcohol.

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miketrees

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #9 - May 24^th, 2013 at 5:19am

I think alcohol is a huge problem in Australia.

We have been conned by the alcohol industry to accept alcohol misuse as "normal"
I see so many people that can not function unless they have a supply on hand at sport, any social function , after work, just about anywhere.
That is seen as normal, whereas I think that is abnormal.
If you cant go out on any social event and not have to worry about the logistics of how you will have alcohol on hand, that is abnormal.
Like , fishing trips , camping, shooting, sports events,kids picnics so many places where the use of alcohol is down right dangerous, yet so many see it as normal.

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1993Zebra

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #10 - May 24^th, 2013 at 9:09am

Mnemonic wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 9:39pm:

I don't get it. What is it with alcohol? What's its appeal? I enjoy soft drinks, but I get little pleasure in drinking something that burns my throat and makes my cheeks go red. Give me a Coca Cola, Sprite or Fanta any day. Shocked

In my opinion? People drink because it's the social thing to do, some feel pressured into it because their friends are drinking and they get cut out because they are not.

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"Roses are red, Violets are blue.
Living like this, We are already dead."

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... Gold Member Offline Posts: 23673 WA Gender:	Re: Alcoholisim in Australia Reply #11 - May 24^th, 2013 at 9:11am Mnemonic wrote on May 23^rd, 2013 at 9:39pm: I don't get it. What is it with alcohol? What's its appeal? Erm...you have tried alcohol before, haven't you?
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mantra

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #12 - May 24^th, 2013 at 9:47am

miketrees wrote on May 24^th, 2013 at 5:19am:

I think alcohol is a huge problem in Australia.

We have been conned by the alcohol industry to accept alcohol misuse as "normal"
I see so many people that can not function unless they have a supply on hand at sport, any social function , after work, just about anywhere.
That is seen as normal, whereas I think that is abnormal.
If you cant go out on any social event and not have to worry about the logistics of how you will have alcohol on hand, that is abnormal.
Like , fishing trips , camping, shooting, sports events,kids picnics so many places where the use of alcohol is down right dangerous, yet so many see it as normal.

That's exactly right. The message to people now is to accept that it's "normal" to drink on every occasion and young people are killing themselves with their binges and everyday drinking. Everyone else does it - so it has to be normal.

As little as 20 years ago in NSW - pubs weren't open on Sunday and they closed their doors at 10 or 11 - now they're open all night. Bottle shops are open 24/7 and clubs are just as bad.

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on May 24^th, 2013 at 4:14am:

Alcoholism and obesity are causes not diseases. Cirrhosis and ???? i think you meant but what is the ????

Cirrhosis of the liver.

I wasn't consistent in my description. Obviously obesity must cause some serious problems, otherwise there wouldn't be so many warnings about it. Maybe heart disease, stroke etc. similar to problems with excessive drinking, except obesity would cause a fatty liver whereas alcohol causes cirrhosis.

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JC Denton Gold Member Offline Posts: 5471 Gender:	Re: Alcoholisim in Australia Reply #13 - May 24^th, 2013 at 12:59pm alcohol aint that great. the taste is ok (in the right drinks like beer) buyt hard liquor is nasty as fuvk. getting drunk gets old fast and the health drawbacks/hangovers negate the enjoyment you get from it. people my age have become social scrubs who cant function without it as a crutch.
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Rider

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Re: Alcoholisim in Australia
Reply #14 - May 24^th, 2013 at 2:39pm

miketrees wrote on May 24^th, 2013 at 5:19am:

I think alcohol is a huge problem in Australia.

We have been conned by the alcohol industry to accept alcohol misuse as "normal"
I see so many people that can not function unless they have a supply on hand at sport, any social function , after work, just about anywhere.
That is seen as normal, whereas I think that is abnormal.
If you cant go out on any social event and not have to worry about the logistics of how you will have alcohol on hand, that is abnormal.
Like , fishing trips , camping, shooting, sports events,kids picnics so many places where the use of alcohol is down right dangerous, yet so many see it as normal.

Pretty spot on. Being sold as a 'drinking culture' is appalling.

As if 'drinking' and 'culture' should be in a sentence together Grin

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