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> No, I'm not what you would call a risk-taker. Out of all the things you mentioned, the only thing I do is gamble. I go to Las Vegas about once every three or four years, and about once a year to Shreveport (closest casinos to me). But I really don't define that as being a "risk-taker". Why? Because I do it responsibly. I set aside a certain amount of money and if I lose it, then it's quitting time. Sure, I could do different things with the money if I wanted to, but I choose not to. If I want to take $500 of MY hard-earned money and risk losing it all, then that's my business. And besides all of that, I enjoy going to the casinos. I have a good time there. If gambling isn't your thing then don't do it, but people who choose to gamble aren't doing a bad thing.
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> And gambling, much like drinking, is not inherently bad in and of itself. It's the choices people make related to those things that can be bad.
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> As to your question about drinking being worth the risk...I guess it all depends on the perception of the risk involved. I see no risk whatsoever (for me) in drinking. I'm not an alcoholic, I have no history of alcoholism in my family, and I drink in moderation.
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> The firsthand experience I mentioned in a previous post was from two close friends. I saw their addiction almost ruin their lives. But it wasn't the alcohol that did it. That just happened to be their choice. The responsibility for their addictions rests solely on their own shoulders. If they had never touched a drop of alcohol, then it would have been something else like drugs, money, shopping, or whatever. They would have found something and latched on to it.
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> What irks me is when people want to blame drinking, gambling, or [insert activity here] on their problems and not accept responsibility themselves. The glass of wine isn't the problem, it's the choice to drink ten of them a night that is.
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> Compulsive shopping/spending is a recognized disorder. Should we stop going to the mall to avoid the risk of becoming shop-a-holics?
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> -Kelly
>
It sounds like you may be able to handle it. As you have probably guessed, I *do* have a family history of alcoholism, which is why I am not willing to take a chance.

My reason for not gambling is completely different. I'm cheap. I don't get any fun out of giving away my money to strangers for nothing. But I always have a great time in Las Vegas, and being sober, I can remember the fun I had.
Howard