Being - when drinking with people the rate of consumption is far less, while the perception of drunkenness seems far greater?
Those who for some reason know me from my posting here will probably know that I have an on-off love-hate relationship with alcohol. Lately I am quite pleased by the fact that I am much less dependant on it than I used to be. My drinking resembles that of a ‘normal’ person. Drinking on weekends or at parties.
I had my christmas ‘do’ the other day and it only took 2 pints of beer and a twoish glasses of wine to feel merry, and another pint and glass to feel very definitely drunk. The day after I was drinking alone at home. It generally takes two thirds of a (35cl) bottle of whisky and two beers to feel ‘too drunk’
Heck I even used to feel like I’d had too much after just 1.5 glasses of red wine at dinnertime at my dad’s house. I’d feel like I had to be careful not to sound pissed.
The rate of consumption would be less because you are spending a fair amount of time talking to people. My WAG about needing less to feel drunk is that you get caught up in the mood of other people and feel merry/happy/chatty as much from that as from the alcohol.
Here’s another clue. When you’re with other people you are aware of when you start slurring your words or say inappropriate things. By yourself, you’re probably not holding a conversation with yourself so you are less aware of these indicators of how drunk you are.
Are your eating habits different at home than when you go out to a party? Perhaps you didn’t eat much at the party, and the rate of absorption of alcohol was higher?
When you’re with other people, because you’re drinking more slowly (stopping to talk, etc), the alcohol from the first couple glasses or bottles is hitting you before you’ve gotten way off ahead of it with lots of subsequent glasses or bottles. Your blood alcohol rises to the level of sufficient holiday cheer and you’re fine. Drinking alone, by the time the alcohol from the first few doses is taking its effect, you’ve already demolished much more of the case or 750ml, so when you’re feeling fine you’ve got a lot more of it stacked up in your system.
The key to drinking alone is to have something else to consume (a significant portion of which should be non-alcoholic & non-diuretic fluid in nature, btw) and alternate between that which has alcohol and that which does not. Also consider taking a walk after awhile, don’t just sit there in front of Straight Dope drinking until you can’t aim the mouse arrow at the buttons!
I’m the opposite. I drink much quicker if i’m with others than if i’m on my own.
Anyway, I’d agree with Death Ray, when you’re on your own you will miss many of the cues that tell you you’re mildly drunk, as they tend to be things that only become apparent in a social situation. Things like being a little more chatty, more outgoing etc.