Battlefront You're Already Involved

i strongly disagree with your campaign. Its up to the young people themselves if they binge drink or no. Its them who will have to deal with the problems that happen after drinking alchol. They may soon relise the difficulties that are involved with being wasted and will regret any serious harm they have done to themselves in the future

annoymous, 05 November 2009 06:56

Hey India. I've worked in the drugs and alcohol field since i was 16, and have been a peer men tor and Young People's Alcohol Worker. I've had my fair share of drinking days, especially when I got to Uni, but what I found is what seems to make binge drinking the biggest problem in a lot of cases is that it's not seen as "problematic behaviour". A lot of people seem to think that if they're not drinking all day every day, then it's not problematic. But binge drinking DOES cause problems: criminal problems from where they've been so bladdred they've just lashed out, health problems from where their body is attacked by alcohol, particularly if they go out and do it on a regular basis, and perhaps the biggest problem which is cementing the social attitude that it's an acceptable thing to do. And that's not looking at all the other associated risks. It's become the culture in theis country to drink when you're happy, drink when you're sad, drink to celebrate, drink to comiserate, and that's what a lot of people have grown up with. Old habits die hard. What we need is more time and more room to explore who each of us really is so that we can find alternative ways to spend our time. But when's that ever going to happen in a fast-paced, money-driven society where only the rich can afford to relax? In a way, fighting the binge drinking is only half the battle - with all the other issues around and behind it, this is full-on challenge of the structure of modern society itself. Good luck India, you're a brave lady!

Selina , 19 October 2009 05:47

I also used to binge drink around the age of 13 onwards until i turned 16. I suddenly stopped because my father is an alcoholic and i realized i didn't want to end up the same way. unfortunately, not everyone sees the downside to alcohol like myself and many others who have had to deal with alcohol problems in their lives. I am now turning 19 and the problem only seems to be getting worse. These "sheep" binge drink and end up making themselves feel sick, have lousy hangovers and do things which they may regret but they still think it's worth it for a bit of a laugh. I'm sure without alcohol they could still have a good time minus all the bad things above. Surly that would make it all the more worth it? I think people generally like the feeling of being out of control with their actions being unpredictable and it's a sense of freedom they don't have whilst sober. In my eyes this is no compromise for their healths sake. How ever difficult it may be to convert these sheepy binge drinkers I'm behind you 100%

Amy, 12 July 2009 20:47

Hey...I work for TimeBank (who do the Junction49 stuff) and saw your campaign, then realised I totally met you at JFK airport! Huh. Good luck with getting funding etc, get in touch if you'd like any insider advice.

Laura, 19 May 2009 18:09

well sunrise sounds nice but im not all that into encoruraging kids into the Army Cadet Force because theres nothing else to do. im not all that into the army in any shape or form whatsoever actually...but i dont want to insult your art. im just more into the whole freedom/peace/love/liberal thinking aspect of life. i blame my parents. at the end of the day im not running this campaign anymore so i really don't have the energy. good luck with uniforming the kids soldier.

india, 14 May 2009 18:35

hi ricky, thanks for the comment. i totally get where your coming from. i drink too, i would say i drink reliatively quite a lot (not as much as i did, but i'm still part of an over-drinking demographic.) so i wasnt coming from this in the angle you think i am. problem is with people like you is being blind to the needs of young people. most kids haven't been brought up in the way they were 20, 30 years ago, with the drive and initiative to go out and find their own fun and create their own experiences, as for the youth clubs you mentioned, how many did YOU go to/want to go to at 15 years old? yeah, thaught so. teenagers are cooped up in classrooms for 8 hours a day, five days a week and then are programmed by the mainstream media to go straight home and watch television and check facebook... the current youth generation are moulded to become the facilitators of massive corporations and their profits by being bored into submission and drinking to adhere to a social stereotype. i am actually no longer running with this campaign due to the fact that i am caught in the conflict of wanting young people to have the freedom to do whatever they want and to experience anything and everything. I don't agree with banning anything. problem is, i just think that the level of drinking nowadays and the crutch it is for socialising and making friends with other teenagers is blinding the generation of tomorrow to a wealth of oppertunities and experiences that (as you said) are out there! when was the last time you saw sunrise in the countryside or painted something or cycled to brighton or learned a new skill or read a book in one day or went to a new gallery or...you know. whatever. i am continuing this campaign in other manifestations in my life, i have a facebook group for alerting people as to whats on (and free) in london, i also help run peer-led courses for 15-23 year olds at the tate with an amazing team of like-minded people and am looking into setting up an art club in west london over the summer. if anyone wants to know more, the facebook address is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=132947875393&ref=ts peace out. india

india, 13 May 2009 18:01

Hi India, I'm 40 but have been through the wasted binge drinking cycle in my teens and twenties. I went through a teenage drinking cycle when ID was not so thorough before university. At university I didn't drink much, there were many different types of people there and although much of the social activity revolved around drink I didn't participate much in the demon drinking. Afterward university the mainsocial outlets in the small town I ended up in involved drinking and I got sucked into them never really liking them. I think binge drinking among lads can be a macho thing and some people get power over others because they have higher tolerance and can manipulate the group into drinking more. This issue needs to be explored and explained more than when I was a teenager!! There needs to be sexy, funky alternatives to drinking and drink activities (eg: clubbing). More exciting alternatives, would attract people away from drink and this is the only way i think you will make progress. I dance salsa and love it but think maybe the current age range of salsa dancers is not fantastically appealing to teens and early twenties. I do think however its much more exciting than getting drunk at a club, afterall you get to dance with many members of the opposite sex !!! The major issue with salsa is finding venues, bars and clubs make money on drinks and salsa dancers do not drink. Anyway hope this helps your quest. My main opinion is that "Exciting Alternatives" to drinking needs to be found. Please feel free to write to me if you to discuss or evolve and ideas, or you need some "salsa" related contacts etc. Andy

Andy Southall, 13 May 2009 06:58