I drink alone occasionally and never thought anything of it for a long time. I don't see any difference between having a drink while I watch television in the evening and my husband plays on the computer in the same room and having a drink while I watch television in the evening while my husband is not home. Once a friend came by when I was having a solo drink and gave me a hard time about it. It seemed so silly.
I'd always taken the drinking alone thing not as a suggestion to not drink when you're the only one home but as a suggestion to not be the only one drinking. That makes more sense to me. It's not the being the only one present that makes booze inappropriate. It's that if you're the only one who is drinking when everyone else is staying sober, it's a sign that drinking may be inappropriate for that situation and that crowd and if you're not able to fit in with the others and opt to not drink right then either, it might be a red flag you need to notice. If the rest of your coworkers aren't drinking at lunch, maybe you ought to think twice about it if you are. If the rest of your family isn't drunk at your little nephew's birthday party, maybe you ought to consider if you should be. That kind of deal.
I think a big part of it is actually whether the primary activity is drinking or not. For example, going out to get drinks with some friends? Sure, why not. Arguably the primary activity there is actually spending time with your friends, though. On the other hand, someone going out to get drinks by themselves is a bit more odd. Of course, going out to the bar in hopes of meeting people is also another story.
Alternatively, staying home by yourself to get drunk might be concerning to people. On the other hand, having a drink while you watch movies because you enjoy it seems fine.
Personally, I think that as long as you're not an alcoholic and it's not hurting anyone, enjoy a drink.
Myself, I'll drink alone, but even when I'm drinking in a social setting I do it more for the taste than to get drunk. I often do it slow enough I don't even get a buzz from it. I haven't been drunk in more than ten years. Since I drink fairly rarely, don't drink in large quantities, and don't get particularly intoxicated when I do it, then people who have an issue with me doing that alone (sometimes) can just deal.
People also need to make a distinction between drinking and getting drunk.
Seriously, why the fuck should drinking a beer be wrong ?
I like beer, so i'll have one, thank you very much. I'm not gonna get drunk. How is this any different than drinking a coke ?
I took a survey that said I am an alchoholic because I drank alone and drank to get a buzz. Bull, 10 YRS later and I'm still the same except I drink less overall and less often
I think drinking alone is usually associated with alcoholism (and rightly so) and that is actually what people have a problem with, especially people that love you.
Also the key word here is occasionally. If once in awhile you go ahead and drink when you're alone it's not a problem. It's when nearly every night you find yourself drinking alone that it becomes a problem.
Edit: I meant getting hammered every night. Not just having a couple drinks
If I lived alone and had a glass of wine with dinner every night that would be totally fine. If you're getting shitfaced alone that's a different story.
And why exactly is it a problem? There are hundreds of thousands of people out there, maybe millions, who live alone, dine alone, and for whatever reason, stay home alone pretty much every day.
You're only going to judge them if they have a drink?
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u/[deleted] Jul 13 '15
I drink alone occasionally and never thought anything of it for a long time. I don't see any difference between having a drink while I watch television in the evening and my husband plays on the computer in the same room and having a drink while I watch television in the evening while my husband is not home. Once a friend came by when I was having a solo drink and gave me a hard time about it. It seemed so silly.
I'd always taken the drinking alone thing not as a suggestion to not drink when you're the only one home but as a suggestion to not be the only one drinking. That makes more sense to me. It's not the being the only one present that makes booze inappropriate. It's that if you're the only one who is drinking when everyone else is staying sober, it's a sign that drinking may be inappropriate for that situation and that crowd and if you're not able to fit in with the others and opt to not drink right then either, it might be a red flag you need to notice. If the rest of your coworkers aren't drinking at lunch, maybe you ought to think twice about it if you are. If the rest of your family isn't drunk at your little nephew's birthday party, maybe you ought to consider if you should be. That kind of deal.