Why is it so depressing when people drink alone?

[Deleted]

I've done it too and never got depressed or sad.. sick yes, and dizzy and sleepy. I don't drink much but I actually prefer drinking alone when I do because I don't want to do anything stupid I would regret later.

[Eroginous]

Why is drinking alone considered so depressing? I don't drink, so it's not something I've ever done. But I have been alone and felt lonely and I don't imagine adding alcohol would make it more or less of a problem. Similarly, if you're drinking to make the pain go away it doesn't seem like it would make a difference whether you're alone or with a group. You're still using alcohol to hurt less. Is there something about the process of getting drunk that I don't understand which make it sadder to drink alone? Or is this just a silly distinction with no basis in reality?

I'm not actually sure why it's considered depressing, but it IS usually considered a sign of alcoholism because it gives off the impression you're hiding it from other people.

One would think that feeding negative feelings with any substance is probably habit forming so long as those negative feelings persist.

[Spectral]

Sometimes I drink alone. I don't really see the problem. I'm generally on board with definitions of drinking problems that revolve around whether there's actually any consequence to the behavior. If I have a couple more beers than I really should while watching football on a Sunday, nothing bad happens.