Why do People Like To Get Drunk or High?

Ruthanne

Ruthanne

Caregiver
Location
Midwest
[FONT=&quot]I’ll mention three important ones and show how they contribute to the joys of inebriation. While alcohol increases GABA, it reduces the uptake of [/FONT]glutamate, the brain’s premier excitatory molecule[FONT=&quot]. Less excitation and more inhibition? That sounds like simple summation, but GABA and glutamate have different effects on different brain regions, and that’s where things get complicated. In the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain you use for thinking and planning, the net effect is inhibition. That’s why [/FONT]your judgment is flawed[FONT=&quot], your decision-making is set to “whatever” and your ability to see things from any perspective other than your own approaches nil. The remarkable side effect of this general dimming is that your thoughts seem amazingly clear – which is nice – while in reality they are just amazingly limited. Meanwhile, GABA is also busy turning off the brakes on a system that releases [/FONT]dopamine[FONT=&quot], the molecule that takes centre stage in all varieties of addiction. What’s that again? Well, when you take off the brakes, the car starts to move. So what you get is a stream of dopamine coursing into the striatum (or reward system), the brain part that generates desire, anticipation and (once you’ve finally brought the glass to your lips) pleasure.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]So far, you’ve got physical relaxation, which diminishes stress, reduced judgment, allowing you to talk and behave however you want, and stimulation of the brain’s reward system, which makes you feel like something nice is about to happen. But the fourth neurotransmitter tops the bill: opioids. Sometimes called endorphins or internal opiates, they [/FONT]get released by alcohol[FONT=&quot] too. Everyone knows that opiates feel good, but did you know that you can get your opiates legally by downing a stiff drink? The American martini – which consists of three ounces of gin and little else – feels particularly nice for a very simple reason. The faster the alcohol goes in, the more internal opiates get released. Hence the aaaaahhhhh.[/FONT]
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https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=Why+do+people+get+drunk+or+high
 

Humans are Dopamine and Serotonin junkies. If they're not drinking or drugging they're munching or drinking all kinds of sugary stuff. :very_drunk::givemebeer::woohoo1:
 
I'm 71 and have never been drunk ,the strongest drink I've ever had was baileys ,the "kids" made me , it was one tablespoon of baileys in a huge glass of milk one Christmas Day , ( I watched them make it ) ...I drank about half it ,and ended up,with headache/ thick head for two days latter ,I never touched any again.My husband wil have a beer on a hot day and say do you want to taste this ,sometimes I will take a sip and say how do you drink that stuff ,it tastes bitter to me :)
 

tnthomas said:
Humans are Dopamine and Serotonin junkies. If they're not drinking or drugging they're munching or drinking all kinds of sugary stuff. :very_drunk::givemebeer::woohoo1:
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Yeah, that's for sure. I noticed one day that so many things I consume are sweet tasting and I know too much of that is not good for me. I never knew that having a good stiff drink released opiates in the brain, too.
 
Kadee46 said:
I'm 71 and have never been drunk ,the strongest drink I've ever had was baileys ,the "kids" made me , it was one tablespoon of baileys in a huge glass of milk one Christmas Day , ( I watched them make it ) ...I drank about half it ,and ended up,with headache/ thick head for two days latter ,I never touched any again.My husband wil have a beer on a hot day and say do you want to taste this ,sometimes I will take a sip and say how do you drink that stuff ,it tastes bitter to me :)
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That's good that you don't like it. Some of us like it too much. :)
 
Dopamine seems to be a really important substance for us human beings. It is released when we perform really basic functions like eating, having sex - even going to the bathroom! Without it, eating, for example, would bring very little reward so on the ancient plains of Africa in our early evolution it was of real survival value. Alcohol and other drugs, produce dopamine and the 'euphoria' effect. Some drugs mimic and 'hijack' the brain chemistry systems and it seems part of the addiction process is that when we stop using our addictive substance of choice, the brain chemistry required to produce dopamine naturally no longer works properly. This is one reason addicts are so prone to relapse - they get no pleasure from ordinary daily activities which produce pleasure for the rest of us when they quit using/drinking.

I'm not being a know-all here. I researched this in some detail after a close relative of mine died from alcoholism. I was fascinated and of course very saddened by the fact that my relative, a decent kind human being who never hurt anyone in his life deliberately, was simply unable to stop drinking for more than a few days or weeks at a time.
 
I've had this discussion with my husband quite a bit. Why do people have to drink wine/hard stuff even when just sitting around chatting? I'm not a drinker, perhaps 2 glasses of wine a year and I'm good. Perhaps it's what I've seen in my life, even as a child, what alcohol can do to a person.
 
Life is stressful and tough sometimes, especially when working full time and taking care of financial and personal obligations. So people who like to have a drink or smoke a bowl sometimes to unwind and relax is very understandable. Those who strive to become drunk have problems that should be addressed. I like a beer or two sometimes with dinner, but have no desire to get loaded. In some cases I think it might be genetic? Maybe if the parents had a drinking problem? At least that's what I've heard.
 
Wintermint said:
Dopamine seems to be a really important substance for us human beings. It is released when we perform really basic functions like eating, having sex - even going to the bathroom! Without it, eating, for example, would bring very little reward so on the ancient plains of Africa in our early evolution it was of real survival value. Alcohol and other drugs, produce dopamine and the 'euphoria' effect. Some drugs mimic and 'hijack' the brain chemistry systems and it seems part of the addiction process is that when we stop using our addictive substance of choice, the brain chemistry required to produce dopamine naturally no longer works properly. This is one reason addicts are so prone to relapse - they get no pleasure from ordinary daily activities which produce pleasure for the rest of us when they quit using/drinking.

I'm not being a know-all here. I researched this in some detail after a close relative of mine died from alcoholism. I was fascinated and of course very saddened by the fact that my relative, a decent kind human being who never hurt anyone in his life deliberately, was simply unable to stop drinking for more than a few days or weeks at a time.
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I like the things you say. In the case of unable to stop drinking for more than a few days or weeks at a time that seems to be what the drinking person thinks but it's not true-they can stop. There are many ways to do so.

chic said:
I've always thought it's a form of escape. IDK.
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I think you are right. An escape from pain and heartache at times.

jujube said:
Well, I was never into the drugging and I'm getting too old for the drinking, so I've segued right into the munching with a passion.
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I know what you mean jujube!! I like to munch it up, too!

Lon said:
I have been drunk, but never ever deliberately. I like to be in control and drunkenness takes control away.
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There are many who never been drunk deliberately. Alcohol can take away a person's choice of being in control at times.
 
debbie in seattle said:
I've had this discussion with my husband quite a bit. Why do people have to drink wine/hard stuff even when just sitting around chatting? I'm not a drinker, perhaps 2 glasses of wine a year and I'm good. Perhaps it's what I've seen in my life, even as a child, what alcohol can do to a person.
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It's fun to have a few while being around family and friends; loosens you up some. You have a nice time. Yeah, I've also seen what it can do to people, sad.

SeaBreeze said:
Life is stressful and tough sometimes, especially when working full time and taking care of financial and personal obligations. So people who like to have a drink or smoke a bowl sometimes to unwind and relax is very understandable. Those who strive to become drunk have problems that should be addressed. I like a beer or two sometimes with dinner, but have no desire to get loaded. In some cases I think it might be genetic? Maybe if the parents had a drinking problem? At least that's what I've heard.
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There are people who actually feel they are social drinkers that have up to 5 drinks per day and more than one bowl. They seem to be okay with themselves. Many don't strive to get drunk or high but end up there anyway.
 
I'll have a nip now and then but I haven't been 'toasted' in many moons.......I do know that back in the day if I drank too much it always had a strange effect on me, for some reason it would make all my clothes fall off. :)
 
I had enough of that Great German Beer when I was in my early 20's, in Germany, to fill my need for alcohol for the rest of my life. There were many times I remember leaving town, and then waking up again as the bright lights of the base guard station woke me up....and remembering little about the 30 mile drive, in between. It's probably a miracle that I didn't kill myself, or someone else on those drives. Fortunately, I got married, and the responsibilities of "family" took priority over booze.

When I take a close look at those who seem to feel the need to routinely be "high" on booze or drugs, I see people who are unable to face reality.
 
For every thing that makes humans happy or sad or excited or angry, there is a drug or a drink to celebrate or drown in. Being able to face an event is what should be taught early on in peoples lives. Instead, tragedy seems to be romanticized by every media there is.
 
It's self-medicating.

As for myself, I like a couple of glasses of wine because as Don M. said, "I see people who are unable to face reality."
 
I think that it's O.K.(and therapeutic) to indulge in whatever-turns-you-on, as long as it's a moderate thing for you, and not a desperate escape from life.


And, if it isn't O.K., screw it, let the judgmental have their fun, judging you as hypocrites love to do.
 

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