Jan 26, 2017 | By Curtis Boyd
How to Be a Responsible Friend
AlcoholismWe live in the age of the computer. Where selfies and vines are the new form of slap-stick comedy. Someone doing something at great risk is the que for us to pull out our phones and hit record, especially if they’re drinking. In all of this, we need to remember that safety does need to be paid attention to and that you have a personal responsibility to your friends, an unspoken agreement of trust. So yes, while it could be hilarious to watch your friend slam down a few shots and try to juggle a cat, it isn’t as funny when he’s trying it with a knife. It always seems when the worst-case situation occurs people give each other platitudes of “Oh there is nothing you could have done”, but in reality, there was.
Pay Attention to their Actions
Honestly, you should know the signs. That point to when they aren’t thinking too clearly and they probably could use some help with judgment. If they’re terrified of heights but playing around near the edge of a balcony obviously their alcohol level has surpassed acceptable levels for reasonable thought. Instead of worrying about getting somebodies number, maybe it’s time to call a cab and take them home. Ensuring that neither of you have any reason to regret the night.
Moderation is More than a Place.
Contrary to the average freshman college student, moderation is in fact a practice and not just the name of the bar you may be drinking at. Even with best estimates, most researchers put alcohol-related deaths between 80-100,000 each year. With many of those being contributed to Alcohol Poisoning. One of the best ways to protect against this is to be aware of how much you and your companions may have consumed and to ensure they don’t go past a certain alcohol level.
Making the Most Out of the Modern Age
Thankfully, we do live in an age where we have many powerful tools at our deposal. Technology has made leaps and bounds to try to ensure that we can be as responsible as possible, for both our personal actions and to some degree those we care about, like our friends and family. With tools like personal breathalyzers, and our Online BAC Calculator. We can ensure that we take the safest, most responsible course of action to ensure that nobody comes to any actual harm.
What we Should Take From This
We are lucky that we live in a place where we are as capable as any other person to ensure our safety. In our day to day life we are normally only in as much danger as we allow ourselves to be in. There are many places in the world where that is not the case. It is up to us, our personal duty, to act responsibly even when those around us choose not to be. Even with all the opportunities around us, it is our diligence that will see us through. As I said, there are many powerful tools to embrace to help us, and plenty of existing resources if we choose to use them. Please do.