Does Anyone Else Think More Clearly When They've Had a Couple Drinks?

[kayaker]

A little bit of weed and a beer leads to my highest productivity around the house. You might argue about power equipment and such but it works for me!

[tellyworth]

Do you review your decisions sober?

[Clothahump]

@DianaG

Does anyone think more clearly after a couple of drinks? No, and neither do you.

Assuming you wake up sober and start worrying about the exact same things, you didn’t have any epiphanies or solve any problems, you just stopped caring for a couple of hours. That’s fine, that’s what booze is for. But don’t mistake it for “clearer thinking.”

This. +1

[Sattua]

@Try2B_Comprehensive

I remember reading about an author with an alcohol problem (can’t remember which one) who claimed he wrote much better after just a few, but not too many, drinks. He wished he had the ability to stay at the ‘sweet spot’ for hours at a time since he would always end up drinking too much and then couldn’t write at all after about 1/2 hour or so.

Oscar Wilde said something like that about absinthe. “After the first glass of absinthe you see things as you wish they were. After the second you see them as they are not. Finally you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.”

[Amateur_Barbarian]

I’d agree that “think more clearly” is probably self-cancelling, but there are many times that a short finger of bourbon, sipped slowly, has let me assemble an answer from chaotic data. Probably as much time, inaction and conditioning as the dab of alcohol.

[GargoyleWB]

@Enkel

Hehehe… not ‘thinking’ but there was a long period of my life where I could play pool much, much better at the 2nd drink mark…

Same here. Pool skill does not equate to “think more clearly” but I definitely play my best games between the 2-4 drink zone. Pacing my drinks, I could keep it up for several hours over many more drinks. My theory is that there was just the right amount of depression or relaxing of physical response where it allowed repeatability and rhythm to shine at their fullest. Cold sober, I’m still good, but lack the consistency to make the same angles over and over again. It’s the difference between my expecting to run a whole table (with drinks) and barely ever reaching a 4 ball run (sober).

Basketball is similar. My 3-point shot consistency goes way up after 2 or 3 beers. My court endurance goes into the toilet though :).

[Jragon]

Absolutely not, I’ve only ever been buzzed three times, but each time I distinctly noticed myself having trouble completing thoughts in my head. I would get halfway through and my brain just wouldn’t finish it even if I tried. It made me rather irritable (I LIKE having thoughts thankyouverymuch) and I had to go sequester myself off alone before I snapped at somebody.

This is also why I don’t drink. Well, that and I absolutely abhor the taste of alcohol, so it works out I guess.

[sachertorte]

I play pool better when I have a drink.

I generally don’t drink.

[Sicks_Ate]

@sachertorte

I play pool better when I have a drink.

This, and darts. I’m not great at either, but in the 2-4 beer zone everything clicks better.

Oh, and bowling.

Edit: Didn’t read closely enough. Also, what GargoyleWB said.

[lieu]

Sounds like the Counsel in Under the Volcano as he spoke of “The clarity of drunkeness.” The last day of a chosen, hellish life.

[Yeticus_Rex]

@bump

I can anecdotally say that for the same reasons I describe above, I am noticeably better at most video games after 1-2 drinks, about the same for 3-4, and go downhill fast after that.

@Enkel

Hehehe… not ‘thinking’ but there was a long period of my life where I could play pool much, much better at the 2nd drink mark. Like the chart in the link… it was a fine balance and if I was betting, I didn’t dare order a third drink.

At the two drink mark, I could actually make some pretty incredible shots. Like shots where I’d jump the cue ball over other balls – warning, you need to agree that is okay in advance otherwise it is a scratch-- and I could put a wicked spin on the cue ball. I made enough money to believe the phenomenon was real.

@romadea

I learned in a college psych class that (1.5 drinks for women, 2 drinks for men) is supposedly the point where alcohol works best as a social lubricant.

This totally explains the 2 drink minimum at many comedy shows that I used to go to. Lube up the audience. Other social events:

Pool? Check.
Bowling? Check.
Comp. Gaming? Check.
Poker?..Hmmmmm…jury is till out on that one.

[Trom]

I’m on my phone and don’t have a cite handy, but I remember reading alcohol is banned as a performance enhancing drug in archery in the Olympics.

[MeanOldLady]

@BrotherCadfael

According to the Inebriati, the ideal amount is just under two drinks. Don’t ever finish the second one…

Son of a! Beat me to it.

Anyway, I do most things better after a couple of drinks.

[panaccione]

It depends.

Thinking about emotional issues or a vision of your life in the future? Yes, alcohol does help me think more clearly.

Trying to read or study for a test? No, alcohol does not help.

[Magiver]

possibly more creative after 2 drinks. Everything goes south after that. Oddly I’m more awake after 2 drinks for some reason. Again, that goes south after that.

[ed_anger]

@Enkel

Hehehe… not ‘thinking’ but there was a long period of my life where I could play pool much, much better at the 2nd drink mark. Like the chart in the link… it was a fine balance and if I was betting, I didn’t dare order a third drink.

At the two drink mark, I could actually make some pretty incredible shots. Like shots where I’d jump the cue ball over other balls – warning, you need to agree that is okay in advance otherwise it is a scratch-- and I could put a wicked spin on the cue ball. I made enough money to believe the phenomenon was real.

I’ve definitely experienced this.

And I agree with the OP. I function better with a couple drinks. I’d probably agree I’m normally somewhat depressed.

[lieu]

I wonder if since alcohol helps loosen your inhibitions, having a couple of drinks means you’ll be less circumspect and inwardly critical of your decisions.

[bump]

@lieu

I wonder if since alcohol helps loosen your inhibitions, having a couple of drinks means you’ll be less circumspect and inwardly critical of your decisions.

I know that when playing video games, my improvement is primarily because I quit consciously thinking so much about what I’m doing.

Let’s say I’m playing some kind of first person shooter- rather than actually having an internal dialogue of “Look behind the building- is there someone across the street- oh shit bad guy to the left- FIRE! - crap dead.” that I think slows me down, it’s much more of a matter of spotting, turning and firing without the internal dialogue.

My reaction times are probably slower in a physical sense, I’ll grant you, but I don’t actually think about reacting and what I should do while I’m reacting.

I’d wager that the exact same thing is going on in Enkel’s pool games and in most social situations- you just say stuff rather than think it over too much.

[Oliveritaly]

@MeanOldLady

Son of a! Beat me to it.

Anyway, I do most things better after a couple of drinks.

I send you retarded facebook messages while drinking so there’s that.