# Personality changes in drinkers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109 "2014-03-19T20:09:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/21 "2014-03-22T02:12:46Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > …but my personal touchstone for an alcoholic has always been someone who evidences a noticeable personality change with even a small amount of alcohol. Maybe everyone changes after a couple of drinks, at least a little, but “alcoholics” in my experience flip a switch with the first few sips. It isn’t always a major or negative change, but it’s definite and pronounced. And they are ALWAYS drinkers with a major or developing problem. I know people who drink a considerable amount but seem to have full control over it… and not a one does this personality change. I have to agree with what you are saying here. Interestingly most of the people I know can tell when they’ve had enough and it’s time to call it a night. Alcoholics, at least in my experience, not only don’t stop when they’ve had enough, they become incredibly belligerent if someone tries to cut them off or suggests they have had enough. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/22 "2014-03-22T04:11:36Z")
> [@sandysue44](#): > > He becomes talkative, his voice sometimes changes, his eyes glaze over and he calls his mother and friends and goes on and on. It’s a phenomenon called ‘Drink and Dial’. I have a few ‘friends’ who have me on speed dial after they’ve downed a few stubbies! Nothing more boring than listening to drunk ramblings…😃 > [@](#): > > He cries. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and oftentimes increases emotional lability. > [@](#): > > It is as if he has Multiple Personality Disorder but he doesn’t do it sober. He becomes an entirely different person. Drinking alcohol alters the ‘reality’ of the person drinking. That’s why people drink. > [@](#): > > I get a feeling of fear and foreboding when he is drinking. If you are afraid of his drinking habits, you need to tell him of your fears. However, just because you are afraid, does not necessarily mean that **he** has a drinking problem…it might be wise to contact your local Al-Anon chapter to discuss with others’ going through the same issues whether your fears are grounded or otherwise. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/23 "2014-03-22T05:30:01Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen, the nominations are closed for the two most worthless posts on SDMB. (if posts can be nominated in dual categories, let’s open up the Stupidest Posts one too.) > > Congratulations to you both. > > The OP is quite aware that drinking leads to drunkenness. He/she wants to explore the factors that lead to personality changes that take place in this state. > > This has led to a discussion from many different folks’ perspectives and experiences, which may prove helpful to the OP — unlike your posts. > > Seriously…congratulations! Really? Of all the hundreds of thousands of posts in thousands of threads? I don’t know about **Inna Minnit** , but I’m actually kind of honored. That said, I stand by my post. The first sentence of the OP is: > [@](#): > > Why does my boyfriend’s personality change completely when he drinks alcohol? The most straightforward answer I can give to that is something along the lines of “Alcohol produces changes in brain chemistry that alter mood, perception, and cognitive function. These changes lead to a state commonly referred to as being ‘drunk,’ and often cause the individual to act differently than they would sober.” I somewhat sarcastically shortened that answer. Given the frequency of “I don’t understand alcohol” threads (there’s at least one active now and there have been many in the past) on this board and **Sandysue44’s** join date I don’t think it’s unreasonable to take the OP completely at face value. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/24 "2014-03-22T20:48:58Z")
Just to second what kambuckta suggested … you should find an [Al-Anon](http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/) meeting in your area. What stood out for me in your message was that you’re afraid of his personality changes and you feel alone. You need _support_, not just a pharmacological explanation. Frankly, I’m amazed that most of the replies have been nothing more than “Duh, people act weird when they’re drunk.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/25 "2014-03-22T21:12:59Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > My husband drinks a lot but does not (usually) become drunk. Instead he becomes friendlier, more social, and (sadly) more inclined to monopolize the conversation. I don’t know where this comes from, but I’ve heard that being drunk turns one into either “a lion, a monkey, a lamb or a pig”. The belligerent ones are the lions. The ones who suddenly become everybody’s friendly class clown are the monkeys. The lambs are the ones who cryyyyyyy into their beer. And the pigs are the ones trying to wrap themselves around someone who is Not Interested, I Swear. > [@kambuckta](#): > > Drinking alcohol alters the ‘reality’ of the person drinking. That’s why people drink. As amazing as this may seem, some people drink because they like the taste of that particular drink and stop before getting drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/26 "2014-03-22T21:20:28Z")
I get talkier, friendlier…get tunnel vision…that’s about it. I’ve never gotten angry or mean under any kind of mood-altering substance. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/27 "2014-03-23T05:16:15Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Really? Of all the hundreds of thousands of posts in thousands of threads? I don’t know about **Inna Minnit** , but I’m actually kind of honored. I haven’t read every post here, but yours definitely rises to the top of those I have. > [@](#): > > That said, I stand by my post. The first sentence of the OP is: The most straightforward answer I can give to that is something along the lines of “Alcohol produces changes in brain chemistry that alter mood, perception, and cognitive function. These changes lead to a state commonly referred to as being ‘drunk,’ and often cause the individual to act differently than they would sober.” I somewhat sarcastically shortened that answer. Yeah, somewhat. You had a choice here. You could have said “Upon reflection, I guess my answer was thoughtlessly flip, given that the OP is obviously troubled and looking for some answers of substance.” (And by the way, most everyone besides you and Inna Minnit managed to make a sympathetic post and/or at least relate something from personal experience that might be helpful.) Instead, you’re doubling down. Nice. I predict that, if you answer any further, you’ll triple down. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109/28 "2014-03-23T06:04:46Z")
One on my closest friends that I grew up with was a loud, obnoxious, opinionated drunk. The kind of guy you can only stand for a few hours before you decide that you should go home or you might both end up in jail. After multiple drunk driving arrests he finally went into treatment and got help. We all wondered what type of person would he be when he got out of treatment. There must be a different person hiding behind the alcohol. Well, he has been sober now for 25 years and…and, he is a loud, obnoxious, opinionated sober person that I can put up with for only a few hours. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personality-changes-in-drinkers/684109.md?page=1)