Why do people drink alcohol? Drinking culture. Types of alcoholic drinks

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

There is one curious episode in the film "Piter FM". In a conversation, one man tells another that his girlfriend does not smoke or drink, this statement is followed by a very strange question: "Is she sick?" Unfortunately, a completely non-drinking person is becoming a rarity in this world. A bottle of wine or vodka on the table can be seen in almost all people, sometimes for no reason at all.

No one says that it is necessary to completely abandon alcohol, but the fact is that not everyone knows how to drink alcohol correctly, without harm to their he alth. The culture of drinking is something that every person who takes alcohol should know. In what doses does alcohol not harm the body, but benefits? What you need to know so that the consequences of drinking alcohol do not become a disaster? Why do people drink alcohol? Many foreigners say that drunkenness is a native Russian trait. Is it really? When and where did liquor first appear?

A bit of history

When appearedalcohol is hard to define. We only know that this happened a long time ago. In some tribes of ancient people there were rites of communication with the gods and spirits of the dead. They used alcohol. It was made from honey, grapes and berries.

The first alcoholic drink to appear was beer. They began to cook it in Babylon, about the 7th millennium BC. e. The countries in which this drink was very popular are Ancient Greece and Egypt. Every day the inhabitants ate: bread, onions and beer.

Alcohol - what does this word mean?

In Arabic, it means - intoxicating. It was this people who received alcohol at the beginning of the 7th century. There are a huge number of legends associated with its appearance. One of them says that a monk named Valentius once made an alcoholic drink. After drinking it, he became very drunk. And after he came to his senses, he said that he had found a remedy that could give vigor and strength.

"Domostroy" and attitude to alcohol

The very first Russian book about the rules of life said that "drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God." The attitude of society towards people who like to drink was sharply negative. The drunkard was condemned in every possible way, and it was considered a great disgrace to make friends with him. Vodka was invented in Russia in the middle of the 15th century. Its original name is bread, as it was made on grain alcohol. Vodka producers in Russia kept the recipe a secret. With its invention for another hundred years of cases of its abusethere was almost none.

But from the middle of the 16th century, establishments where you could eat began to close all over the country, and taverns began to open, in which only alcohol was sold. Therefore, the question of why people drink alcohol no longer stood. There was simply nothing left for them to do, and how could it be otherwise, if alcohol flowed like a river around, and the poor man had nowhere else to go. Alcohol prices were low enough that even the poorest person could come to the tavern.

The most common myths about alcohol

In order to somehow justify the craving for alcohol, various arguments were invented in his defense. Their existence removed many prohibitions, and the answer to the question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol was no longer so important. Consider these arguments:

1. Alcohol helps to cure colds. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, so for a short time there is relief, which passes after a few hours, and the person only gets worse. In addition, people who regularly take alcohol reduce immunity, and, as a result, the risk of contracting various diseases increases.
2. A timid and shy person can forget about their complexes if they take alcohol. But the problem is not solved that way. Sooner or later, sobering up sets in, and awareness of one's behavior can plunge one into depression.
3. You can easily cope with a bad mood. In fact, alcohol can lead a person into an even more depressive state. Many suicides committed suicide while intoxicated.
4. Helps you fall asleep quickly. Of course, you can fall asleep, but such a dream will not bring he alth benefits. If you constantly drink alcohol to get rid of insomnia, then in the end it will lead to serious he alth and sleep problems.
5. Beer is not an alcoholic drink, and it is very he althy to drink it. Recently, such varieties have been produced in which the proportion of alcohol is from 10 degrees and above. If you drink a bottle of this beer, it will have the same effect as a glass of vodka.

There are such reasons for drinking

"Wake, holiday, meeting, seeing off, Christening, wedding and divorce, Frost, hunting, New Year, Recovery, housewarming, Sadness, repentance, fun, Success, reward, new rankAnd just drunkenness - for no reason!"

Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak in his poem very well listed all the reasons why people drink. They can be divided into several categories. So why do people drink alcohol?

1. The emotional factor. When a person is tired or very upset by something, there is a desire to relax. For many people, alcohol is the first and most effective way to relieve fatigue and stress.
2. Psychological factor. Indecisive and insecure people very often take alcohol in order to make important decisions.
3. Social factor. At weddings, birthdays and other holidays, it is not customary to do without alcohol. A non-drinker is looked upon with condemnation, at best with pity. Not to look whitecrow", you have to drink with everyone. But there is another way out of the situation, to change your environment to one in which everyone has the right to do what they want.
4. The so-called tasting factor. There are people who like this or that alcoholic drink. Its taste, smell, color. They drink one glass of wine or a glass of cognac, enjoying the process itself. Alcohol prices do not bother them at all.

How to drink alcohol properly

Should I give up alcohol altogether? A smaller part of humanity, familiar with such a concept as a culture of drinking, does this not only without harm to he alth, but also for the benefit of the body. Quality alcohol will not cause harm if you adhere to the following rules:

1. The most important rule when drinking alcohol, and any, moderation. Only in small doses alcohol will not harm your he alth. Scientists have experimentally proved that drinking 100 g of strong drinks or 300 g of wine per day will not harm the male body, women should almost halve the amount of alcohol.
2. Do not drink on an empty stomach as blood alcohol levels increase. Fatty meals reduce the danger of intoxication.
3. Everyone knows perfectly well that they start drinking alcohol with weak drinks, moving on to stronger ones. But for some reason, many people forget this simple rule. Remember that if you drank a glass of vodka or cognac, you should not drink wine or champagne after that. The result of neglecting this rule will be the strongest morning headache.pain.
4. If you want to avoid nausea and vomiting, after feasts do not eat alcohol with fruit. Let it be: meat, fish, sandwiches with sausage, cheese, smoked meats.
5. It is very harmful to drink strong alcoholic drinks with carbonated water. It increases the rate at which alcohol enters the bloodstream.

Types of alcoholic beverages

All alcoholic drinks are usually divided by the number of degrees they contain. Based on this, they are: weak, medium and strong. In turn, each species has a huge number of varieties.

Low-alcohol drinks include: beer, kvass, cider. The alcohol content in such drinks does not exceed 8 degrees.

Medium alcohol - wine, punch, grog, etc. With a strength of no more than 20 degrees.

Among the strongest alcoholic drinks: vodka, cognac, rum, tequila and others. The alcohol content can reach up to 80 degrees.

Consequences of alcohol

• With the systematic abuse of alcohol, the likelihood of getting serious illnesses increases. These include: cirrhosis of the liver, heart attack, stroke, diseases of the kidneys and other organs of the body.
• Increased irritability, fatigue, aggressiveness.
• The number of accidents on the roads is increasing.
• Women who frequently take alcohol become highly addicted to alcohol. Children born to such mothers get sick more often than their peers from non-drinking mothers.
• The death of brain cells, as a result, mentaldegradation.
• There are problems in relationships in the family. A person loses the ability to soberly assess the situation, make the right decisions.
• Addiction to alcohol emerges.

Curious facts about alcohol

1. In ancient Greece, the most revered of the gods was Dionysus. Every year, holidays were held in his honor, at which alcohol was drunk in huge quantities.
2. In Russia they only drank mash and mead, sometimes beer. They drank on major holidays, it was considered unacceptable to drink different types of alcoholic beverages on ordinary days.
3. One reason people drink alcohol is to remember the dead.
4. If you drink and drive in Uruguay, you will have a mitigating circumstance for traffic violations.
5. Most of all people who drink beer are not in Germany, as many believe, but in the Czech Republic.
6. There are hundreds of types of alcoholic drinks, but vodka is the most popular.
7. Adolf Hitler is considered the most abstainer of famous people.
8. Duplicates of alcohol are made of the highest quality, using the same technologies as the originals, the difference is only in price.
9. The first canned beer was sold in 1935.
10. Alcohol is present not only in grapes, but also in ripe bananas, many varieties of apples and some types of vegetables.

Oh, it's red wine

Doctors have long proven that any alcohol is harmful to the human body. But there is one liquora drink that can bring great benefits if consumed in reasonable quantities. This is a dry red wine.

Firstly, it can have a detrimental effect on the bacteria living in our body.

Secondly, dry red wine contains a large amount of minerals: iron, zinc, chromium and others.

Thirdly, it has a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. It also strengthens the immune system and increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.

Top 5 most drinking countries in the world

Fifth place is occupied by Germany. In this country, alcoholic beverages can be drunk in public places. The most popular drink is beer. Various festivals and holidays are dedicated to him. The most famous is Oktoberfest. It is held in October, for two weeks, marking the harvest in this way.

Denmark is in 4th place. The country has a very loyal attitude towards alcohol, and about 90 percent of Danes over the age of 14 openly drink.

Third place is occupied by the Czech Republic. It has the largest amount of beer consumption per capita.

France is in 2nd place. A rare meal of the French without a glass of wine. The most famous champagne is sold here, duplicates of alcohol can be found in Russia.

In 1st place is Ireland. Studies have shown that half of the country's population consumes alcohol at least once a week.

What to do with a hangover

Most of humanity at least once in their lives abused alcohol in the evening, and in the morning suffered from syndromeshangover. There are simple ways that can help you feel better.

• Cleanse your stomach by drinking plenty of s alted or mineral water.
• Activated charcoal will help with nausea.
• Alternating cold and warm showers will improve overall wellness.
• Stroll outside.

Each person answers the question: "Can I drink alcohol?" The most important thing is not this. After all, you can take one glass of good wine at dinner, or you can drink a whole bottle.

The culture of drinking is what every self-respecting person and those around him should be familiar with. He alth is the most priceless gift that is given to a person, and doing anything that harms him is unforgivable.