Buzz
Alcohol can affect our personalities in many ways. Some individuals become cheerful, others may become argumentative or reckless. At some point, we’ve all experienced being the emotional drunk, a state commonly marked by poorly timed outbursts of affection (or anger), deep self-examination, and an uncontrollable urge to cry in the middle of a bustling bar. While alcohol affects every system in the body, its influence on the brain is what shapes our behavior when under its influence. Our emotions, which define our humanity, are often altered in the process.
After that shot of Maker’s enters your stomach, a small fraction of the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach lining, while the majority moves on to the small intestine where it is absorbed further. Alcohol blends into the water in the blood, travels through the bloodstream, and is processed by the liver before being eliminated. But before all this, it crosses the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to enter the brain directly through the circulation. It’s at this point that you’ll begin to notice shifts in behavior and thought patterns.
Alcohol is a depressant, but not in the sense that drinking occasionally makes us feel “depressed” (though studies show a connection between heavy drinking and depression). Rather, a depressant triggers a chemical reaction that slows down activity in the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which is responsible for interpreting sensory signals, controlling motor skills, thinking, reasoning, and regulating our emotions.
Once alcohol crosses the barrier, it settles in the outer layer of our brain, the cerebral cortex. This delicate layer of cells (also known as grey matter) covers the cerebrum and cerebellum, playing a role in processing sensory data, thoughts, and initiating most voluntary muscle movements. Alcohol interferes with the regular flow of neurotransmitters across the cortex’s synaptic connections, plunging us into an altered state. The first effect is the loss of inhibitions, which the sober cortex would normally regulate. We become more talkative and confident, while our judgment starts to deteriorate.
As more drinks are consumed, these effects intensify, pulling more areas of the brain into the equation. The limbic system, a cluster of six structures nestled beneath the cerebrum, is thought to be the brain's emotional core, controlling emotions, behavior, and the formation of long-term memories. Once alcohol reaches the limbic system, you’re probably well on your way to being drunk.
Just like in the cortex, alcohol interferes with electrical signals between synapses, causing us to misinterpret information and throwing mental processes into disarray. The limbic system, which usually regulates our emotions, now exposes us to mood swings and exaggerated emotional states. This can lead to misinterpreting someone’s intentions (the cause of many bar fights), misunderstanding or amplifying our own emotions (the cause of most bar breakups), or simply saying something cringeworthy or regrettable (the cause of many Sunday morning facepalms). Since the limbic system also plays a part in memory formation, if things really get out of hand, you might not even remember what you said or did the next day. Our drunk emotions are often just amplified versions of our sober selves (e.g., if you’re generally happy, alcohol might make you extra silly), so if you’re prone to drama, maybe stick to water.
