# why do people like getting drunk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283 "2014-03-09T18:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/21 "2014-03-10T03:48:25Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Ok, I wasn’t exactly thinking of a “no-fun-club,” it’s just that most of the people I’ve encountered in the “don’t get it” category engage in what I’ll call “sensation-seeking” activities less often. I’ll put this another way, based on my own experience only. People have spoken of losing one’s inhibitions. I more generally have come to call this “getting outside of yourself.” I think this is something that is generally good for people to do, but they do it in different ways. I’ve been lucky enough in my life to have found a way to do this, and I’ve been doing it for over 45 years now. I play guitar and sing in rock ‘n’ roll and country bands. I find this activity to be physically, spiritually and emotionally satisfying on many different levels. I’m generally a very mild-mannered person, but I can channel any aggression that might build up into making loud noises with my guitar and singing with much more force than I would ever talk in real life. It’s an outlet…an entirely safe outlet…and I even get paid for it (though I would do it for free if I didn’t have to haul my equipment!). So whatever release of this nature others may get by drinking, I get in a more natural way. And by the way, depending on the venue (in my acoustic duo we play some places that don’t serve alcohol), I usually drink when I play…but never more than two mixed drinks a night. Just enough to get mildly loose…I’ve never been drunk on stage in my life, and would never want to be. I don’t in any way _need_ to do this…the music would be plenty enough on its own. All this is a long-winded way of saying I’m grateful that I have this way of getting outside of myself. I would hate to have to rely on alcohol to do it. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/22 "2014-03-10T04:09:32Z")
Some people are never able to disconnect “having fun” from getting drunk. All of their best memories seem (at least to them) to have occurred while they were drinking or after they were intoxicated. It’s a difficult cycle to break for many. Some never do. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/23 "2014-03-10T04:48:08Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Some people are never able to disconnect “having fun” from getting drunk. All of their best memories seem (at least to them) to have occurred while they were drinking or after they were intoxicated. It’s a difficult cycle to break for many. > > Some never do. Also, they don’t get in trouble every time they drink but, every time they got in trouble they were drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/24 "2014-03-10T04:51:53Z")
It’s also possible to drink socially without it ruining your life. In fact, lots if people do just that. In moderation, alcohol acts as important social lubricant and can also let you get away did a while. Neither a bad things. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/25 "2014-03-10T05:00:27Z")
This discussion is probably better suited to IMHO than to General Questions. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/26 "2014-03-10T05:05:53Z")
To ease the pain of one’s wounds, shell shock, and other sources of trauma in battle. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/27 "2014-03-10T05:25:12Z")
I think alcohol absolutely must affect people differently. I don’t drink because 1. The most major reason: alcohol tastes horrendous to me. I might drink more if it tasted okay, but overall that alcoholic taste is terrible to my tastebuds. 2. I’ve never been smashed, but I’ve been a little buzzed about 2-3 times. I am NOT fun to be around. It starts to mess with my ability to think things through, and I realize it’s happening and I start getting more and more annoyed when I can’t complete thoughts. I get exceptionally irritable once the alcohol starts kicking in, because I’m trying really hard to complete my thoughts but FUCKING PEOPLE KEEP TALKING AND INTERRUPTING MY THOUGHTS AND OH MY GOD SHUT THE HELL UP I WILL KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PETS. And that’s basically how my brain goes until the alcohol wears off. As far as I can tell, most people like the taste, and feel free and happy on alcohol. I just can’t, though. It’s just… bleh. I’ve gotten a lot of shit for not drinking, it seems like people assume if you’re not you’re not having fun. But really, if I WAS drinking I’d probably end up stabbing someone sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/28 "2014-03-10T05:39:28Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > We tried that. It failed, spectacularly. Psst, dude has a March 2014 join date. Just saying. > [@Lochdale](#): > > It’s also possible to drink socially without it ruining your life. In fact, lots if people do just that. Nope. If you drink, there will be rioting. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/29 "2014-03-10T06:43:37Z")
Am I the only one who actually _likes_ the taste of alcohol? As in, it was never even an acquired taste for me. (My dad used to let me have a sip if he was drinking a beer when I was little) I’ll admit it – I’ll even drink non-alcoholic beer if it’s a good one, if it’s the only thing available, just because I genuinely like beer. (Although there are few that are all that great) ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/30 "2014-03-10T06:58:02Z")
I do. Whether dry red, or lager, or scotch, or vodka, or encased in chocolate. But I’m now limited to one bottle of beer a day. Liver lover, boy! ---
**Author:** ![Whitney\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@Whitney\_Harper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitney_Harper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/31 "2014-03-10T07:33:52Z")
> [@Jiggerj](#): > > Too many children get the idea that when they grow up they can prove they’re adults by getting drunk. Personally, I’d like to see booze outlawed. It totally ruined my father’s life. Yes, alcohol can ruin one’s life. I did some really, really dumb things when I was much younger and drinking (for example, calling up old boyfriends at 3:00 AM), saying things that I would not ordinarily say while not drinking. Lots of regrets from drinking. I used to smoke cigarettes as well. Personally, I think alcohol is worse than cigarettes because at least with cigarettes they are very rarely the cause of car accidents and when one is smoking cigarettes it does not alter the brain so that they do things they would not ordinarily do as with alcohol. Neither is good, but at least with cigarettes one does not have that awful “broken sleep” and depression. Hangovers are no picnic either. My advice to everyone is to not drink or smoke. ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/32 "2014-03-10T07:34:04Z")
I love the taste of alcohol, crave it. Getting, and being, drunk, used to be a big thing for me. Now all I need’s the initial buzz.The lash of the after-effects, plus the boredom, basically, of being drunk for the 951,000th time keep me from getting too deep into it. Though often, it is the flavor that draws me onward. It took a while to develop that lust for the taste btw: it was definitely an acquired taste. One thing I learned: you don’t need a good time to have alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Sodalite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Sodalite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sodalite)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/33 "2014-03-10T08:50:33Z")
I think some of the people answering are missing the point of the question. It’s not about why people drink any alcohol at all. It’s wondering why some people drink until they can’t walk or control other bodily functions, can’t remember the last two days, or need their stomach pumped to keep them from dying. After experiencing all that misery, what convinces them that it was something they want to do every weekend? I just can’t see what’s fun about waking up in stranger’s driveway, covered in (what you hope is) your own urine and vomit with no idea how you got there. How can you say you enjoyed what you don’t even remember? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/34 "2014-03-10T09:29:13Z")
I used to like getting drunk in my youth because when I was drunk I wasn’t sober. I think I used the same principle for all the mind altering substances that I tried. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/35 "2014-03-10T10:55:21Z")
Drunkenness dulls the pain of existing. [QUOTE=Ayatollah Yawuntz] One thing I learned: you don’t need a good time to have alcohol. [/QUOTE] Consider this stolen. [QUOTE=Sodalite] I just can’t see what’s fun about waking up in stranger’s driveway, covered in (what you hope is) your own urine and vomit with no idea how you got there. How can you say you enjoyed what you don’t even remember? [/QUOTE] - It’s like a fellow I once knew in El Paso. One day, he just took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him that same question, “Why?” - And ? - He said it seemed like a good idea at the time. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/36 "2014-03-10T11:05:44Z")
Thanks Vin. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/37 "2014-03-10T11:24:54Z")
We’ve only begun to recognize some of the subtle (and not so) allergies that were ignored in the past. Peanut allergies are a good example. And all this stuff you hear about gluten. Well, I’m slightly allergic to sobriety. My preferred medication isn’t available legally in my state.🆒 ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/38 "2014-03-10T12:08:33Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > People have spoken of losing one’s inhibitions. I more generally have come to call this “getting outside of yourself.” I think this is something that is generally good for people to do, but they do it in different ways. This is very well-put. You do stuff you would not normally do. Now, often you don’t do it for a good reason; it is stupid, it isn’t safe, there will be bad consequences. But occasionally you don’t do it for bad reasons; you are too scared, you are too shy, you are playing it a little too safe. So yes, you do often wake up thinking “Why did I do/say/sleep with x?”. But it can often be therapeutic too to go “what the hell”, we’ll sort it out in the morning. And, despite all the horror stories, it normally is quite sortable. You think “yikes”, but later it becomes a funny story. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/39 "2014-03-10T12:18:01Z")
Been many years since I imbibed. But when I did, it was because it felt awesome. It kept getting awesomer till I felt like I wanted to puke. ---
**Author:** ![thenonepercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@thenonepercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thenonepercent)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283/40 "2014-03-10T13:38:54Z")
I drink to excess only for spiritual reasons. My porcelain goddess demands it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-like-getting-drunk/683283.md?page=3)