What is the difference between a person that drinks alcohol responsibly and a person that doesn't? I will give you some insight from my own personal experiences. I believe one of the differences is, a person who drinks alcohol responsibly really knows when they've had enough. That means being aware of your own body and how it reacts to alcohol. It also means maintaining the ability to make good decisions while under the influence of alcohol. Now here's an issue. Some people don't make good decisions while they are sober and if that's your track record then consuming alcohol is not for you.
Alcohol has been proven to remove your inhibitions, or, your ability to control yourself from doing things you normally wouldn't do if you weren't inebriated. For me, that meant saying things that I would normally keep to myself like being critical of people or revealing truths at an inappropriate time or manner. One time, at an after-work social event, my boss was telling off color jokes after which I decided I would share some jokes I knew about white people. Well, needless to say, I was "let go" the following Monday with the excuse being "we don't need your services anymore". Had I used better judgment I probably would've kept my job a bit longer. Other times that I didn't use discretion and just said what I was thinking include, propositioning women, speaking out at family gatherings, and telling police officers what I really think about them. None of those situations worked out well.
People that drink responsibly don't drink and drive. It seems like a no-brainer but for some reason a lot of people believe they can drive while under the influence of alcohol. Some people even think they can drive better because they are more alert to the dangers of driving. I know from experience, two DUI's, and one serious accident, that my reflexes and reaction times are reduced from just one 12 oz. can of beer, and let me tell you, I use to always drink more than a 12 oz can of beer. A responsible person doesn't risk driving at all.
If drinking alters your behavior in a negative way, don't drink.
If drinking causes you to say things that are better kept quiet, don't drink.
If drinking causes you to do things that you normally wouldn't do while sober like having sex with strangers, don't drink. Don't fight while under the influence. Don't decide to get married while under the influence. Don't talk about politics or religion while under the influence.
Most importantly, don't drink if you're not responsible!!
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