New study: You're only as drunk as you think you are
If whiskey makes you an angry drunk, you might not have been happy to begin with.
According to new studies by the University of Cardiff, you’re only ever as drunk as you mentally allow yourself to be. The boozy experiment shows that it isn’t the quantity or strength of alcohol that can alter one’s persona, but it’s the environment, mood and the company you keep.
The theory suggests that if you begin the night slugging tequila with your buddies, you’re most likely seeking a wild night and therefore are more susceptible to rowdiness, as opposed to having a glass of red after a home-cooked meal, the longstanding recipe for relaxation.
When British researchers set out on Friday and Saturday nights, stopping every seventh person they saw between 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., they asked subjects to take a breathalyzer and asked questions including how drunk they were, how extreme their night was and if they thought alcohol would affect their long-term health. Out of the 1,862 people they approached, 400 participants answered all the questions.
The experiment’s team leader, and public-health researcher, Simon C. Moore, concluded that insobriety was a matter of “rank.” Meaning that if you had downed six beers but had consumed the least amongst your crew, you’d report being less intoxicated than if you had the same amount but were the heaviest drinker present.
In short, don’t blame vodka for horrid hook-ups and funky dance moves. What you might need is superior drinking buddies, or a mocktail.
