This may be because the problems that led to the drinking in the first place are not being addressed. You’ll meet hundreds of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.

When we get sloppy drunk frequently, it can put a strain on our relationships with others. Our loved ones may get tired of taking care of us when we’ve overdone the alcohol, yet again. Some responses to alcohol, however, are more common than others. You might recognize some of these “types of drunks” in yourself or your friends or family. At Ria, we offer weekly meetings with certified counselors to help members stay on track and build skills for long-term change.

FAQs about Emotional and Psychological Effects of Being Drunk

Alcohol is classified as a depressant, which means it can cause or worsen depression, especially if used in excess. While these conditions can take time to develop, more immediately, most people don’t feel as well the day after a night of drinking, even if it was only a couple of drinks. The effects of alcohol can last from a few hours to longer, depending on various factors, including the amount consumed and individual metabolism. It is important to note that even after the initial feeling of drunkenness wears off, alcohol can still impair cognitive and motor functions. The experience of being drunk can be divided into several stages, each characterized by different physical and emotional effects. Understanding these stages can help individuals recognize the signs of intoxication and avoid potential harm.

Alcohol Poisoning

Also, our brain’s ability to adjust to novel situations relies on repeated exposure with positive outcomes. Dulling our learning centers with a sedative like alcohol makes it much harder to rewire our brains and improve our confidence and comfort in new situations. Once we have a clearer picture of our reasons for using alcohol, we get to decide when, where, and how much we use, with added insight. People often think that their personalities change when they’re drunk, and they might even feel very different. Sure, when inebriated, they’re capable of out-extroverting most extroverts. But their “genuine” show of wild drunken emotional abandonment remains contrary to their day-to-day personality.

1. At this stage, you will no longer respond to what’s happening around or to you.
2. I am simply a rock, skipping over ever trauma like a ripple in the soft river flow.
3. More precisely, the model assumes people drink to increase positive feelings or decrease negative ones.
4. Long-term risks include liver damage, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders.
5. You’ll meet hundreds of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings.

Understand the Effects

Being social also makes us happier, and helps us live longer. After a drink or two, people tend to feel happier in the moment, conversation flows more readily, and connecting with others comes more easily. Alcohol helps us attain a necessary goal in life, both for the individual and for the community. When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it travels to the brain, where it affects neurotransmitters—chemical messengers that transmit signals between nerve cells. The primary neurotransmitters influenced by alcohol are gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate. Alcohol enhances the effects of GABA, which has inhibitory properties, leading to feelings of relaxation and sedation.

There’s nothing wrong with being affectionate with people we are familiar with. However, alcohol can also lower our guard in the company of strangers, making us more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Studies show a link between increased alcohol consumption and unsafe sex—not to mention that drunk sex is not consensual sex.

Because alcohol reduces our inhibitions, it makes us more likely to act impulsively. For some of us, this means doing a bit of extra online shopping. But for others, it might mean doing something truly dangerous, like driving drunk or taking a dive off the roof.

Choosing ice water or soda during these gatherings may create conflict with our friend or partner, who perhaps feels judged for their own use. It may also take some of the fun away, not to mention a willingness to stay in a noisy bar as the hour grows late. But even if drinking with friends brings you happiness and joy, this comes at a price. The more you enjoy it, the higher your risk of slipping into alcoholism, and ultimately worsening your overall mood. Second, those who drink mainly for coping motives have higher levels of neuroticism, low level of agreeableness and a negative view of the self. These drinkers may be using alcohol to cope with other problems in their life, particularly those related to anxiety and depression.

Narrowing from a societal view to an individual one, my clinical experience suggests the triggers for drinking are varied. Negative emotions are certainly on this list, such as feeling nervous attending a social event, particularly after the mandated social withdrawal of the pandemic. Also, sadness, anger, frustration, and even boredom can turn our attention to a cocktail. To be fair, consuming alcohol, especially in social settings, is often beneficial. It can’t be overemphasized that this chemical explanation doesn’t imply that such negative thoughts and feelings What Is the Trauma of Having an Alcoholic Parent didn’t already exist within you, but simply that you knew better than to give voice to them.

As mood worsens under the effects of consistent alcohol use, regular drinkers no longer look towards alcohol for euphoria, but rather to relieve their suffering. This creates a downward spiral that doesn’t stop until the alcohol does. BAC is a critical factor in determining the effects of alcohol on the body and mind. The experience of being drunk can be categorized into several stages, each with distinct emotional and physical effects. These stages are closely linked to the individual’s BAC, which measures the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. Frequent drinking can lead to long-term psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, and increased risk of developing alcohol dependence.