I know a few raging alcoholics who refuse to drink alone. I have a former friend who's will be halfway to a nervous breakdown if he goes one night without being in a bar with a crowd of people.

I know he's broken the guidelines several times to go to house parties and other gatherings. It's always purely unnecessary and for the people there it's more of an addiction they're getting a hit of than an act of rebellion.

I've watched some of these stories and the discussion about them misses what's going on with a lot of these people.

For most, they're just selfish and ignorant, but for people like my former friend - they're literally addicted to nightlife.

Whenever I used to suggest we get a bottle and stay in we would literally end up in a screaming match because I had the audacity to suggest not being in a crowd of people. Whenever we did go out he'd leave me and disappear into a crowd.

I think a lot of these parties in big cities can't be chalked up to a political statement, or a simple flouting of the rules - many of these people are as addicted to being in a crowd of people as they are to drinking or drugs. That's not to demonize drinking or drugs, I do my share of both, but after having a friend who would literally turn into a blubbering rage monster at the very hint of not going out for the 23rd night in a row.