Almost every other Dane experiences drinking problems: 'We have a rather violent drinking culture in Denmark'

Almost every second Dane experiences drinking pressure: 'We have a quite strong drinking culture in Denmark'

Although J-day is a festive tradition for many, more Danish people have experienced drinking pressure or have themselves pressured others to drink alcohol. This is shown in a new survey.

Nadja Jensen (TV) and Karoline Just (TH) from Næstved are familiar with alcohol pressure. (Photo: © Hans Corfitz Andersen, DR) 3 minutes ago

When the year's first mulled wine is served in the evening, and Danes celebrate J-day with gingerbread houses and cold beer, it is for many a pleasant tradition.

However, behind the blue mulled wine and the cheerful atmosphere hides an alcohol culture where it is still difficult for many to say no.

>

> One thinks only "we can just take a shot", but then one is also putting pressure on.

> Nadja Jensen from Næstved

Nearly half of Danes have felt pressured to drink alcohol, and every sixth admits to having pressured others.

This is shown in a new survey on Danish drinking habits conducted by Cancer Society.

28-year-old Karoline Just from Næstved will celebrate J-day in the evening, and the alcohol pressure is actually a thing she has talked about with her friends recently.

- We are good at saying "we will have some shots" when we go out in town. And if there is someone who is not there, we can easily say "come on, have one". But it's all in jest, she says.

For her friend Nadja Jensen, also from Næstved, it is

- We are very prone to having some form of alcohol involved when we are together, and that's why it quickly gets out of hand, she explains.

- One thinks only "we can just take a shot", but then one is also putting pressure on, she says.

-------------------------

Not about bad intentions

-------------------------

According to Cancer Society, the survey focuses on the fact that 'drinking pressure' rarely has to do with bad intentions, but with social norms, where it is expected that one participates, even when one does not really want to.

The organization points out that many associate alcohol with fellowship, and that pressure therefore often arises in small ways as part of the way we are together.

Nearly half of Danes have felt pressured to drink, and every sixth admits to having pressured others to drink, shows a new survey. (Photo: © Simon Læssøe, Ritzau Scanpix)

And that can 28-year-old Karoline Just easily recognize when she is out with her friends, and there is an atmosphere of drinking and partying.

- If there is someone who does not "feel like it", and one has also had something to drink indoors, it may not always be noticed and taken seriously, she says and elaborates:

- I think it's because we have quite a strong drinking culture in Denmark.

-------------------------------

Not always necessary to go out

-------------------------------

According to the survey, nearly every third Dane finds it difficult to participate in social events without drinking. Only about every fourth says they have completely abstained from social events because alcohol is too much.

For friends Karoline Just and Nadia Jensen, the question of whether alcohol needs to be a part of an evening out, has also been discussed.

- We have recently talked about trying to do something where alcohol is not necessarily involved, where we

*-* We don't have to go out in town. It's just our company we want to be with.

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=undefined)

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.