I had a rather unpleasant thing happen a few days ago. Granted, I set myself up in what some might see as having to deal with it in the roughest possible way, and I saw it coming for over a month. Now it is over, and I am very sad, though in a way relieved that it is over.
So I tried getting drunk. That got me to drunk-plus-sad, which did not seem like a good place. How does it work for other people? Do you just drink yourself into a stupor so that you can forget for a while? So that then you end hung over and focused on that instead of the sadness? I am just not understanding how this is supposed to help.
Some people get happy drunk. Some people do not obsess on the thing that made them sad, but instead are able to do other things - be social, laugh at Seinfeld, whatever.
In many cases, if you’re down, alcohol just going to make you more down. And lead to you blubbering over your beer to some stranger. I don’t personally recommend it. I think it just leads to teh stupid. Then you can wake up the next day and feel like an ass and have sad. Not a great combo.
I get he socializing part, but that just does not work so well for me. I am not so fond of drunk people that being around them while I am drunk is all that appealing (unless I know them pretty well). And, well, this was pretty personal, I am not at all keen on being mocked over it or having it trivialized, which I suspect would happen with strangers. I guess drunk really only works for me when I am already in a good mood.
For many people like myself alcohol does little to nothing for easing internal turmoil. I drink to socialize and I simply would not really want to drink if I was angry. You’re simply not in the mood. Being drunk and upset is (for me) worse than just being angry.
It’d be like saying “I’m really pissed off/upset … let’s throw myself a party!”
I quit drinking about 1 week after my divorce. I was always a happy go lucky drinker but with a broken heart it just seemed to make it worse. Sex was the only thing that seemed to help and that was very very short lived relief. A little bit of time and it seemed to just resolve itself.
I think it depends on the nature of the problem that is upsetting you. After a day of dealing with an annoying person at work, when what you need is to relax and start laughing about what a tool that person is, a drink or two is a perfect tonic.
However, if I were dealing with a significant life tragedy, I don’t think I’d want to drink, because then I’d be both heartbroken AND unable to think clearly, which is not a combination that I’d want to face.
If your situation can be solved by saying with conviction “oh well, fuck it, doesn’t matter anyway”, then alcohol can be your friend. It’s a decent balm for temporary, inconsequential anxiety (problems that are unpleasant, but don’t really call for a serious solution).