VRChat's MAJOR drinking problem.

[@ItsCreepP]

As someone Who was genuinely shamed for not drinking, even though after explaining I was an extreme alcoholic back in 2018, and then coming into the scene in 2020, this is some thing that I’ve tried to speak about over and over, and only way to be ridiculed about. So it’s nice to see that someone with a platform like yours is saying some thing about it.

[@LhunVideo]

Woop! Important things, having lovely people like this to talk about it out loud. No shame to people who drink, or those or don't, those who can or can't or shouldn't. (like me! Meds don't mix much!). We should normalize making sure people are drinking safely for all the reasons stated here, and the many other reasons that having a healthy relationship with substances is all about.

[@Lilithe]

Creep-P you are 💯 in the right here and people who would try to pressure you further are... that's so awful. You're such a cool bean. Any time you wanna hang out alcohol free and just vibe it's all good ^-^

[@leonoliveira8652]

I'll never get people that do that, seriously. Remember to tell them to "Leave me alone with my two-feet-wide pizza and go enjoy your bitter beverage"

[@groupiedoupie4355]

I'm sorry you experienced that 😔.

[@Justfillintheblank]

You were shamed...for not drinking? Need I say...find new friends??

[@rikoea6530]

If your friends ever pressure you to drink on VR chat, drink water. And when they notice that you're not drunk, tell them someone has to be the designated driver.

[@ClokworkGremlin]

One advantage of social VR that you also don't have in IRL hangouts is, if the party's getting bad, it's much easier to just go somewhere else. No taxi fare, no fear that you're stranding someone without a ride, just pull up a new world (or a new game!) and away you go.

[@ExiledDragoon]

Did you do this and did it work?

[@rikoea6530]

@@ExiledDragoon I don't drink alcohol and never ended up in this situation but it's worth a shot

[@ExiledDragoon]

@@rikoea6530 I request an update if/when you give this a shot.

[@rikoea6530]

@@ExiledDragoon I don't do parties on VR Chat but feel free to give me an update as soon you try it. It sounds like you've been in this type of situation before and need the advice.

[@amaikarai5007]

I've seen this issue first hand. I have a few friends on VRChat who are genuine alcoholics who I've since stopped drinking with, because I don't want to encourage their addiction. I do looove drinking with friends on the weekend though. As a woman, I don't have to worry about getting harassed at an irl bar. I can drink in the safety of my own bedroom, surrounded by my VR friends in a private instance of a virtual bar. There's something incredibly appealing about that. VRChat makes drinking with friends more convenient, which can either be a blessing or a curse depending on the person.

[@laurenpinschannels]

@@Balfourism there are levels to it. I've known people who will not, under any circumstances, ease up. if you ask them in any way, mention it at all, they go harder - to prove that nothing you can say can possibly stop them. they've made their decision, and they're going to stick to it, that you can never under any circumstances make them drink less. it's rare. it's dangerous. people who get like this are already at risk of dying from alcohol use, and that level of use is what drives someone to react this way - it becomes genuinely physically dangerous to stop, and they can feel that! eventually, after too much alcohol, one's body gives way and you don't drink enough one day, and then you suddenly get incredibly sick and die all at once. and when someone gets that bad, at some point, the only thing you can really do from a distance is disconnect from them. if you were closer, irl, maybe you could sit them down and have an intervention about the *never taking breaks* part; if you regularly take breaks, you're generally okay. but once someone falls into the attractor where nobody, not even themselves, is allowed to say no - that's when it becomes all but certain that it will be what destroys your life. drinking every day in a week is also a very bad idea; never drink so much alcohol that you need it, and if you accidentally do so, practice saying no sometimes until you're saying no enough to steer your usage again. And then I'd recommend drinking less. Of course, I write this all out to the random reader passing by, not really DysunXanth. You clearly do know this, and I'm rephrasing it for others because this is how I think about it and perhaps it's a useful contribution. Sorry about my overly wordy writing style 😅

[@aviatornic2839]

My group always says to people "Do not feel pressured to drink with us, and its perfectly fine to just hang out". We have friends from all walks of life, so we understand if not everybody wants to get smashed on a Friday night.

[@32-Volt]

Grande Celebru

[@aviatornic2839]

@@32-Volt you're unbelievable.

[@AleksWorkshop]

Gotta surround yourself with the right people

[@epicwarding]

This is the comment i was looking for

[@beanieteamie7435]

Based Aleks

[@notthatbad8844]

Yes

[@CowboyChilling]

I'll drink to that. 🥤

[@lunarchemist6805]

Yeah a few groups I am on right now they'll just say to drink water or something just to keep the vibes.

[@blindlight]

if you drank water every time someone pressured you to drink in VR, you would never be dehydrated again. food for thought. also I hope more chem free spaces / clubs open up in VR even though its hard to police it just some positive support for non-drinkers and moderation could help a lot of people.

[@jakeaurod]

Like tea houses and coffee shops, or is that considered chem?

[@blindlight]

@@jakeaurod thatd be cool with me. i would like to make a chem free music space but not super strict just highly encouraged and rules against drinking games / peer pressure

[@HidinginYourGarden]

dude I actually did that

[@notBeWitchy]

I do this, every time someone says cheers I drink water or energy drinks. I usually forget to drink water and stay hydrated so it's a good timing and I also don't really feel tooooo left out

[@PhaethonCrafts]

You don’t want to drink too much water though, you can die from that.

[@andrewlesniak8018]

After picking up vrchat, I went from drinking maybe once every other week or so to drinking 3 or 4 times a week, primarily due to ease of access. I love the friend group I've met, and they're cool about it when I feel like I'm done for the moment or am taking a break. I'm probably still on the high end of what could be considered healthy though, if at all.

[@andrewlesniak8018]

@Baxi Woah, ease up dude. I never said that this wasn't something that I've done or that the blame was on some external factor. All I said was it happened when I got into vrchat. It would have been the same with any other social vr platform if I'd met the same people in the same circumstances because I would have made the same choices. It seems like you're being extremely defensive, but I honestly agree with the assessment that the environment that it creates is very fertile ground for substance abuse. That's not the same thing as saying that it causes it, or that the venue is at fault. I'm not denying people's agency, least of all mine. But even if this is a niche issue, this sort of active boost of awareness is good. It's not external controls, its not a pop-up on startup or a breathalyzer on your headset. It's a psa. The vrchat environment is one in which drinking is comfortable and accessible and some people will use that environment and drink to excess. Being vocal about that is not a bad thing.

[@GuitarGuruGaming]

The most important part (which you seem to understand) is to have drinking buddies that respect your boundaries and will understand when you call it quits for the night. That way any decision you make is your own and not one made purely based on peer pressure.

[@justhere630]

@Baxi you missed the point it's not blaming vrchat its making people aware that issues that can arise if you don't watch yourself especially if you're not aware of them, maybe instead of just being so negative maybe take a moment to actually think instead of just assuming

[@GuitarGuruGaming]

An important tip that I was taught shortly after getting into VRChat is that if you are going to drink, have two drinks handy. One drink is your alcohol and another that is just straight water. It's a simple trick that means you get to drink every time somebody says "cheers" without getting absolutely plastered. Since it's VR, the people you are hanging out with can't actually see you in person so they have no idea what you are drinking. So not only do you get to participate the whole night without feeling left out, but you stay hydrated and can largely avoid any kind of hangovers.

[@Psicough]

Massive tip that some have also mentioned: If someone's trying to pressure you to drink, just have some water and tell them you're getting smashed on tequila or something, they can't tell after all

[@DerakosZrux]

I find the hecklers often have pretty low self-esteem and tolerance for conflict. If you're in a public lobby you have no control over, telling them no and expressing your annoyance that they're being that way will probably make them overreact and they will essentially sabotage themselves into most of the lobby blocking them. Just my take as I think d-bags everywhere need confronted more.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

I'm very thankful for the recent wave of videos that talk about the darker aspects of VRChat. Spreading awareness for these things through well produced videos helps way more than just word of mouth. I've lost some good friends to VRChat addictions and vices. Looking over to see people who I used to hang out with having 20,000+ hours in VRChat who've told me that if I want to talk or hang out again, I should just go see them in VR is... A difficult feeling to process.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

@Baxi I had originally wrote a verbose reply to you but after reading more comments, it seems like you're one of those people crusading around your own opinion whilst talking down others who are sharing their genuine negative experiences to get things off their chest. If anything, people like you are the problem. No one here is blaming the userbase of VRChat, but you're going around blaming everyone in the comments for doing so whilst calling them all addicts and people with issues that have no self control. Have you ever been peer pressured? It's not a blameless situation, and it's hard to avoid it depending on the type of person involved. Besides, you're doing far more damage to the reputation of the userbase than this video or anyone sharing their experiences in the comments my friend.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

@Baxi From what you've told me in this comment, it seems like your struggle with addiction in your family is real. You're venting your frustrations out on other people online. No one who hasn't been dealing with the real thing would go out of their way to be this negative towards a subject. Still, VRChat is a product, made by people who don't know you or care to know you. I don't see anyone here saying that it's the responsibility other others to police VRChat behaviour, just others sharing that they have or have had negative experiences in VRChat relating to addiction. Don't die on a hill defending a product from inexistent boogiemen. It's not worth it. I'm sorry for the negativity in my initial reply, are you doing okay? *Edit* Just saw your second reply, yeah you're definitely going through some hard times. It's not healthy throwing all this around. Being this defensive about a topic online isn't good, both because you're letting your own emotions get the better of you and because the ease of aggravation makes you a really easy target, that's why you're running into so much cancel culture. Don't be another Pot calling the Kettle black situation online. If your family is suffering from addiction and you're fighting it yourself, you're better than this.

[@Sovereignless_Soul]

@Baxi Exposing the fact that bad things happen somewhere is considered "close to cancel culture now?" So then what about the grooming that occurs every single day on VRChat? Is talking about that also cancel culture? What defines it?

[@DerakosZrux]

I just don't think that it's that novel. What you described can be the case for people that don't want to go anywhere that doesn't serve alcohol. The interface is new... but everything else seems like stuff we were already dealing with. I've just yet to see a "this thing is VR is bad" video that didn't seem like click-bait. The one that talks about mirrors just makes a lot of negative assumptions that are just wrong, claiming they're self-obsessed or having body-dysmorphia.... instead of it just being an easy way to see everyone you're hanging out with in a setting that, while it's getting better, choosing not to move around much is still often ideal. Not saying people don't have issues, but I am saying that for most people VRchat is not the reason it's just the social setting they prefer and have access to.

[@Lupain]

@@NauyaWasTaken Just about the peer pressure. Not saying that you are completely wrong, but when people do stupid things because of peer pressure, it's their own fault completely. Different individuals have different levels of self-control, I had/have issues with alcoholism since I was 15 because my life gone worse everyday until today, I've regained more and more self-control over the years later because I don't wanna die early of this. If anyone taking drugs, drink or smoke just because your friends thinks it is COOL and you're afraid of being excluded otherwise it is still his fault for 100%, while I have to say that it's sad how the society works who the hell wants to befriended with brainless zombies who would not like you anymore because you don't wanna give up your own personality. I'd rather be alone than this.

[@CurvedGD]

Thanks to you PHIA, I am highly considering to buying a VR headset, thank you for the epic content aswell as I have realised that your content has been increasingly higher quality! Keep up the content!

[@whiteberrywyatt]

Careful what you wish for lmao. Vrchat is a different breed of humans

[@zig131]

A second-hand Rift CV1 is still a great choice for a first headset. Affordable consumer VR tech hasn't really moved on all that much. I bought one and I am very happy with it. No battery to worry about and has good comfort and audio quality out the box.

[@CurvedGD]

@@whiteberrywyatt played it on PC, along with recroom

[@whiteberrywyatt]

@@zig131 even better… get a Rift S! I had one for three years and they are less than $200 used if you’re lucky

[@C_chill282]

I would highly recommend getting a Quest 2. Not only is it still being supported but you can't beat the cost.

[@gravel4189]

Vr literally took me from never wanting to drink alcohol when I was 19, to drinking while I was on medication and nearly dying. I broke a cabinet in my bathroom because I passed out and fell. I had to explain that to my parents and spent the whole next day throwing up and not able to walk

[@yardsalePDX]

Great video Phia! While I totally agree that there is a issue with alcohol itself in VR, I wonder if this is indicative of a larger issue with VR in general? Like, the issue of immersion you brought up, where you don't even notice how drunk you are until you take off the headset, or the fact that if you get kicked out of an instance you can just hop into another one and keep on going... just seems like those points indicate a larger issue to investigate maybe? Regardless, great video Phia! Side note, I LOVED the mix of your VRC avatar and your IRL self in this vid, great editing choice! Always look forward to your vids dude :D

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

Definitely a subset of VRChat addiction as a topic. Hopefully more on this in the near future :)

[@madisonbell5481]

@@TheVirtualRealityShow Maybe a video about the ways in which VRChat, as a medium, changes how we interact with eachother (vs. irl). To quote McLuhan, "the medium is the message", right?

[@TheGwizmiester]

I've had a few friends cut back or take long breaks from VR simply because they knew they were drinking too much. As someone who is pretty deep in the party scene it's definitely easy to go overboard and fall into a cycle of drinking regularly because it's just what you would do at any other irl club. You don't *need* to drink to dance and have fun with your friends but hearing 30 people shout cheers every minute or so doesn't exactly help. 🤷‍♀️ Just gotta discipline yourself and not get too caught up I suppose

[@huzrokhayzur2197]

I've one time at a VR Dj club and the dude organizing the event was non stop telling people to take shots (each freakin time he had to do an annoncement)

[@busteronlyfullscreenmode]

Whenever someone says "cheers" I just use it as an excuse to obnoxiously gargle water.

[@cmnidit4444]

that is obnoxious

[@busteronlyfullscreenmode]

@@cmnidit4444 ❤️

[@RanmaSyaoranSaotome]

As a once non-drinker, I nearly went to this hell myself and thankfully came back out of the depths of it. Being surrounded by people from different time zones means there's always the potential for it being "drinking time" and that makes it especially tempting to have "just one more sip". I've now replaced my raising a glass of wine to raising a glass of water and it's just as fun.

[@MaluuhLive]

@Baxi no one blamed the user base, the purpose of all of this is raising awareness

[@mikafizz1022]

​@Baxi they didn't blame every user of vrchat though, why are you making an argument that didn't exist?

[@GuitarGuruGaming]

yeah, that's an important realization, that the people you are with can't actually see what you are drinking. So if you choose you get to be the best hydrated person in the room lol.

[@Lilithe]

Re: Sippy cups and drinking on VR... it's good for liquids replenishment too! I have a water bottle on a table behind where I usually stand when I play VR so I can reach back for it. That or a cup with a lid / straw or a sippy cup. No spills and all the liquids your body craves! :D

[@ChroahCresta]

Let's turn vrchat alcoholism into a drinking game. Take a shot every time someone says cheers. ...wait.

[@Omnipulsar]

try that with my favorite drink, everclear

[@GoldKitsuneBrony]

Or 'Tink tink'~

[@ravins4786]

GOD FUCKING DAMN IT ITS SO ACCURATE TOO.

[@chippdbanjo]

Despite me being a few years young for drinking, I still find myself going to a lot of drinking worlds since I just have a better time with people Also. No I don’t drink, and I’ve noticed that people don’t hide behind the anime mask as much when they are under. They just feel like they are being real for once.

[@vampyrickiller909]

I remember back in 2020 when quarantine hit. I picked up an oculus rift s. And i found a friend group. And then before i knew it, i was a mini alcoholic. I would go into vr drinking and feel fine, then take off the headset and then i would hit the floor. Glad i kicked that shit

[@HoshPak]

So glad I didn't get pressured into drinking, yet. I join club events regularly and so far they have been exceptionally good without a single drop of alcohol. Stay safe out there, folks.

[@XtendedReality]

Very well said, Phia. The subject is a point of perspective that nobody really takes insight on, especially the people that drink in VR spaces often. Really big fan of your work, keep it up:)

[@ctrlaltbang9883]

Crap, you got me. I feel personally attacked lol. Either way, this is an issue I won't lie. Good vid.

[@serfera369]

I NEVER drank b4 vr. Now I drink occasionally. It happens

[@ctrlaltbang9883]

Every now and then I will Drink, only on Fridays. When I do, VR chat is my place. I would rather be under the influence in my own home than on the road posing a threat.

[@serfera369]

@@ctrlaltbang9883 100% my friend

[@serfera369]

@Baxi i agree with u streamers and the like can call against it all they want. Its like trying to stop the crashers n black kat. There's 1 of 2 defenses n vrc we can all use that they should teach every1 about instead (im amazed at how many ppl dont know about these) the report button and the block/hide button and ur own common sense and discretion. That's the only true defenses we have n vrc if people become a problem. And sticking together.

[@marytone909]

Nearly two years ago now, when I was almost 21, and 21, I remember being in this group of friends who all were like this, and became a really bad influence to me once I was able to purchase alcohol myself legally. I remember "water" being a forbidden word that made you have to take a drink if you said it. I would probably be in a really bad state now if I didn't have to start taking a medication I couldn't drink on, and eventually fell out with those people. I appreciate someone with such a large platform speaking about the issue.

[@Lupain]

Why would you let them influence you in such a bad way?

[@cmnidit4444]

@@Lupain because secretly everyone wants to KNOW what that feeling of being drunk is. then later you say you were pressured, when really, it was a little thought in the back of your head.

[@Phaustin]

5 days old and only 27k views. This needs more eyeballs and attention. I've been around vrchat for years now. And this has been a huge on-going issue. And some people really hurt themselves. Thank you for making this video. 💜 I hope more people see it in the community, especially the ones that NEED to see it. We might have fun in VR but we need to take care of our real selves/body too. Love what you do!

[@derekborst466]

I really liked this topic, a lot. I've been struggling with alcohol since I got out of college, on and off the wagon, just straight up struggling. I've always been quiet, somewhat antisocial, but when I drank in VRChat it felt incredible and SO immersive. I've had to stop playing in VR because it became an enabler. Life as an alcoholic is hard enough. I miss VR, I can't wait until I can go back and play when I'm strong enough to say no. I need to be as strong as an alcoholic going into a bar, ordering a glass of sparkling water with lemon, and being the DD for the night.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

I'm just some random stranger but, I wanna say, you got this. Master the power of No Thank You.

[@adam2O]

OH MY LORD THAT KERMIT THE FROG LOL! 6:53

[@GATOATTACK]

This a really important video. As a streamer/content creator you also often find other creators only wanting to collab on drunk nights. Or viewers wanting us to just stream when drunk. Often times this is the reason I take long breaks from VR to avoid this pressure.

[@Pendarr]

I've only drank a couple times in my life, but all my friends that use VR are usually drinking - sometimes pretty heavily. It's a little embarrassing to admit but I often find myself just pretending to be drinking as well when someone says 'cheers' even though I'm really just drinking coffee, a diet pepsi or just water. Drinking seems to be the central theme, the motif, of why so many people even still log in to VRChat. It makes me a little sad because I see how drastically some of my friends change when they are super drunk. I've been dealing with loneliness and the few times I've drank in VR were partially fueled by that desire to fit in. But I don't like it.

[@paolaanimator]

No worries! I also drink water, tea, coffee, smoothies, etc in VR Chat.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

I know that feeling, the loneliness sucks and it peer pressures you more than any one person ever could. Still, I think you shouldn't feel embarrassed that you don't want to get caught up with all of the drinking and being wasted. If anything, you should be proud that you won't let others intrude on decisions you've made for your own health. Don't be afraid to reach out to anyone you know who can support you. We're all in this boat together.

[@rinshotin2521]

@@NauyaWasTaken ♡♡♡

[@Clarity_VT2]

Hopefully everyone can take something from this and become more self-aware that the escapism of VRChat and lack of gate-keeping in it can influence... well, quite a problem. Be safe out there everyone!

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

Thanks for the interview Clarity

[@wanderlust1282]

Another great episode. I’m always most fascinated by the social aspects of VR. Would you do an episode on what gets people motivated to do VR in the first place, and keeps them interested in it? I am curious to know how much of it is escapism, curiosity, fascinated with the technology, etc.

[@Twortles]

Hey Phia! Glad you could make a video about this. It just feels like whenever I know tries to bring up this topic, they get brushed aside and are told to "not worry about it". Glad you could get some visibility on this topic! For sure it helps with the feeling of "escapism" that's prevalent in VRChat

[@YumiYume]

A good, balanced view of the pros and cons of partying and drinking in VR. I do hang out with friends on Friday nights and yeah, it can go on for 7 or 8 hours easy, drinking and dancing. But as Clint Eastwood said in 'Dirty Harry', "A fox girl's got to know her limitations". By the way, if anyone (over 18 years) needs to talk about problems they are having, I am a mental health supporter in VRChat, Discord and Twitter (although not a professional or registered counsellor). I hold a Stage 2 Certificate in counselling in the UK and listen without judgement to all sorts of problems from all sorts of people for free. I started down this path of VR counselling after helping someone through a very rough time in their life when they became a near alcoholic in VRChat as a way to escape it.

[@melissaq8854]

ive met lots of people who drink waaaay too much and are shut ins its a huge problem, they drink because its fun and they want to join the fun, but then they join more friends for fun who are drinking and they slip into drinking waaaaay too much. theres also the problems of people in VR who cant see what you actually look like irl too see if you are too drunk. glad you covered this subject

[@Sweeneytv]

I only play vrchat drunk.

[@Sanquinity]

As someone who hates going to clubs and bars, drinking in VRC became my replacement. It also only costs me like 4~8 euros for the entire evening. But most importantly: I make it a point to try to stop right before I go from being very tipsy, to actually being drunk. Usually that means I stop in time, sometimes that means I stop just a little bit too late and become a bit drunk. (though never even close to being blackout drunk) And I also keep it to one evening per week. All of that being said: Yes, drinking culture in VRC is a problem. People will encourage you to drink more. Or to start drinking in general, to join them. I've had multiple friends that went off the deep end. Drinking multiple evenings a week or even every evening. Often getting blackout drunk or even actively aiming to get that drunk. Drinking 1.5~2 bottles of vodka a on drinking night. Stuff like that. Safe to say they aren't my friends anymore. Drinking with friends is fun. Drinking with alcoholics isn't. Especially when they try to convince you to drink more as well.

[@moonoramaVR]

Thanks for making this video. I like how you disclaim that you do partake in drinking alcohol in VR, but you don’t make it a regular thing. And it’s up to each person whether it’s something they want to do. And, Understanding where to draw the line is important. Moderation is key to this type of thing. I drink water and sparkling water with friends. Tastes better, hydrates me, and doesn’t affect my body in a harmful way.

[@SlyTheShark]

saw this pop up in my recommended, and yeah its awesome seeing people cover both the good and the bad sides of the coin and spread awareness to this kind of stuff, I love to chill in the party scene and such, but knowing one's limits is always an important thing , I like to go up to ppl sometimes and ask if they've had any water or such on their heavier drinking moments. Thnx for the awesome content, I'll keep an eye out for your stuff for sure :)

[@iamLucid]

Verry happy you made this video

[@kishy6558]

i’m honestly so excited for you to reach 200k you make such great content and you deserve it

[@miliku]

as Someone who is watching this video while nursing a hangover from vrchat. i think the video hits on some excellent points but let me just drop some "tricks" for people who want to drink in vr but be more careful about it 1. it's even mentioned in the video but take off your headset! just take it off for a minute or 2 once in a while your body does not realize how drunk you really are until you do this so its good to gauge how drunk you really are 2. drink water and make sure your friends do this too 3. dont listen to the crazy amount of alcohol people try to make you drink just drink at your owne pace (nobody can see or tell how much you actually drink anyway) 4. look out for each other check up on your friends make sure they are having fun and not getting sick or uncomfortable 5. find your limit and stop when you hit it we drink to have a good time not get spend a day puking and being sick because we had too much

[@iamMarinara]

Very intriguing and eye opening video. I've noticed a lot of alcoholics in VR and honestly it really concerns me; not just for the people around them but for the actual people that are drunk behind the headset. very good video! Love your work as always!

[@huzrokhayzur2197]

yeah i'm worried for them and can't really enjoy the moment since i have no idea how much they are waisted behind their headset,

[@DiblingXx]

I have social anxiety and there is something so comforting about people who drink with you... It's nice. I miss my lockdown VRC parties. T-T

[@keeshuunedited5678]

Drink responsibly! It's good for a celebration, but you gotta set rules and have the right environment. If you are sad, and are drinking to become happy, you're doing it wrong. Here's some things to keep in mind: 1. Get with friends you can trust to be responsible, 2. Make sure your room and pathway to bathroom are safe (bathroom breaks and such), and probably have a little trash bin you can barf into in case you are unable to make it in time. Preferably with stuff to clean it up. 3. Be in a good mood BEFORE drinking 4. Set a max amount of alcohol you can drink. I personally like to pour the drinks out and never have a reason to go back. If you refill once, depending on who you are, you might be tempted to keep refilling or lose track of how much you have drank. Since I'm in VR, I usually track it in my status. If I was IRL, I'd probably use my cellphone or something (I don't particularly like the idea of a drunk person with something stabable like a pencil/pen). 5. Have some easy to obtain water/food that stops you from feeling drunk in case you start having a bad time suddenly and to prevent hangovers. 6. Research stuff about alcohol. I may have had a bit of alcohol now, but I'm still practically a newbie compared to some people that have had 1 type of every alcohol in the alcohol store, or makes it themselves and does mixing. Look into what you are drinking, and start off with weaker stuff and go stronger in order to find your limit, not that you need to reach your limit to have fun. If you start mixing, be cautious, I've heard many stories about it going wrong, and someone from my family had to go to the hospital and almost died because of mixing improperly. My life story with drinking for the curious: My father was a bit questionable with some decisions. However him having me taste alcohol when I was 6 years old made me learn to absolutely despise ever entertaining the thought of alcohol because it tasted so bad (and I think it was too light to actually effect me too). So I didn't touch it until around 19-early 20s, I forget when, it was when some friends were helping me get over anxiety. Which it kinda did at the time, but I think that was me more focusing on "oh what's this new thing" making me temporarily forget about my anxiety. Person that offered it drank a lot of alcohol and eventually started making their own, so I learned a few things. Biggest example is I've never had a hangover from alcohol because they always made sure I had water/ate some things after drinking, and I continue to do that nowadays whenever I get the chance to drink. I would then not touch alcohol again until I was around 32 (about to be 34 this year) because I was testing to see pros and cons of alcohol in a social setting (also recording myself being goofy was just a bonus). Starting off with 5% and was planning on working my way up. I can get drunk off 5% still, but I generally have to keep holding it in my hand, otherwise I sip at it too slowly to get drunk. However sipping 5% is what I prefer because it "takes the edge off", but doesn't stop me from thinking properly. Then for my 32nd birthday I decided to go drink a bit more but in VR this time, my closest friend to this day suggest kraken, which is 47%, literally more than 9 times stronger. Then I was sharing my b-day with a self-proclaimed irish man who did quite a bit of drinking at the time. I figured he'd know a thing or two about alcohol, and he suggested way more than I should have had. Each "shot" I had was 2.5 ounces, as opposed to the 1 ounce I was originally going to have. So by the end it was getting hard to balance, and my mind was like a slideshow for what I saw. Makes me wonder if I was about to blackout or something. I would later then barf, which surprised me because I felt amazing and nothing felt wrong at all, stomach felt completely normal too. Closest friend told me to stop (who also was drinking for the first time I believe), I thought they were being too cautious, but I listened. Glad I did, I can only imagine how bad it would've been if I kept drinking. I only poured 4 "shots", and I was originally going to drink all 10 that I poured out and have that be the limit. I felt awful after barfing, but luckily someone decided to sit by me which made me feel good. It would've been a terrible night if they didn't do that. Funnily enough I don't slur my words much when drunk ( I record when I drink and watch back in case I say something dumb too), but I dooooooo liiike saaayiiing words in a loooong way. I'm a happy, huggy drunk, but that could just be because I only drink if I'm happy and I'm with close friends. I only drank alcohol once alone, and then when I was about to go meet some friends, I had some anxiety that I haven't felt in a long time, and the alcohol just kinda snowballed negative feelings until I felt sad and alone until an hour or two later someone invited me somewhere, which cheered me up quite fast 'cuz yay friends. Alcohol really does effect your emotions quite a bit, this is why I also worry about my friends that drink to get happy. As for people suggesting I drink when everyone else is drinking I usually don't, because I like to be able to see them be goofy, and comfort them if they suddenly get sad out of nowhere. If I do drink, it's only 5%. I only drink harder stuff for things that are planned. I don't think I'll go higher than 27% since that make me drunk almost as fast as the 47%, but It's much easier to drink. I don't drink often, I mean, last time I drank alcohol was over half a year ago. The stars just haven't aligned to drink recently. Either been sick, had some sort of minor injury that just needed a little rest, being busy so there was a good time, or people disrupting my sleep so bad that I'm basically "sleep drunk" anyways. Quality > Quantity for drinking. It'd you're gonna put expensive poison into the body, it better be a dang good time! Besides, alcohol lasts forever, so it's not like you need to remove it immediately. Whatever the case: I do think everyone should try alcohol a few times in their life, just be safe about it and don't let it become a recurring thing. I just felt the need to ramble on this because I've seen friends IRL and on VR struggle with alcoholism, and I feel like everyone knows at least a dozen people who have had problems with alcoholism. It's fun, but you have to be careful with it. Oh, and while alcohol can be a "social lubricant", it's not going to suddenly make you a social person. I've seen a few too many people treat alcohol as an easy answer to be social. There are other ways to help you be social if you aren't already.

[@valkayrie1198]

whenever I DJ in VR I have these "rules for drinking" and the 1st one actively encourages having water, food, soda, etc while the 2nd says not to bash people for what they choose. 2 simple things plastered on every video screen of a world and I still have to leave the DJ booth if I'm self hosting or message the party host to deal with people that think it's ok to pressure other people to drink heavily.

[@GuitarGuruGaming]

I respect that, especially as the DJ you have a little more pull than anyone else in the room and so it's good to set a responsible example.

[@PortlyPete]

a lot of vr chat just feels like hedonism to me so it isnt surprising alcoholism would be an issue

[@hyenaedits3460]

I've gone to a few VR clubbing events and the pressure to drink is *real.* I tend to take the nonconfrontational approach and pretend to drink when it's really a bottle of soda or water I'm chugging, or I'll nurse a Mike's Hard Lemonade the whole night. I don't really like the taste of alcohol and I don't like losing control.

[@GuitarGuruGaming]

One of the core Tenets of one of the drinking groups I hang out with on the weekends in VR is "When we say cheers, you drink... but we couldn't care less *what* you drink". more often than not there is at least a handful of people at each event that are completely sober the entire time (normally because they work early in the morning or have some other reason) and everyone there is totally chill about it. It's super important to surround yourself with the right people.

[@_gamma.]

Creating content like this shows how deeply you care about the community, good work. VRChat is better with your presence

[@twystedgamer1174]

I absolutely agree with this. I have a friend I met on VRChat who is 17, and they have been getting heavily drunk on hard liquor every day or two for the past 6 months. I've drank a few times myself but the only time I got too drunk was on accident -as you mentioned, it is very hard to tell just how drunk you are till you take the headset off- and I make sure to drink only on occasion. But I have been tempted many times to drink excessively, and my past is what keeps me from it; My father committed suicide drunk, I promised I would not make the same mistake and is likely why I didn't give in to this trend. People need to realize we aren't invincible, by the age you can drink you've nearly started getting less resilient to this kind of harm. Whether it be doing something irresponsible that gets you killed, alcohol poisoning or just permanent damage for the rest of your life, it isn't worth it. Nice vid btw, this helped me realize what I already knew, but just didn't realize I knew.

[@Isamaar]

That's why I'm impressed w my friend group on VRChat, they don't press you to drink alcohol if you don't want to. In fact. They encourage drinking water whenever they do cheers and such. It's great and wholesome. I have come across people who do push, but I don't let it get to me.

[@NattyCat]

I have a bottle of water and some tea nearby while I'm in VR. If people called shots too much I'd take a tea shot or a hydration shot. ...suffice to say I was always hydrated in that era of my life. I still ended up being a VRcoholic though... for my own reasons. Severe depression and nihilism do things even if you're strong-willed enough to resist other people trying to get you to poison yourself even more than you already are. Also, in the rave scene, one of my exes ended up connecting me to witness another problem. It's not just alcohol in VR, and when people would recommend to someone new to just go ham on psychedelics with nobody to look out for them IRL... and for this to be seen as normal... well it took a lot to restrain my anger. I couldn't say anything because I was in the minority and have only ever done alcohol.

[@panthereal]

My thought is VR would prove worse for heavy drinkers, while a better environment for light drinkers. Benefits for being at home are no one can pour you a real shot in VR (well, yet) and they definitely can't make you a drink that's stronger than you would expect. So at least you're responsible and aware how much your alcohol intake is. Verbal peer pressure can convince someone to grab another drink or take a shot, but I I think it would be easier to say no to making yourself something compared to someone else physically handing a nice drink to you at an IRL event. Of course being comfortable at home could give me a higher chance of consuming more than I would being out because I don't have to leave to return home. That paired with the ease of buying more at once thanks to staying at home would give left reasons to stop drinking. Really people in VR will just have to learn to make sure their friends are taking care of themselves well enough, which I think having a larger base of friends thanks to something like VR Chat will help with.

[@camijoy3001]

as somebody who got into the iffy part of vr drinking i can fully admit its a pandemic in vr. when i first started drinking in vrchat it was 3 days a week EVERY WEEK for a few months. but i managed to get away from that really bad habit. now i occasionally drink but its light drinking very rarely do i get super drunk. whereas in the past i was black out drunk those three days a week. and i was once on the verge of alcohol poisoning because i drank WAY too much one night. that was the night i realized i didnt like being blacked out on a regular and i didnt like that sensation. so now ill happily casually drink with the occasional " yea ill get drunk drunk" but mostly just for special occasions (birthdays or special events). but yea... i finally escaped that bad loop... and have improved.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

Remember with peer pressure why you should get out of there you can always drink water and lie and say you're getting drunk as hell. they'll never know they're getting drunk too. Oh but regardless if you drink, drink water as you do. my gosh you got to do it or you're going to get messed up. Not to mention it takes the edge off The hangover which in many ways is partially a dehydration headache

[@NauyaWasTaken]

If it's alcohol, food helps too!

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

@@NauyaWasTaken soak it up with that spongy food!!

[@Stryker_VR]

really informative video, I think its funny you uploaded this today because Sunday night (June 5) I ended up drinking with a buddy of mine. He told me to go to drinking night and meet some new people so thats exactly what I did. I met a lot of cool people that night, but with every new person I met? I took a shot with them. I ended the night with about 19 shots in my system. Mind you, I had an awesome time being so social and laughing the whole time with other people, but it was something I dont think I could see my self doing very often.

[@angelaheart6432]

Really liked the edits you did between VR to IRL, seamless and very well done. This video was very nice to watch knowing that someone finally spoke up about it. I feel like more people need to have friends with this kind of mindset to help them when they fall down

[@ConfusedQueer]

I've seen the drinking culture in VRchat and very much been involved with it. I'd say its a fun place but also you got to be careful, keep yourself in check and don't let others pressure you although easier said than done. I turned the legal drinking age in my country after already being a player for almost a year. Although my first drink wasn't in VRchat the game definitely has encouraged my drinking. I'd say the best way to keep yourself from going overboard or starting a drinking problem is making sure your in the right crowd, as nice as the alcoholics in VRchat can be they aren't likely to encourage stopping. Try to keep at least someone around to calm everyones drinking. I'm not saying all alcoholics in VRchat are going to force a bottle down your throat in fact some of the biggest drinkers I know on the game have forcefully told me to put the bottle down, all i'm saying is make sure your in good hands and make sure to look after yourself! : )

[@lonesomecross]

Drinking can definitely be a weird subject when it comes to VR. I personally enjoy drinking with a tight knit group of friends that I met during one of their Friday night escapades, and we have a blast. So much so, one of our buddies, @PreExistence, has gone through hours of footage to make highlight reels for us to look back on and laugh at ourselves. I’ve also seen some pretty crazy stuff happen in VR when drinking was involved, so I think moderation is the best policy!

[@MilkyWayHeroz]

I was a part of a big drinking group, thing is I only drank once a week on the weekend. they even had a discord and for the most part it was nice. tbh you just have to keep yourself in line. oh and for the record not all big drinking groups pressure you to drink, those who wanted to drink would drink and those who didn't could just chill and vibe with everyone. either way it was a fun time and I'd recommend finding the right people to drink with, just don't overdo it.

[@edattacks]

I'm hearing atleast one "CHEERS" in each VRChat sesh lol. Every now and then, I'm the one saying cheers haha. Yea I know some people that be drunk or drugs (weed or acid) all the time in VR

[@dashtothemax5353]

Thank you for talking about this. I've been to the hospital 10 times for alcohol withdrawals after getting VR. Before VR I only did meth and while I would never recommend it, never had any problems.

[@nuggies5348]

I honestly love drinking in VR as well, especially every week after stressful work days. But of course, I admit I'm one of those people who would drink until they passed out. I honestly would stay in front of the old Drinking Night, the day when it's not yet quest compatible. And every time someone joins, I love to talk to them and asking them how's their day been etc. It's wonderful how so many people decided to come in and drink almost everyday. I honestly wouldn't be surprise if one day, I were to become one of people like these It's like, alcohol make me less nervous to talk to people, and I think I'm addict to that But now, it's bad seeing kids in the Drinking Night and get the bad influence

[@ran4082]

love what you are doing with vr, helping people out. Keep it up Phia!

[@DansMantra]

I was in that Drinking Night world a few hours ago with a group of friends. Its a shame that many people develop these kinds of issues, I get that VR allows us to escape the negative aspects of our lives. For myself nearly 3 years ago I had ended my marriage to my abusive wife and it was tough..I did find myself depressed but never found myself overdoing anything like eating or drinking.. To those that have issues I heed you to talk to someone you trust and never feel.like you are not alone in irl or vr.

[@jakeaurod]

I've only been using VRC for a couple weeks and now have been out of it for over a week. Most of my drinking while watching VR (I'm a desktop player) is tea, but I've had a couple hard ciders while in game. Drinking is social, and VRC is a social network, so it makes perfect sense for people to drink while socializing in it. But, I don't do much drinking in VRC because I don't do much socializing in VRC, and the same goes with IRL.

[@Violet_Juniper]

I recently got a quest 3 and decided to meet some new friends in vrchat. I ended up finding people that would drink everytime I was on and was quite pushy with getting people included. I drank too much the few times I was on. The last time I did it, I was hungover for the entire next day in fun. It honesly ruined my fun with vrchat.

[@Inuweeb]

I am incredibly socially anxious and so I'm one of those mutes in Vrchat who communicates via hand gestures. At the beginning of my time on VRchat, it was so bad that if someone said "Hello" to me, I would pretend I went AFK or straight out turn off my VR. I got mild alcohol poisoning during a depressive episode and ended up cleaning puke from my carpet for a couple weeks before I got rid of it all back in 2015 - so I can't stomach the stuff now. But I think that if I was still in that kind-of mindset now that I have VR, I could've very easily used alcohol as a means to try and gain confidence and speak around others (which IS how I become when I drink - which is why my dumb brain thought drinking lots would cure depression! Which it didn't of course). Anyway, I can see when it comes to people like me (and I know there's a lot of us out there) that drinking can truly become a huge problem.

[@DudeGuyBroGuy]

I started VR drinking a few months ago with a new group of friends...honestly...just know your limited and try your best to be respectful. I grew out of the bar and club scene...and this is just a nice way to socialize and have a few cold ones. Also, balance a healthy lifestyle. I might VR on Friday and Saturday, but i am in the gym everyday.

[@marct1187]

I found myself getting into a loop on Horizon worlds, with the same sort of issue happening to me. I was getting plastered and chatting with people almost every single night, losing sense of time. I wouldn’t even realize how drunk I was getting until I took off my headset, like you said. I was drinking an insane amount of hard alcohol and wasn’t even realizing it. It can definitely be a slippery slope to tread. Be safe and take care of your physical selves when you’re in the virtual realm.

[@BlueBlueBlue-6]

I was on medical marijuana and I never had a problem with it until I started using VRChat. I met some people who when they found out I had it and knew I couldn't drink peer pressured me into doing as much as I could. It was fun at first but eventually I was high everyday every hour in that game and usually I was mentally gone. I've made a lot of bad choices during that period of my life and regret listening to them.

[@Katoptrys]

I'm a sommelier, I work at a wine bar IRL, and I used to be a bartender. If there is one thing I have had to do MULTIPLE times, it's cutting people off. Some people don't know their own limits and just keep going like there is no consequences. The dangerous aspect of VRC drinking is that no one can stop you, if you don't want to stop. While it might be safer for others around you, it's not necessarily safer for yourself

[@sozariyu]

this video couldn't have dropped at a better time, I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to alcohol in general, but i recently tried to play a "drinking game" (i was the only one really drinking and i only drank one smirnoff ice bottle the whole game) and i genuinely don't know what caused this to happen but I've never felt that drunk before with that little alcohol, i felt like absolute shit for the rest of the night and swore to myself I wouldn't do this again, but I can't help but feel tempted: "oh it's just one drink, why does it matter" i feel like the placebo effect of being at a bar/ drinking game in VR, combined with all the points you've mentioned in here makes it so the whole VRChat drinking experience becomes extremely different than socially drinking irl.

[@NauyaWasTaken]

You might be someone who can get drunk off of atmosphere in social situations. I've seen some people get "drunk" at bars partying with their friends when all they ordered was a Shirley Temple. Either that or maybe you usually eat food when you drink alcohol and this time your stomach was empty?

[@sozariyu]

@@NauyaWasTaken could be the first one, i usually drink when I'm playing valorant if im being completely honest

[@NauyaWasTaken]

@@sozariyu Ah, yeah it's likely the "Drunk off Atmosphere" phenomenon then. If playing Valorant and drinking doesn't get you wasted in the same way and you've drank the same kind of alcohol, you have your answer.

[@MrZimmerson]

Just saw this video and wanted to say my piece: I 100% agree there's a drinking problem. I used to be in VR Drinking clubs (I still am, although I rarely play the game, or drink for that matter). The positives: are that you meet so many new people and make new friends Negatives: you can meet people who just want to drink constantly, and there's a level of peer pressure. If you drink in VR, Please take care of yourself. Drink if you want, but please please please do not go overboard. I don't want to dive too deep into this, but if you do drink - drink in moderation. I lost a friend in VRChat which is now coming up to two years ago. He lived on his own and he get drunk on the weekends. This was a usual for him, and sometimes he'd make food whilst shitfaced. One Saturday night he went to make food, he passed out with the oven on. Long story short, He didn't wake up and thus died in his sleep. I woke up to find out this through a mutual friend, with pictures on the news of his house being singed from the fire. Thankfully he didn't burn to death, but he unfortunately died due to asphyxiation (suffocation). Still to this day I miss that son of a bitch. Always brightened my day, was an absolute laugh to be around. I miss you Morbalyses.

[@nexgenvrspare6167]

As someone who does drink at events like this it is dangerous if you are suseptable to peer pressure. I know my limits when I drink around them all thankfully but not everyone can do that. Do NOT drink in VRC IF you are suseptable to peer pressure and when you DO drink in vrc Make sure you either KNOW your limits or have someone there that you trust to tell you to STOP. Okay? It's a matter of being in control of YOURSELF. At the end of the day the one suffering the side effects of drinking in vrc is YOU. Take care of yourselves and be fucking smart. Not dumb. VRC is not a GAME! VRC is more like a social media platform, the MOMENT you let your guard down and lose yourself is the moment people will take advantage of you. That's the harsh truth. All in all, watch out for yourself if no one else does it for you. It's not their job. Also, DO NOT DRINK IF YOU'RE UNDER THE LEGAL AGE.

[@Solid_Steak44]

Holy shit I know clarity! I never knew this about him, but it just goes to show how amazing he is doing now! If you see this Clarity hope you keep it up bud!

[@FluxNomad678]

I'm still new to VR Chat. Are there alternatives scenes to this like Cafe / Coffee shop worlds? l see a lot of appeal to people having an experience together around something in common, but it shouldn't have to mess you up.

[@123SuperSomeone]

Just this past weekend, I actually got blackout drunk playing VRChat. While the social aspect was definitely a lot of fun, the hangover was awful and I really could have hurt myself since I live alone. The social part was great and I'd like to do it again, but I'm glad I learned my limits and I intend to limit myself to one or two beers, and nothing stronger than beer.

[@S1RLANC3]

Thank's for clarifying this. I am also one of the ones that fall into this category. I'm actually stopping now and not doing any weekday drinking from here on than. You keep being awesome and take care.

[@PumpkinSeries]

I am glad you are pointing out the pros and cons of VR, especially when it comes to the dark escapism that is sadly attractive at first glance to those currently “in the gutter”. VR chat has so much potential, but people need to be cognizant of its dangers. I believe some fail safes should be in order like VR reminders of how much time is spent, and even scheduling features to remind players of their bodily needs.

[@phonicalnotion248]

I drank a few times in VRChat, and it did loosen me up and actually introduced me to a group of fantastic friends. How-in-of-the-ever.....the after effects were not worth the sacrifice of health. I felt so tired, lethargic and generally drained by the end of the night. I barely slept those nights after the day was done. Never really got drunk, but pretty tipsy and wobbly; and if that alone was enough to make me feel bad, I'm not exactly lining up to give drunk VR a try.

[@morxi5817]

I do drink during my time in vrc, but I don't go past after one or two drinks. I'd still like to be able to hear, see, and speak clearly and not be a rambling mess.

[@thegreenguy8837]

I am Part of my countries Emergency Services (EMS: Firefighters, Medics, Federal Agency for Technical Relief etc.) and therefore have been keeping myself sober to be constantly deployment ready. Also i have seen what alcohol can do to people especially when isolated. With me not drinking one thing i noticed really quickly is that there is a lot of people that will give you flack for not drinking, espically in worlds like the one described above. Don´t let people like this decide, if, how and what you drink. Monitor your health to some degree, be self aware regarding your drinking. Switch it up, drink water here and there and most definetly don´t forget to eat. If you know you can´t keep going, stop imediatly. Also dont be afraid to call an ambulance if you feel like you need. I d rather be driving twice without it beeing necessary than not drive and have someone get hurt.Remember to watch out for your fellow players aswell. We dont want to be dragging you from your home because you drank yourself to coma or death so please take care.

[@Subparanon]

Kermits in your kitchen drinking ALL of your wine.

[@YouTubeDoxedMyRealName]

Well I joined VRC about 2019-2020ish I lived in VRC for 6 months and I was drunk for 6 months. Drinking with out getting waisted while still being waisted is a thing in VR. One moment ur like im fine then you take off ur HMD to go pee and ur like holy crap then you put the HMD back on and ur like im fine. The group I was with did drink heavily but we never pressured any one to drink more than water... In any case some how I never got a hangover once but eventually I reached a point where I started blacking out easily. (memory loss) Then I left VR for a while. It is a lot easier to interact or want to interact with people when drinking tho... At least it is for me since I dont interact with people IRL in any meaningful way since Im always busy and people around me even neighbors and stuff dont have anything in common with me any ways... In any case good video.

[@RadiantFoxx]

Fr tho it is a problem, I was hanging out in drinking night with a couple of friends and a 14 year old was black out drunk and throwing up on the floor. His trackers kept showing that he was falling and couldn't walk straight. I added him and never seen him online since, this was 4 months ago. There were people pressuring him to drink more and he was chugging the bottle like a champ. But I think you need to be around better people and not to drink too early!

[@unknowngod8221]

he 14?! jesus christ imagine his parent seing him drunk on the floor god i hope he okay

[@acidbath5613]

as someone who came into vr clean, I came a long way. Alcoholism was my first escape on vr, then pills, then I did both. didn't help that the people I was around would push me to do so because I was the "partier." I'm 17 now, almost 18. I started vr when I was 15, and freshly 16 I dropped into the alcoholic side of vrchat. Since I was younger, many people enjoyed drinking with me, which led me to being groomed and or pressured into doing some types of acts or decisions such as mixing medication and alcohol. I remember I would get a liter of vodka, and drink all within such a small time. this led me to stop eating and going outside to be social. I dropped into major depression, and leaned towards pills for something to make me happy. then I joined vrchat drinking again and met the same people. i wasnt looking forward to drinking again, but as soon as i saw that yellow tag i got my bottle out and swigged that. but this time it was worse due to my body not being use to the alcohol in take I use to do. I remember so vividly, my first near death that made me close my eyes and wake up the next morning dazed and confused. i literally had the thought of "my momma is home, what do i do? do i go out and collapse in front of her, or die in her arms?" at this point i was numb, and peaceful, but i had fear. feat but not fear? I don't know, but I hadn't eaten anything, and already my health was bad with the pill use and alcoholism. Everytime I used the bathroom the bowl would be dark red with blood, [i went into the hospital and they found nothing wrong with me and said it happens when it comes to stool and constipation which i understand, but it was happening when i urinated too.] I'll let you decide wether how bad that is or not. but I decided to drink with friends, and three shots in I take my headset off due to nausea. I collapsed on my bed and started to projectile vomit stomach acid and alcohol, and then blood. the next morning I had to clean it up and act like nothing happened. my parents didn't know and still don't know about my addictions. so I had to do it by myself basically until my best friend came into picture. We drink here and there, but I'm so happy I met him. I wouldn't be here without him, and to know that, that is a hard pill to swallow.

[@acidbath5613]

side note: When I was a heavy user to alcohol, I would drink until I would black out, wake up and proceed again as soon as i woke up. every second was in vr at this point. I stopped going to school and resorted to destroying my family relationships, and continuing to drink. I almost fell back into it due to the season and month, but I fought and I got through those struggling drinking/pill thoughts.

[@unknowngod8221]

dear god i hope you're okay and those people who groomed you got justice you deserve

[@GoldKitsuneBrony]

I fell down this rabbit hole myself. Since ive been old enough to drink ive lived in small nowhere towns where in tbe night life is... nonexistent. I 2020 I used one of my covid checks to buy a headset and from there it didn't take long. Did a lot of damage to my reputation and started to experience terrible withdrawal even going without it a few days. So now a days I set a hard limit of two nights a week to get plastered.

[@TechnoGlowStick]

Wow... This is crazy. I've never done either one, so this is completely new to me! I don't know you, Clarity, but I'm glad you're okay! 🙂

[@Lilithe]

I often find others drinking but don't really do so myself. Sometimes I'll have *one* drink and sometimes I don't even finish it. I'll find my sippy cup (crucial for VR drinking) still partly full the next day. On a really big day or something I might have 1 or 2. Usually a drink I mix myself. But I also don't have that type of personality where I need to keep stuff like that up. Social smoking, drugs, alcohol. I never really feel like I want to keep them up and physical addiction doesn't really hold me over anything much other than caffeine. Knowing your limits is important but knowing your susceptibility to habit forming is another, probably more important thing. The thing about your friend reminds me of my mother. She drank basically the whole time I was growing up, and drank heavily after my dad died when I was 12. My whole teenage years she was basically not present. She'd be drinking all day with my stepfather. She got type 2 diabetes from it, and recently she's had a scare about early onset dementia from years of alcohol abuse. I didn't even really know that was a thing, but I guess it is. It's sad to see someone you love lose her mind permanently. All you can do is be there for her and maybe nudge her toward reality when her brain starts to fill in the gaps with nonsense. 😿 My stepfather already died from cancer which they kept from me until he was almost gone too. Again, due to a lot of drinking and smoking. This stuff does have real impacts and it bears repeating. I don't mean to be a buzz kill but some people really should be more careful with substances than others and keep control of their intake.

[@housecapital2199]

Yeah this is a topic I had to go through. Never drank before getting on vr at all TBH. I loved every minute of it, getting a little tipsy in vr is such a trip. I started wanting more and more and it was easy to find an excuse to drink socially with a party being on 24/7 right in my own bedroom. It became unhealthy pretty quick once I started going along with the culture of saying cheers instead of what I had been doing, a small shot once every 20 minutes with a full water bottle in between. It kind of milled me into overdrinking every time I got into VR. I replaced the alcohol with a much more antisocial drug and stopped drinking / partying in vr entirely. After struggling to break that legitimate addiction I don't dare pick up drinking again and now its no fun trying to go back to the parties with all the alcoholics I had made friends with over the six months of heavy drinking. I think the platform does allow for really unhealthy behavior in people who probably would have gone to the bar with friends once a week at most. I see good friends avoiding getting on unless its a drinking night, and others that seem to be on all the time drinking. Its not a good look, and you can say its a persons responsibility to not overdrink all you want but at the end of the day we are social creatures and the people we are around do influence our decisions. The culture of drinking nights is a constant encouragement to overdrink. I don't think I've heard any of my friends except one say something like "Hold on bud, you should probably take a break for a while, you look a little tipsy."

[@OniKitsuChi1962]

I was falling into this very social group and it was becoming a problem. I don't normally drink irl mostly holidays and a bit on my bday, but in vr I would start drinking with one group the switch to a new one. I would experience black outs where I couldn't remember what happened the night before, I was scared that of what I was becoming and forced myself not to continue down that path. I no longer drink when I play vr even when I'm with one of these groups.

[@bluebell1]

Phia this is an awesome video! I love that you are bringing up issues that can happen when taking alcohol to an unsafe level! Peer pressure is hard for some people! Thank you for bringing awareness to your community!

[@MidnightAhri]

from the start i set my limit at once a week, but imma quit drinking and do more stuff irl again... its hella fun but i used to never drink, and ive noticed that i slowly start to drink more and more whenever i drink. so atleast gonna take a break if not quit completely. biggest problem is that i look forward to get online and drink, which i totally dont need to have fun... i used to go to raves 5x a week and only drink once, and i had a fuckton of fun too, drunk maybe slightly more because I jump from convo to convo and end up in fun places where i normally wouldnt have been with cool people... but if i get over that tiny bit of anxiety, or just quit hanging out only with my friends at worlds where i go to, i can still just talk to everyone and do the same thing which is gonna be my goal tbh... (sorry friends ;-;)

[@mossmortis]

I'm new to VRChat and I've already noticed this. Few days ago I was exploring the world and I came across a group. There was this one guy that was already very drunk and he was questioning whether to drink more because he wanted to drink all of his drinks (and he listed what he had, which was many many many things, bottles of things). The people around him encouraged him to drink more. I was genuinely scared for this guy's liver, and his life.

[@CandyMsp-gw2qu]

That happened to me I told a guy to get a glass of water and go to bed

[@Spellwinder5]

Thank you for this

[@desmoteemyon2391]

I actually know a few who've died drinking in Vrchat. 3 or 4 to be exact just this year. It's definitely a problem that needs to be addressed.

[@cangetemall9025]

I drink and play VRChat. I see people all the time booing when a mention of drinking water comes up calling it weak. I see people encouraging overdrinking, playing drinking songs where you are taking a sip every half second. These people annoy me to the worlds end. When I am in drinking worlds I encourage pacing oneself and drinking water. Not drinking on an empty stomach is also important. It can be fun to drink in VR but dont kill yourself for the meme of it or because you are depressed. Take care of your body and live a long life.

[@WanderingWind71]

As someone who has had drinking problems in the past, I definitely can see the problem with being in VR and having people encourage you to keep going. I was a solo drinker. I just went out and grabbed a bottle of whatever caught my fancy and then went home and drank. If I'd been involved in vrchat I can definitely see how that could have gotten worse. Thankfully I am in a recovery program to help me realize what triggers me and what I can do to avoid the temptations. Like you, I don't judge others for doing it, but I know that I personally cannot handle it.

[@hdsavion]

I'm a bit surprised that you covered this but I'm really glad you did!

[@LingieVR]

Clarity is 100% on the nose about trust in VR. The stigmas of upper level trust users is true, and it's widespread. I used to idolize the idea of finally "getting purple," then I even hit Veteran, and now I see how many people around me want to actively avoid Trusted, and sometimes known users (and Veteran and Legendary at that, RIP those ranks though.), and they're avoided for always being in private, never in public, stuck to their same few friends, and frankly they're often times enablers. Maybe not on purpose, maybe it's a group enabling mentality, but it's not healthy. Trust is a good thing, but VRC's trust is a measurement of some really negative connotations as well.