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A lot of the doctors I know seem to agree on something: more than anything you can do, decrease stress to improve your health. Alcohol does that.

Sitting and having drinks, even sitting and having a LOT of drinks occasionally, with your close friends, is good for you because it helps decrease your stress.

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No. If having a good drunken time with your friends actually does decrease stress in the medically important sense, it's in spite of the alcohol, not because of it. Metabolizing alcohol is inherently stressful for the body.

Exercise is stressful for the body too, but that doesn't mean it's bad for you.

(I'm not equating these two)

> having a good drunken time

You're talking about being drunk. The person you're replying to is talking about having a drink.

There are infinitely more constructive and sustainable ways to reduce stress. If you are so stressed that you need to abuse substances you need psychotherapy.

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