Why does drinking alcohol make you more sociable?

Question

I'm 19 and normally a shy guy. I've never had a girlfriend before or even hooked up with a girl. But the other day I was at this party in my friends apartment and got really drunk and next thing i know im talking to this girl i wouldnt have the balls to talk to if i were sober and she even said she would have hooked up with me if she were sober. I guess what i'm trying to say is why do i need alcohol to feel more relaxed. I'm always so tense and uptight when im sober. Is there a way i can feel like that all the time?

Answer 1

because when your drunk you don't give a da**

Answer 2

The first function in your brain to go, when you drink alcohol, is your ability to view yourself realistically.

Therefore you're not able to realistically calculate the risks/benefits of engaging in conversation with others. What you'd normally calculate as a risk of rejection (f.ex. the girl you mention), you can no longer see a risk in.

Answer 3

Drinking did not change your personality, what happened is that your brain was not able to function everything out like how normally it would.

Normally you would have more awareness of the situation and your brain might get you into a dead end of expectations.

Now that you're drunk, you did not worry about expectations or about planning your behavior, instead you just jumped in.

The best way to get rid of those feelings and pushbacks is thru practice and not thru relying on ALC. you obviously can do it, just give your self sometime and you'll be good.

Answer 4

because u have no inhabitions or anxietys.when you are drunk it is the REAL u.ok...so maybe its a less coordinated...sloppyer version but the real u none the less.u wont hold anything back and people like that.and the best way to open up is to have a beer or glass of wine everyday.it will relax u and also its good for u

Answer 5

b/c u are realy just leting go and thats how it should be

Answer 6

it gets rid of your inhibitions

Answer 7

What alcohol does, and alcohol is a depressant, is break down your inhibitions.  Your inhibitions are what makes you reluctant to talk to the girls.  Part of that is a fear of rejection.  Part of it is your normal shyness.

So the alcohol lowered the barriers for both of you.  That could be described as a good effect.

Here's the thing that should concern you. If you have to get drunk to be sociable that could lead to a dependency on alcohol and that is not a good thing--it could turn into alcoholism and that is a disease you would best avoid.

Here's where you should go with this, if you can.  Ask this girl out on a date where you will either be sober or drink very little.  Tell her up front you are a little bit of a shy guy, but you like her and want to get better acquainted.

Don't worry if the date doesn't work out as well as you would like.  Lots of times they don't.  We grown-up guys just pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and ask the next girl out.

And try not to overdo alcohol.  It can be pretty dangerous, especially for a shy person trying to use it as a tool to overcome shyness.

By the way, I've been where you are.  I was fortunate enough to not become an alcoholic.  Not everyone is that lucky.