A large part of being social now involves drinking. Rarely will dining out or parties be booze free. Even the Golden Globes was sprinkled with Moet on each table and more than a few scenes of nominees and hosts holding a wine glass. Have you ever notice that your newsfeed fills with announcements of “going out drinking” masked in some kind of celebration when Friday rolls around? (We all know your Facebook newsfeed tells only the truth).
There’s been more than one instance where someone has become a cautionary tale for being too careless with what they post on social media during a drunken night out. Being sober by choice is now often met with reservations. If you’ve ever been voluntarily sober, you’ve probably been asked: “why don’t you just have fun and have a drink”. Clearly drinking has now been synonymously linked with fun. We get it: while hazy nights and mind numbing hangovers certainly isn’t fun, it sure makes entertaining material for brunch talk the day after.
[You Might Also Like] Heart of Vancouver: Dating 101
We use being drunk as a defense for irresponsible behavior and we know it. According to Buffalo’s Research Institute, 45.1% of participants in their study reported having a casual partner as their most recent sexual encounter, 24.8% reported being intoxicated during their most recent sexual encounter and 43,6% reported they did not use a condom. It’s no surprise to anyone that we tend to make decisions that lead to risky and unintended outcomes such as contracting a sexually transmitted infection or an unwanted pregnancy. Researchers at Ohio State University have also found evidence that poor mental health and casual sex reinforce each other.
Men are also less choosy and tend to lower their standards when it comes to selecting a partner for casual sex or one night stands (no surprise there). This may be the reason that guys are less likely to call the next day after a one-night stand (sorry ladies).
[You Might Also Like] Heart of Vancouver: Racial preferences shown for online dating
Putting casual sex and alcohol in the spotlight has less to do with shaming liberal sexual behavior but more to do with the possible effects of unintended outcomes associated to alcohol use. Perhaps the answer to this conundrum lies in our ability to moderate alcohol use and to also redefine our experience of fun without being intoxicated.
Amy Yew is a registered clinical counselor and relationship therapist. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to amyvancouvercourier@gmail.com. You can also tweet your thoughts on Twitter @AmyYew.
