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You’re at a party and you are in ultimate shock as you see your best friend being so forward, confident, and, lets face it, not herself. After a few moments, you realize why and walk away in disappointment… Is this the reason our generation relies heavily on alcohol when put in social situations? What are the legitimate affects of alcohol and how does it actually affect the human body on both a physical and social level? There is in fact a deeper science behind alcoholic affects on the human body, both physically and socially.

Alcohol over all slows down your body, specifically speaking- your nervous system. Alcohol effects the brain activity and brain waves that occur, making it harder “to think clearly and move with coordination.”(Unknown 1). A Brown University Health Promotion article  does a really great job in explaining the path of alcohol in the body… Basically the article sums up the pathway of alcohol in the following way: Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 8.55.01 PMwhen first consumed, alcohol is digested through the stomach and small intestine where it then leaves and enters the liver, through the blood stream. Only a small percentage is absorbed in the stomach while a good 80% is absorbed in the small intestine. The alcohol is then metabolized by the liver, whose job is to break it down with its enzymes (Unknown 1). The mechanism in this case would be the small intestine, as it is responsible for 80% of the alcohol and directing it down to digestion. Alcohol takes longer to digest, so the more you drink, the more alcohol builds up in your blood stream and this leads to other affects… (Bwell Health Promotion Mag). It is important to note that these sources are not anecdotal, which calls for very reliable, unbiased information.

Alcohol not only affects your body physically, but socially. Alcohol can affect you in both a positive and negative way when it comes to mood. As alcohol is a depressant, it enhances your feelings the more you drink. According to a Flask Mag article, “Alcohol has a number of neurological effects, including memory loss, drowsiness, slowed reflexes, and other things that aren’t quite as sexy as a confidence boost or lowered inhibitions. The lowered inhibitions are part of the effect, though, as is impaired judgment. The combined result is that people do things while drinking that they might not ordinarily do, including acts of bravery” (Unknown 1). There are many different theories that are made on how confidence is a misperception with alcohol. That being said, in a recent GoLocalProv article, health team researchers say that this is all a misconception, in fact the reason why we believe this or feel this confidence boost relates back to our expectations… Possibly even a placebo affect? (Health Team 1). In my opinion, this claim can be correct due to third variables, such as the amount of alcohol consumed, or the time frames it was consumed in. This is why it is important to note that correlation does not prove causation.

That aside, in our brains we have receptors that allow/block off other cells from entering. In an article published by Redit.com, it is said that alcohol, “…affects certain receptors in your brain that modulate ‘inhibition’. You brain needs to get excited in order to do things – but it also needs a way to calm down to avoid freaking out in a state of hyperactivity. In general, GABA accomplishes this…Basically, alcohol acts on certain receptors in your brain that “calm” the brain, which results in a generalized reduction in anxiety. This, for many people, tends to result in an increase in confidence.” (Redit 2). It is very interesting to think that half of the social pressures are released from alcohol when the studies are so divided, in that some believe it can cause a placebo affect while others claim there is a science behind it. This data however is the opposite of imaginary, as it is an example of properly designed previous experiments that have allowed us to draw these conclusions. This has allowed us to make strong inferences and good field observations and although some may claim it is a placebo, there actually is a science behind it (third variables aside).

Science and Placebo’s aside, it is important to note that correlation does not prove causation, as many other factors or third variables can manipulate ones experience with alcohol. Remember, alcohol is also a depressant. Alcohol, along with many other variables, such as other drug prescriptions, overall mood before drinking, or other mental disorders can lead to a better confidence as well as mood or attitude change.