Am I an Emotional Drunk?
Alcohol is a social drink. Alcohol is an abusive substance. Alcohol is also an emotional trigger. Alcohol is a depressant drug that can amplify emotions we may be already feeling. If the user is already sad or angry, alcohol can fuel those emotions and make them feel even more sad or angry. In some cases, it can turn us into an emotional drunk.
There are times when the effects of alcohol on our personality are very insignificant. And there are other times when the effects of alcohol can create serious problems and disruptions to our mental health. In serious cases, becoming emotional while drinking can be a sign of a deeper mental health problem.
What is Alcohol and how does it work?
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects important organs such as the brain, liver, pancreas and heart. One of the biggest impacts of alcohol on the brain is the psychological impact. Alcohol impacts the part of the brain that is involved with inhibition and control. This part of the brain controls rational thinking.
It is called the prefrontal cortex of the brain. It is where most of our decision-making processes are made. When this part of our brain is compromised, it can cause all kinds of changes in emotions.
Alcohol significantly impacts the body’s natural serotonin and endorphin levels. When these neurochemicals are artificially altered, this alters a person’s mood and emotional state of mind. Alcohol can impact your brain’s communication pathways, which also affects your mood and emotions. Ultimately, being under the influence affects a person’s ability to regulate their emotions and make sound decisions.
When alcohol is consumed, it can penetrate your bloodstream very quickly compared to other mind-altering substances. It can reach the brain within about 5 minutes. This means, your mood, your emotions and your mental health can quickly become compromised while on alcohol.
Why do people turn to Alcohol for Emotional support?
Emotions and mental health are greatly affected by alcohol use. In some cases, people turn to alcohol to help them manage or cope with existing emotions. Some use it to manage their anxiety and depression. Some use it to cope with burdens of financial stress or grief. Some use alcohol to help them cope with relationship challenges, social anxiety, trauma or work-related stress.
When alcohol is being used to help manage emotions, this is also referred to as a form of self-medication. Alcohol can create a temporary ease and numb feelings of emotional pain. However, despite the initial euphoric feelings, they are only temporary and short-lasting.
Are you an Emotional Drunk?
- Happiness and Euphoria – On alcohol, the body will increase levels of dopamine, which the body will then begin to associate with pleasure and produce the “happy drunk” feeling.
- Anger and Aggression – On alcohol, the substance reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex which reduces the ability to control aggressive behavior. A person may appear irritable and hospitable. They might try to provoke others, make hurtful comments or get into verbal or physical alterations. Oftentimes alcohol can lead a person to show a lack of empathy for others.
- Depression and Anxiety – On alcohol, the body is impacted by its natural ability to release serotonin, which is associated with mood processing. When this chemical is affected, it can lead to feelings of depression, hopelessness, extreme sadness and crying while drunk.
The Five Core Personality traits that can be impacted by Alcohol
Your personality can change when you are under the influence of alcohol. This is due to the effects of alcohol on your brain. When your blood alcohol concentration rises, it can make your alcohol personality more pronounced. Many psychologists believe there are five core personality traits, called the Big 5. When using and under the influence of alcohol, these personality traits can change, emerge or become distorted.
- Openness. Openness is characterized by curiosity, insight and novelty. Someone who ranks high on openness is generally a person who seeks out new experiences and enjoys learning about new things.
- Conscientiousness. Conscientiousness is characterized by being ambitious, thoughtful and intentional with their actions. Someone who ranks high on conscientiousness plans ahead and lives their life according to a set routine.
- Extraversion is characterized by a desire to spend time with others and be around others. Someone who ranks high in extraversion likes to meet new people, feel energized when working with others and like being the center of attention.
- Agreeableness – Agreeableness is characterized by compassion, trust and affection. Someone who ranks high on agreeableness cares deeply about others and has a heightened sense of empathy.
- Neuroticism – Neuroticism is characterized by emotional instability and worry. Someone who ranks high on neuroticism feels anxious and experiences chronic mood swings.
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Types of Drunk Personalities that are caused by being Emotionally Drunk
- Hemmingway. A person who displays the Hemmingway drunk personality is someone who no matter how much they drink, their personality remains the same. The majority of people who drink alcohol fall into this category.
- Mary Poppins. A person with this drunk personality becomes more extroverted and happy. The alcohol intensifies these positive emotions and they become more friendly, outgoing, flirtatious and forward when interacting with new people.
- Mr. Hyde. A person with this drunk personality becomes aggressive or hostile when being exposed to alcohol. Alcohol decreases their conscientiousness while under the influence.
- Nutty Professor. A person with this drunk personality is typically an introverted person who becomes more outgoing and charismatic when they are under the influence of alcohol. They have lower inhibitions. Those who fall into this category tend to show more significant personality changes while drinking alcohol.
Types of Emotional Drunks
- The Happy drunk. For people who are happy drunks, they stay in a state of joy and euphoria and nothing can bring down their mood. Alcohol can temporarily make a person forget about their worries and they can continue to feel blissful and worry-free.
- Angry Drunk. For people who are angry drunks, they can become more hostile and ready to start a physical fight. They often experience mild irritation or anger due to the presence of alcohol and can become violent and aggressive.
- Affectionate drunk. Because alcohol lowers a person’s inhibitions, it can make us feel more emotional. The person can become more affectionate than usual, which can make them lower their guard in the company of strangers. This person is more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior leading to unsafe sex practices.
- The sloppy drunk. Drinking too much alcohol can make even the best of us sloppy because alcohol triggers a receptor in the brain called TLR4m. This impairs motor function and can lead to behavioral changes like slurred speech and stumbling when drunk.
- Reckless drunk. The reckless drunk is a person who is prone to doing crazy stunts due to their reduced inhibitions. They tend to act more impulsively. Finnish researchers recently found a gene mutation in the serotonin 2B receptor linked to reckless behavior while under the influence of alcohol.
- Secret drunk. This person seems to be able to hold their liquor because no matter how much they drink, they never seem to act drunk. This person may have a high tolerance for alcohol. However, a high tolerance doesn’t always mean it is a good thing.
- Blackout drunk. A person who consumes too much alcohol in a short period of time is more prone to experiencing memory loss and not remembering the events of the night. Half of college students have reported blacking out at least once in their life. Blacking out while drinking can be a sign of alcohol use disorder.
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Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol can trigger all types of emotions. For some people, alcohol turns them into an emotional drunk. There are many types of emotional drunks: the happy drunk, the angry drunk and the sloppy drunk. When drinking alcohol turns into an unhealthy pattern and is abused for self-medication of emotions, it can lead to the risk of alcohol use disorder.
Behavioral health treatment programs such as Hotel California by the Sea provide a comprehensive treatment program for those who are suffering from and alcohol use disorder. We provide treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-proven methods such as CBT, DBT and EMDR therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals in sobriety and overcome their alcohol addiction.
References:
https://rehabclinicsgroup.com/why-do-i-cry-when-drunk
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/alcohol/why-does-drinking-alcohol-make-me-angry-sad-depressed
https://www.choosingtherapy.com/types-of-drunks
https://psychcentral.com/addictions/emotional-alcohol-drinking-to-cope