admittedly, i didn't read all the posts, but based on what i did see, i do think it's interesting the way some people are surprised that others may never drink, and vice versa. i think a lot of it probably has to do with environment, familiarity, so on. i can see how it might never really even enter into one's mind. think of anything you don't ordinarily do, may not frequently be in any way involved with, can't ever imagine yourself seeking out and thus developing an interest in, or are simply indifferent to. most people i know do drink, and in my experience, it's basically always been this way. in most cases, it would be weird to attend a party or gathering absent of any alcohol. my family drinks. my parents drink quite a lot. often when my friends go out, they go out to drink. however, i'm at least partially exempt from these factors, because i tend to prefer staying in, i'm not terribly social, etc.
anyway, i answered "yes" ten times… which, by these standards, makes me a massive alcoholic. however, i've never liked tests, particularly the YES/NO sort, or the ones with a rating system. they are always too general, broad, or vague, and my answers are typically less simple and straightforward, or more complex or nuanced, etc. (i advise you to avoid what follows if you'd rather spare yourself being subjected to the depth of my neuroses)
FOR INSTANCE:
"do you prefer to drink alone?"
well, i sort of prefer to do most everything alone, hence...
"is drinking harming your family at all?"
drinking may be, but not
my drinking.
"has drinking made you irritable?"
irritable lately, since i've been drinking? irritable
from drinking or
while drinking? irritable because i couldn't drink when i wanted to? irritable because i want to drink? ….
"has drinking changed your personality?"
presupposes an acknowledgement of a permanent, individual "personality," that this is something i believe in. also, if i had a heavy drinking problem, would i be aware enough to know how it alters my personality?… and if i did know, would i be fully aware, OR fully honest with myself? and, doesn't alcohol (if one has enough) almost necessarily change the way one feels (i guess i'm equating "how one feels" with "personality" here, which probably isn't quite right...)?
"have you less self control since drinking?"
less self control as regards drinking in itself, or less self control in general... or both? also, less self control since i first began to drink, or less self control only while i'm drinking… or both? and, if one's drinking heavily, are we to assume one has less self control? (...it goes on...)
19-21 are sort of annoyingly similar.
"has drinking made you more sensitive?"
again... since i've been drinking, while i'm drinking, when i want to be drinking? sensitive how, and to what? define "sensitive."
"do you turn to an inferior environment since drinking?"
hm? what is an "inferior environment?" do you mean what i consider to be personally inferior to my former environment… or what's perceived inferior in the whole generalized scheme of environments, so to speak? or...
"is drinking endangering your health?"
um,
you tell me?
"is drinking affecting your peace of mind?"
is drinking this,
is drinking that… how about we try a switcheroo here and there. e.g. "is
not drinking affecting your peace of mind?"
