# Drink doesn't seem to have any effect on my inhibitions. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744 "2004-07-25T00:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/1 "2004-07-25T00:28:11Z")
At my step-sister’s wedding I quite willingly drank like a fish. Sustained drinking from about 4pm til midnight. Yet at the peak of the drinking, when the groom tried to get me to dance with him (to clarify at this point, I am male) I didn’t hesitate to refuse. I felt sorry for him being turned down. I refused not because he is male (I am not homophobic. Used to be. Not any more) but because I have an aversion to dancing. I have never danced, even in a casual way, in my life. Partly for fear of looking like a twit, but mainly because I have never been able to see the point in it. So after 8 hours of drinking I was still fully under the influence of that particular inhibition. One inhibition I do lose is the one that stops me talking complete and utter shite. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/2 "2004-07-25T01:23:14Z")
Alcohol causes nausea and impairs fine motor function. The affects of drinking, OTOH, are determined by socialization. If you believe drinking relaxes inhibition, you may choose to set aside your inhibitions while drinking. Obviously, you haven’t been sufficiently socialized on the “relaxes inhibitions” thing, since alcohol has nothing to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/3 "2004-07-25T01:36:17Z")
> [@1010011010](#): > > The affects of drinking, OTOH, are determined by socialization. If you believe drinking relaxes inhibition, you may choose to set aside your inhibitions while drinking. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/4 "2004-07-25T01:54:09Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Cite? Something I read one time on teh intarweb. :wally ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/5 "2004-07-25T01:56:24Z")
It used to work for me too, but not anymore… People change. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/6 "2004-07-25T02:05:54Z")
> [@1010011010](#): > > Something I read one time on teh intarweb. :wally Well, glad you admit you don’t know what you’re talking about, at least. :rolleyes: Loss of inhibition from alcohol consumption is felt to have a neurophysiological basis, and not a basis on expectations of the drinker, or their societal background. Alcohol affects the higher functions of the brain first. These higher functions generally keep in check those urges which may seem desirable on an emotional level, but which generally aren’t practical. Like demonstrating your juggling skill with the good crystal, or explaining to your girlfriend’s mother that she’s pretty hot too. **Lobsang** , alcohol generally won’t make you do things you really, really don’t want to do, especially if you don’t know how to do it. It generally won’t make you take up needlepoint if you’ve never done it before, nor will it make you decide you know how to perform neurosurgery. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drink-doesnt-seem-to-have-any-effect-on-my-inhibitions/256744/7 "2004-07-25T04:28:35Z")
It would be fun, tho, don’t you think? While cutting into the patient’s brain, you tell the staff, “Wash what happens when I sever this shynapse. Wild, innit it!? Shponge, Nurse Rash…Rash… Rachet! So damn BRIGHT in here! Bring daddy a chair, would ya honey?”