I was thinking about this the other day, and thought it might be interesting and useful to compare our environments. After all some of us may be in environments where drinking is not the norm while others may be where excessive drinking is the norm.
I thought the best way to do this would be to ask a few questions. I'll provide my own answers in another post

1. What percentage of your drinking is in your own home?
2. Before TSM, were you average, below average, or above average in terms of alcohol consumption, in your typical social outings?
3. On an average social outing, how much do the peers you associate with drink - compared to a safe weekly level?
4. If you were to take alternative social opportunities - e.g. hang out with different neighbours, work colleagues, family members etc, would there be a significant difference in the amount THEY drink compared to (3) above?

1. Probably 80-90% pre-TSM. Now more like 40-50%.
2. Slightly above average
3. Generally above these limits by 20-50% I'd guess, most of which would be in 2/3 'binge' sessions
4. There wouldn't be a significant difference. A small percentage of people here are non-drinkers. Most drinkers here exceed the 'safe limits' by amounts similar to the above. I'd currently be a moderate/below average consumer on nights out. I would however often 'make up' for that by consumption at home.

1-4,great idea!! There is alot of study out there about socio-economc conditioning..It's not all biological or genetic..At least,with the habitual stuff..Ya know?? Maybe with the actual addiction or dependency? But I have been noticing lately that alot of my consumption is merely habit..Oh well,enough from me..As soon as I get my hands on a computer,I'll answer your questions..Too hard to do from my cell phone..Have a good day....Goodman

1) 100% of my drinking is at home.
2) I don't go to many social events, but when I do, I don't drink, because I know I can't stop.
3) Haven't paid much attention, but I'd say folks drink too much at social events, especially if they are going to be driving.
4) I doubt it would change much.

thanks for the reply mlb

Do you find it difficult to not drink when you go to social events? Would you 'stand out' if you weren't drinking?

Personally I've found it not too hard (after some time on TSM) to cut my at-home drinking - basically I used to drink every night, and now don't drink during the week. I find it harder (relative to at home) to not drink when I'm out, although I do find that I drink much slower than I used - without any effort.

No, I don't find it hard to not drink when away from home, although I'm not in that situation much and I avoid those types of situations. I just know (in the past anyway) that once I start drinking, I can't stop, and I'm very strict with myself about not drinking and driving.

1. 100% of my drinking occurs at my home or at the home of neighbors
2. Definetly above average in social settings. Also, drank before the event at home. (still do and working on that)
3. My peers that I associate with drink above the average. Dah... that's why I associate with them. (working on that too)
4. When I take alternative social opportunities with different group of people, I definetly choose to be with those who drink very little or not at all.

Great post!

________________

Great thread.

1. Almost 100% of drinking is at home;
2. Drinking in public is below normal as I'd usually not drink; when I did recently in Rome it was probably average;
3. Most of the peers I am with are normal drinkers and I don't spend much time in these social settings;
4. No, most of the social settings I am in are very typical.

Having spent much of my life abstaining, I've avoided social settings with drinking because I found them hard. When I would drink, it would be at home and usually way overboard. In Rome, we were in more social settings and I found it easier to behave normally with Nal.

BTDT

1. About 90% of my drinking is at home and that has not changed with TSM.
2. Socially I drink beer mostly so that's easy to calculate. About 1.5 pitchers on average (roughly 9 units), rarely more 12 units and infrequently less than 6 units.
3. Varied. Few drunk as much as I did, most less.
4. No.

1. 60%
2. average
3. about the same which I think is too much. Wine drinking with woman my age group. late 40's/early 50's has become epic. I think because we are free after raising kids? The guys drink more too, for the same reason I think.
4. Yes, both my hubby and I notice how drinking changes based on our environment.