Alcoholism: Drug Abuse Facts

Question: Is there a higher alcoholism rate in atheists?

(Posted by: Oil Stained Dolphins Are Hot! on 2010-06-23 12:58:25)

Regardless of what you feel about religion, even if you mock people and say it's just something to "lean " on during hard times, if you have nothing else can I say that there may be a higher alcoholism and drug addiction rate among atheists?

Posted by: Rocky on 2010-06-23, 12:59:50

Maybe on Sundays ...maybe not

Posted by: Leviathan on 2010-06-23, 13:00:03

I suspect the opposite is the case. Atheists not needing the crutch of faith are probably more self sufficient in other areas of their lives. Look at 12 step programs.

Posted by: Ask a Mexican ¡Hola Guerita! on 2010-06-23, 13:00:20

And on what basis do you assume this?

Posted by: Martin McCullough on 2010-06-23, 13:00:26

Well, don't just say it; prove it. I'll wait right here until you post a link.

Posted by: Pete Saw on 2010-06-23, 13:00:30

None here, drug abuse is an adiction just like religion is...

Posted by: vérité on 2010-06-23, 13:00:31

I doubt it. Atheists have a lower incarceration rate, lower divorce rate, higher education... alcoholism doesn't seem to fit in with that theme.

Posted by: Bluddy Bichley on 2010-06-23, 13:00:51

Suicide correlates MUCH higher with atheism. Hope, meaning in life, and guides to conduct are what sustain anybody. From a monk to the Marines.

Posted by: boogeywoogy on 2010-06-23, 13:00:52

There's actually less of it in the atheists I know. There's no catholic or jewish guilt to drive either type of abuse.

Posted by: Scoffer on 2010-06-23, 13:01:02

There may be but I highly doubt it. This is basically a argument from ignorance.

Posted by: v s on 2010-06-23, 13:02:28

I rarely drink, and never get drunk. Don't ever touch drugs either. I do smoke however, so I guess we all have our weaknesses.

Posted by: Sam on 2010-06-23, 13:03:07

My mom is a heavy Christian and she's an alcoholic.

Posted by: Gus on 2010-06-23, 13:04:05

I can only speak for myself: I very much appreciate a good beer, or a quality wine, or a top-shelf tequila or vodka. But I don't get drunk. Not since college, and in those days, it wasn't just the atheists on that bandwagon.

Posted by: ricardo9505 on 2010-06-23, 13:06:04

No, people f -ck up regardless of race religion or creed. but I would think that the suicide rate for atheists is higher given the high number of so called Christians in the world and we agree that suicide is unnatural and contrary to God's law.

Posted by: WellTraveledProg on 2010-06-23, 13:12:44

If you're going to say that, you should provide evidence it's true. Since you haven't, like other unsupported claims (like about gods), we'll ignore it. Personally, I don't see any need to "lean on " anything, hard times or not. Rationally thinking of ways to get yourself out of "hard times " works just great, thanks. I can't see how pretending an imaginary magic man in the sky loves me is going to do anything useful to help me out. I searched for actual statistics about this, and could not find any. However, I did find all kinds of pages about the high failure rates of AA, a "religious " approach to "curing " alcoholism... Peace.

Posted by: Leonard on 2010-06-23, 13:13:13

There may be, but I would seriously doubt it. "We " score lower in pretty much any way when it comes to crime and general negativity. I guess we just have less stress.

Posted by: Doc Bill on 2010-06-23, 13:19:10

The blunt fact is that when alcoholics are evaluated by mental health professionals, more alcoholism is found to exist among fundamental Christians than amongst atheists. Fundamentalists also have a higher rate of divorce, of suicide, of business failures and of child abuse than exists among atheists.