People who enjoy drinking: findings from a survey of British adults

Abstract

This paper reports some of the findings from a survey of 2,027 British adults that was conducted in 2000. This investigation examined self-reported alcohol consumption and the negative consequences associated with heavy or inappropriate alcohol consumption. In addition, information was elicited on the topic of the positive aspects of drinking. This paper examines the ‘drinking profile’ of those people who reported positive aspects of drinking. Most of the people surveyed reported that their past year's alcohol consumption had been enjoyable regardless of whether it had been associated with adverse consequences. In contrast, a few individuals reported drinking heavily even though they had not enjoyed their recent alcohol consumption. The relationship between alcohol consumption and its negative and positive consequences appears to be complex. There was clearly ambivalence between the adverse consequences associated with drinking and its positive effects. Many people appear prepared to tolerate some negative experiences as the price they pay for enjoying their drinking. This constitutes a major inhibiting factor in relation to preventive initiatives and therapeutic interventions related to problematic alcohol consumption.