Does alcohol bring out the "real you"?

[caliboi74lv]

There are exceptions to this, but nobody does things that they don't want to do when they're drunk. They simply have more courage to do the things that they already wanted to do deep down.

Although lately I've been blacking out way too easily and when I do, I really do some stupid shit. For instance: getting myself thrown in detox on New Years Eve and waking up with a busted lip. Or: Humping the leg of a girl (much like a dog) whom I'm not even attracted to in the slightest.

It does help you to say what you need to say to someone. Blacking out? You drank to much and gave yourself alcohol poisoning. Never had the beer goggles on.

 

[Cptn1NSAN0]

This is a bullshit myth that seems to get passed around. Alcohol alters your mind in many ways besides lowering your inhibitions.

Alcohol affects brain chemistry by altering levels of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit the signals throughout the body that control thought processes, behavior and emotion. Neurotransmitters are either excitatory, meaning that they stimulate brain electrical activity, or inhibitory, meaning that they decrease brain electrical activity. Alcohol increases the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. GABA causes the sluggish movements and slurred speech that often occur in alcoholics. At the same time, alcohol inhibits the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Suppressing this stimulant results in a similar type of physiological slowdown. In addition to increasing the GABA and decreasing the glutamate in the brain, alcohol increases the amount of the chemical dopamine in the brain's reward center, which creates the feeling of pleasure that occurs when someone takes a drink.

Well duh

 

[Cptn1NSAN0]

It does help you to say what you need to say to someone. Blacking out? You drank to much and gave yourself alcohol poisoning. Never had the beer goggles on.

Yeah I seem to do that semi-often. It's probably a good thing that I can't/don't drink anymore.

 

[Charles Brown]

Well duh

Well spoken.


The point of that is to demonstrate that alcohol does a lot more to your judgment than simply decreasing your inhibitions.

 

[MMun]

There are exceptions to this, but nobody does things that they don't want to do when they're drunk. They simply have more courage to do the things that they already wanted to do deep down.

Although lately I've been blacking out way too easily and when I do, I really do some stupid shit. For instance: getting myself thrown in detox on New Years Eve and waking up with a busted lip. Or: Humping the leg of a girl (much like a dog) whom I'm not even attracted to in the slightest.

It's not only about courage. Alcohol also affects your decision making, which I would argue is a significant part of being "you".

To quote a personal example: A good friend of mine hosted a birthday party during our time in high school. I was shitfaced drunk on arrival, and proceeded to get even more drunk. I felt terrible and I was very angry for no reason at all beside from the fact that I was angry. After vomiting all over my friend's parents' lawn, I decided to take a walk around the block and get some air. During that walk, I got it into my head that front kicking the side view mirrors off the cars I passed would be a great idea. I ended up spending the night at the police station, but my dad paid for the damages so my record is clean.

Would I have the courage to do that while sober? Hell yes. (I'd probably get out of there a lot faster though)

Would I ever damage random people's cars while sober? Hell no. Destroying property for no reason at all is terribly stupid.

I would hate to believe that the "real me" likes to engage in random acts of property damage.

 

[caliboi74lv]

Yeah I seem to do that semi-often. It's probably a good thing that I can't/don't drink anymore.

Good. Iv'e blacked out a couple times, too.
I drink still, but maybe 1 or 2 a week, or even in 2 weeks to a month.

 

[LucasWithLidOff]

And why don't they realize that about alcohol and why is it more acceptable to drink? Why is it that the most used drugs happen to be legal ones? Prescription drugs are now some of the most abused drugs too.

Alcohol also has a huge window allowing for social use and mild euphoria before it becomes full blown intoxication. It's a lot harder to use cocaine or meth in moderation.

But I do think social stigma and legality plays a role as well.

 

[LucasWithLidOff]

Thanks, man.

You don't hear those words often on Sherdog.
I appreciate that.

Well you had me at inhibitions are part of the real you. I don't think I can argue honestly against that.

 

[mesomorph]

It's more popular than alcohol in Afghanistan.

How is showing the drug stats of the country we are talking about, cherry picking?

That was a joke because the numbers you posted seemed to support what I was saying about the popularity of marijuana and heroin.

Where is heroin as socially acceptable or have legality of alcohol in the Western world? Can heroin manufacturers advertise on TV in Portugal? I don't think so. Beer companies can though. How many stores sell alcohol compared to how many are allowed to sell heroin?

And, again, why don't people realize alcohol will fuck up your life? Because we have celebrities and sports heros drinking it and looking cool. We see hot women serving it in commercials. Hell, it is even in the churches.

And alcohol inflicts incredible harm:

Yes, I realize alcohol inflicts harm. Pages ago I was agreeing with someone that alcohol was a poor "choice" for the legal drug, remember.

I believe this is when you claimed it causes more harm simply because more people use it and that if as many people used heroin, that would be really bad.

And so I replied that heroin would never get as popular as alcohol. Now, it seems you agree with me on this point even if placing the blame on illegality seems like a clear mistake (see Portugal). Stigma, social acceptability, movie stars... all of that is fine by me. What's important is we agree on the main point.

 

[catchwrestle1]

Pot isn't as popular as tobacco or alcohol though. Neither are hard drugs. Why? Because of accessibility. There are a dozen places within walking distance of me that are stocked with alcohol and tobacco. I have to go through backwards channels and a bunch of other bullshit to buy meth. There is more alcohol and tobacco being peddled in my neighborhood than any other drug, and this goes for everybody's neighborhood. I can get arrested even looking for hard drugs.

And pot isn't in the same league as heroin, socially or legally. If I got caught with heroin I would have stiffer charges than caught with pot, and my friends and peers would think less of me.

LOL. "Friends and peers."

 

[Sexy]

For me, it depends what kind of mood I'm in when I start drinking.

 

[Primitivo]

The real me comes out when I see slutty women.

 

[ShadowRun]

no not really.. i like or talk to ppl i wouldn't if i was sober ... it kills axiety ...also depends what you drink and what kind of mood your in before you drink the mel gibson thing is so over blown

 

[Geordie "Shadow" Munro]

Indeed. But if you had to choose two drugs to be legal, inexpensive and commonly available, alcohol and tobacco are really shitty choices.

Very well said.

 

[catchwrestle1]

Well you had me at inhibitions are part of the real you. I don't think I can argue honestly against that.

It is a valid point and I wanted to complement your stance on this and other issues, as it is obvious that you recognize a valid point when you see it and are willing to refine your opinions accordingly, unlike the vast majority of internet-users. Kudos to you, sir.

And Mesomorph is solid poster.

Alcohol will narrow the ability to see the world clearly, therefore it will limit your range of possible rational behaviors. In this sense, it doesn't bring out your 'true' self, it just brings out a very 'limited' self.

It is a good question, though. How you view this is directly correlated with your sense of morality in that it determines how severely you would punish somebody for acting harmfully while under the influence.

 

[djacobox372]

Alcohol reduces inhibition, which also includes the inhibition to exaggerate or outright lie.

 

[Workaholic]

Depends how much alcohol. When you are just drunk yes you are doing things you normally want to do but won't. When you are on the verge of blacking and are crazy drunk that's a different story. You have no control over that

 

[thetruth2709]

I think its a case by case for sure but I also think there is stages of drunkness that apply to most individuals.

There is the initial buzz where you are still in control of your responses, you are just happy

The next stage is usually when the real you comes out, and you say things you wouldnt have said if you didnt have alcohol in you

The next stage is usually the "magnification" of you, this is where you become a REAL asshole, or a SUPER puss depending on who you are, many people cry in this stage. Women who are closet whores become complete whores in this stage as well

The next stage is just SAD really SAD... this is where they take pictures of you sleeping with your head on the toilet (somebody please put a picture in here)

Just my opinion

 

[jackietreehorn8]

Alcohol also has a huge window allowing for social use and mild euphoria before it becomes full blown intoxication. It's a lot harder to use cocaine or meth in moderation.

This is a very good point.

My grandma can keep a bottle of wine in the kitchen and use an amount daily that does zero harm to her.

She cannot do the same with a needle full of smack.

Even marijuana...the shit they make these days, you don't need more than one full hit to be just about as high as you're gonna get.

 

[jackietreehorn8]

I think its a case by case for sure but I also think there is stages of drunkness that apply to most individuals.

There is the initial buzz where you are still in control of your responses, you are just happy

The next stage is usually when the real you comes out, and you say things you wouldnt have said if you didnt have alcohol in you

The next stage is usually the "magnification" of you, this is where you become a REAL asshole, or a SUPER puss depending on who you are, many people cry in this stage. Women who are closet whores become complete whores in this stage as well

The next stage is just SAD really SAD... this is where they take pictures of you sleeping with your head on the toilet (somebody please put a picture in here)

Just my opinion

Here you go.