Alcohol. Helpful or Hurtful (Psychological view)

Solving all problems with one alcoholic solution. Discuss.

(Answers from a psychology view please. I understand the biochemistry effects of alcohol, and feel free to place them in your answer, but don't center your answer on the degenerative effects.)

At this exact moment, I myself am consuming a lovely, yet terribly sweet(and very unlemon-like[it's freakin sweet]) 35%, Lemoncello. Following it with pure unadulterated lemon juice, Jameson, Guiness, and Sapphire Bombay. Because just drinking a lemon isn't fair to the lemon. Plus Jameson defeated that giant hawk for a reason.

Also, my opinion on the matter: I believe, that in my case, alcohol is a solution to quite a few of my problems as, I'm too intelligent. I can see more than a lot of people and this, from an intrapersonal standpoint, sets me apart from them due to me simply knowing and understanding the various points of reality... and also coming to the conclusion that reality is very likely not real at all. (A very well known view of this would be "the matrix").

My drinking allows me to be more outgoing, and forget the issues I have at that moment, making me feel, overall, better. A bonus to excessive drinking is the rampant murder of my brain cells, so extremely advanced concepts that I can understand and not talk about with anyone will no longer be within my reach. I am a firm believer of the saying "Ignorance is bliss" because if I didn't know half the shit I do now, or if I didn't contemplate the, "why, how, and what for" of my existence and everyone else's, I'd ......probably.... be an unbelievably cheery person.

Your turn.

(On a side note, feel free to post whatever beverages [E.x. shots/mixers/blah blah blah] you enjoy to drink.)

So I'm going to be a bit off-topic here and say that you may possibly have the largest ego of anyone I've ever encountered online. In 16 years. That says a lot.

Alcohol is a depressant that can mess up a person's judgement, which in result can make problems even worse. Depression as well as anxiety can result from alcohol as well. Also just drinking alcohol more than twice a week can cause premature aging. I get this information from here http://www.radford.edu/~kcastleb/affect.html

I'd much rather hear your theories on how our reality isn't real then you can do what you want with Kroger wine and a four loco.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Also, I look at things objectively. I know there are more intelligent people than I, and when I meet them, I'd love to talk with them. But experience shows that they do not live nearby.


I'm the smartest person I know, and the only one I trust. But even then there can be issues. But, back to the topic at hand.....

To clarify: my opinion of alcohol itself is neither good nor bad, its the reason for that i view negatively.

Alcohol in all scenarios is an escape, rather its to a better or worse, from my perspective (but everyone seeks an escape in some manner). Your sad and alone and want to forget your pain (like me right now) or your happy and loving everything but you seek more than what you have. Seeking something you can't gain on your own. It's something people go to when there not complacent with where they are (sometimes a status symbol).

Don't take this personal. If you are unable to talk with those of lesser intelligence equally does that not give rise to your own limitations. Both in your ability to adjust (your ability to identify, comprehend, and assimilate the current norm in the given group) and your (took me forever to remember this) empathy (the ability to gauge the reactions of others and from there, form an idea of the necessary communication requirements). I would think that expanding your empathy than to destroy yourself and your brain cells would be a better use of both your mind and time. That trial and error would be better than alcohol for this task. In this manner you can end up creating a dependency on alcohol for social difficulties, rather than acquiring new social skills.

I'm not sure if I'm saying it right (head killing me), but I think using alcohol for that reason is not a good one. It feels like your taking an easy and detrimental option. Though right now, I am in an extremely unstable emotional and desperate state (can't get my emotions under control), and would love anything that would block my inhibitions and knock me out so I can get a good night sleep for once. Sadly, I'm afraid of alcohol effects on myself (too much of a coward), not having many experiences with but from the times i have... I have low tolerance and become to lose with my mind (all positively so far though).

I don't see alcohol as bad, I see it simply as an escape, everyone needs an escape for different reasons (mine is games). Its specifically the reason why, and what is done during that I dislike. To me, your trying to fix your problems of changing yourself without actually changing but by enabling a crutch.

Seeing as how alcohol has ruined a lot of people around me, I say no to alcohol.

First thing that came to my head was:

And that says more about your intelligence than anyone can.



You must know a lt of people then. Five? Six?

Note: your goldfish doesn't count as people.

Wow, that's amazing. While inside of the "Serious Discussion" board, you decide to take personal and offensive shots at the thread creator? You really shouldn't be here if you have nothing to contribute.



Your opinion from personal experience is valued, if you're willing, I'd like to hear more on this.



I would agree, alcohol is certainly an escape, but I would also lean towards it being a social medium as well. Drinking to excess would be the escape in your view, and drinking sociably would be an appropriate tie in, is this correct?

I would also wonder, if by your explanation on the escape mechanism of alcohol, if you would say it's possible for any human to truly be complacent? Would you be of the opinion that people have the ability to be peaceful and happy at some point, without the use of physical stimulus, or only mild physical stimulus? Or would you be of the opinion that spiritual understanding would overcome physical limitations?

On the note of empathetic revision, I would say that you are correct. I have an apt disability to empathize with others, although I'm fairly certain this is of a repressed nature, rather than an oppressed one. Personal experience and constant lack of what people call 'true friends' may explain my current mental state.

On the note of your own emotional standpoint, feel free to spam my inbox and I can talk with you about it. On the note of alcohol, I would say it's likely a good choice to avoid the substance without having fully understood where the problem lies. I'm an asshole, and a depressed bastard, so I know how alcohol might affect me, as well as the possible outcomes for my actions whilst inebriated. I would say it's the metacognitive ability which gives rise to the understanding of my own personal drinking limitations. Yes, I'll admit I have a problem, just no idea how to deal with it. Lol. By the way, would you happen to have insomnia? (I also hope your feeling better, the way your post went seemed to indicate you were having a headache or so).

I've had a very traumatic experience involving the death of a close family member. So traumatic that it didn't affect me at first. Can you imagine? Didn't take long and I developed problems - hallucinations, extreme fear of the dark, insomnia, , nightmares, sudden attacks of confusion. At the time it didn't even surprise me, it's not rocket science to figure out theres shit wrong with the psyche after shit like this when after a couple months you still wake up at 4 AM, feeling pulled out of reality on the 'sudden' realization that a person is no longer within reach.

What did I do? When I started feeling uneasy I'd drink. Not a lot, not so much that I'd feel bad, never gotten seriously drunk. Maybe some food to go with it, because drinking on an empty stomach is terrible anyway. I'd enjoy the drinking, and all the bad thoughts would go away. Temporarily, at least. After it wears off? No biggie, I didn't drink enough to feel bad. I also started on weed, but that's a different matter.

For me, alcohol was a pretty good friend to get a hang of myself and deal with horrible situations. I have no bad experiences with it, and I stopped 'needing' it eventually.

I think he took issue with your outlandish and fairly pompous claim of being the "most intelligent person you know", because to be honest it sort of bugs me as well. Even if you are as intelligent as you say (which I highly doubt based on your post history), claiming it in such a manner is going to sour practically anyone's opinion of you.

Shiiiiit man, you've got -4 reps and haven't even hit your second page yet.
[size=9]How the fuck did I get out of IB?[/h]
[size=8]Too many big words out here....[/h]
[size=7]Also you're kind of a dick.[/h]
[size=6]Posting in a thread Tegumi posted in.[/h]

to me alcohol is something that should be enjoyed with people not to drink just to get over a painful path in life, or just to get drunk in general. Take everything in moderation is my opinion with alcohol

Moderation is what I say about alcohol. It's really not that hard to moderate yourself when drinking alcohol. Though I find it that it does nothing to solve problems, just make a lot of them. Some of them that shouldn't even have existed in the first place.

I can say that I both like and hate alcohol. I find it more as a social thing. Drink a few with friends or strangers, have a conservation and a good time. Alcohol can be a good ice breaker for conversations.

Though those that drink just to get drunk really annoy me. Binge drinking almost destroyed my family, until my dad finally decided to shape and started to drink less. Some of my friends just become too obnoxious when they binge and I end up taking care of them. Yeah, you can enjoy yourself, but just drinking to make the pain go away or just because you have nothing o do. I find that pathetic and demeaning to yourself. Plus you end wasting a lot money on it.

While i drink sometimes, i don't think of it as a problem solver. And also, it sounds like you're using it as a crutch to be more outgoing, rather than dealing with your issues

I drink everyday, when I get off work. Helps me to relax at the end of the day. The problems start with the people who can't handle their alcohol. I know lots of great people, but when they drink, they become obnoxious assholes.

Whenever I record music I get real nervous and fuck up a lot, if I drink a 6 pack I can record my stuff perfect with little to no fuck ups. Now if I drank 2 6 packs then I wouldn't be able to function but limiting myself to 6 cans of beer seems to calm my nerves and make things a lot more exciting.

I only drink for the taste.

I find alcohol to be boring. My judgement is still as clear as when I am sober. My personality doesn't change either. And I'll still remember things from last night no matter how blind drunk I get. The only thing that changes is my ability to walk straight. Oh and that if I'm drinking I have to 'attempt' to act like I'm drunk, it's a drag.

So personally, drinking to forget or to be ignorant is silly. Also, you usually end up throwing up sometime. Not a fan of such a thing.

While I do feel that the OP was a bit egotistical, There is a point in there. Smarter people are more prone to being alcoholics.

Alcohol is a drug, it affects the body and mind, but the effects on the mind is what many seek. It inhibits brain function, allowing some to enjoy less worry, less anxiety and less inhibitions. This can result in having fun for those who would otherwise keep themselves from doing such.

An intelligent mind often needs some sort of escape from thinking about how stupid and wrong everyone else is. To drink or do drugs to escape too often, you become the stupid people that made you feel uncomfortable in the first place.

So Drinking is fun, do it a few times a year but not more than once a month. Make sure you aren't the one driving and its no big deal. Do not use it as a crutch, if you have such a big mind, use it to outwit your hangups or find another escape that isn't self destructive.

I suggest a good book, or a RPG group.