Here's a story from UPI.com which comes verrrrrrry close to our emerging theory about drinking and "drink":
"Researchers at Australia's Deakin University said a survey indicates that those in the country who consume alcohol daily are happier than those who abstain. The researchers said their twice-yearly Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, which was created from interviews with 2000 Australians, found respondents who said they drink alcohol every day also reported being the happiest overall, The Age reported Wednesday.Those who do not drink at all were found to be the unhappiest by the survey. Bob Cummins, a professor of psychology at Deakin and author of the study, said the happiness reported by daily drinkers was likely the result of the socialization often accompanied by alcohol consumption and not a consequence of alcohol itself."
"The people who do well are those who have one or two glasses," he said. "That probably means having a beer with your mates after work or going home and having a glass of wine with your partner."
"It's almost certainly that social connection that is facilitated by the process of moderate drinking that is beneficial to well-being rather than the alcohol itself," Cummins said.
"He said the findings of his study should be of interest to politicians who have attempted to crack down on the binge-drinking culture that involves many of the country's young people."
"Understanding the circumstances in which they drink and what they get out of it will result in a much more informed set of decisions about how we tackle binge drinking," Cummins said.
Hmm -
There's a lot to swallow here.
There are a number of interesting notions:
1. drinkers are happier
2. it is the process of drinking that is beneficial to well-being rather than the alcohol itself
3. drinking is a question of what people get out of it
But is there more to it than that? While I am certainly a big fan of the "process" of drinking, why is it that I can be as happy or sometimes happier when I drink by myself?
Yes - I do admit to that taboo activity.
But there are other things that I also do by myself and they are not necessarily...oh wait...they might be taboo too.
Damn Puritains!
F*ck the process then.
The big question for me is what is "drink"?
And why - despite my "drinking" so much alcohol - do I feel as though the drink is actually within me before I put a drop into my mouth?
Why - when I take in that first mouthful - does it seem as though the drink is meeting drink; that one drink is summoning up another?
And why, why, why do I also feel the drink when I run in a rain storm, score a goal, hear a brilliant song , read a great line, write a great line, see something beautiful, seduce something beautiful...?
What is that? And why does that drink last - have legs - like that buzz from that first mouthful?
"Researchers at Australia's Deakin University said a survey indicates that those in the country who consume alcohol daily are happier than those who abstain. The researchers said their twice-yearly Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, which was created from interviews with 2000 Australians, found respondents who said they drink alcohol every day also reported being the happiest overall, The Age reported Wednesday.Those who do not drink at all were found to be the unhappiest by the survey. Bob Cummins, a professor of psychology at Deakin and author of the study, said the happiness reported by daily drinkers was likely the result of the socialization often accompanied by alcohol consumption and not a consequence of alcohol itself."
"The people who do well are those who have one or two glasses," he said. "That probably means having a beer with your mates after work or going home and having a glass of wine with your partner."
"It's almost certainly that social connection that is facilitated by the process of moderate drinking that is beneficial to well-being rather than the alcohol itself," Cummins said.
"He said the findings of his study should be of interest to politicians who have attempted to crack down on the binge-drinking culture that involves many of the country's young people."
"Understanding the circumstances in which they drink and what they get out of it will result in a much more informed set of decisions about how we tackle binge drinking," Cummins said.
Hmm -
There's a lot to swallow here.
There are a number of interesting notions:
1. drinkers are happier
2. it is the process of drinking that is beneficial to well-being rather than the alcohol itself
3. drinking is a question of what people get out of it
But is there more to it than that? While I am certainly a big fan of the "process" of drinking, why is it that I can be as happy or sometimes happier when I drink by myself?
Yes - I do admit to that taboo activity.
But there are other things that I also do by myself and they are not necessarily...oh wait...they might be taboo too.
Damn Puritains!
F*ck the process then.
The big question for me is what is "drink"?
And why - despite my "drinking" so much alcohol - do I feel as though the drink is actually within me before I put a drop into my mouth?
Why - when I take in that first mouthful - does it seem as though the drink is meeting drink; that one drink is summoning up another?
And why, why, why do I also feel the drink when I run in a rain storm, score a goal, hear a brilliant song , read a great line, write a great line, see something beautiful, seduce something beautiful...?
What is that? And why does that drink last - have legs - like that buzz from that first mouthful?
ya I hear you! I agree and this is coming from Canada!
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