Why is it that only when I drink I feel like I truely understand life?

Question

When I don't drink, I see the world through rose-colored lenses, but dark rose. Its as if... as if I'm constantly under a cloud of depression. Then I drink and I see how trivial my problems are and understand what humour is for once. I also understand the philosophies of life for once, you see? I am a person who normally rarely laughs, but when I drink I can finally think clearly. It sounds odd, but I'm a person who can think coherently only WHEN I drink. I've drank quite a bit recently in fact. And now is when I understand how rediculous my overshyness is and how it will hold me back in life. I wish, in a sense, that I always felt like this. At the same time, often I look back later on things I wrote in this phase and just... God, there are too many philosopical thoughts zooming through my head right now. Know what I mean? About the drunken philosophy? For me that's a constant.

Answer 1

One may walk into almost any tavern, pub or bar and any problem of the universe, country or city hall can be solved regardless of complexity.

You have a "shyness" problem that may develop into a drinking problem then both problems will become a symbiotic problem as one problem rationalizes the other in a fatal circle.

I used to drink a couple quarts of Smirnoff each and every day for about a decade. Now that I am in my fifties, I drink in moderation (down to a couple quarts per week (mind you- one man's moderation is another man's abuse!)).

I drank alot. I enjoy drinking. I enjoy the taste of Smirnoff. It does make me feel good. I may drink the occasional cold beer during the summer. I drink basically because I enjoy it. I would never drink, if ever I felt in any manner that I needed a drink. I am compelled to drink by "want" rather than "need."

Sometimes, I go for months at a time without drinking without really noticing, like when I was on a Tonic Water/Club Soda binge. An emotional crisis, family problem or relationship trouble always requires critical judgement and proper analysis, so must never ever be impaired, adulterated nor impugned in anyway: lives are at stake.

The "only" time booze is a solution to a problem is when you must disinfect a wound or need fuel to burn something.

You are shy. Shyness is an emotion. Shyness is a symtom of a fear. Fear is good, Fear and pain let you know that you are alive. You are hot. You are cold, You are scared. If you are hot, does it stop you from tying your shoelaces? If you are cold, does it stop you from tying your shoelaces? If you are scared, does it stop you from tying your shoelaces? All other things being equal, probably not. Too much heat, cold or fear impairs most normal people.

You are intelligent, but probably not emotionally mature. You probably think that others may not like you or look down upon you. It is like junior high school thinking about what is cool, who likes who and intense emotions fuel the social scene with pathos and the like. It represents bad thinking, poor judgement and even worse reasoning. Of course, you may also suffer from "clinical depression."

Booze impairs your judgement and reasoning just as peer pressure does in grade school. Booze makes you more fearless, thus neutralizing your shyness, then you can be yourself (well as much as yourself that is left). Because your emotional self notices and may be is even blinded by the contrast, you start to rationalize booze as a cure for your debilitating shyness.

You could be clinically depressed. You can be clinically depressed for any number of reasons from eating the wrong thing to a random blow to the head or strong emotional pain. It is just a chemical imbalance affecting the brain, just as blood sugar levels from diabetes may also impair judgement. Our brains are massive unbelievably complex structures, the slightest chemical imbalance can easily kill us, That the brain is stable for any reasonable amount of time represents the greatest miracle of all!

My suggestion and advice must be that you seek medical help. First, you may be clinically depressed and medication may help, even cure it. Second, you may become an alcoholic. Third, it is more fun to happy than sad. Fourth, life is short, you may as well enjoy and appreciate it.

Answer 2

This is the peak point in a drinker's life,where drinking enhances almost all mental faculties and gives the impression that for any more enlightenment on any subject he should wait to have a drink and then proceed.Well,it works too but unknowingly a sort of 'dependency ' is also being created and getting rooted.This is a kind of flat line on a curve and after some time[varies from person to person],it's all down hill.Mental abilities and other seemingly acquired traits begin to diminish and deteriorate and before a person realizes he is in deep in to the state of alcoholism .I am not scaring you but wish you to re examine the whole thing impartially and objectively,while time is there.Alcohol is a wonderful stimulant but as a compulsive habit can be a destroyer of everything dear and important to a man.Personally I have nothing against drinking ,which is an excellent ice breaker and social life enabler.Wish you all the best.

Answer 3

I've experienced something similar to this in my life, but what I have realized was that the alcohol wasn't what was giving me the thoughts or understanding that I was experiencing; those were always there. Instead the alcohol, as a depressant, relaxed my nervous system enough for me to focus my mentality on specific thoughts rather than my thoughts being all over the place like you described. Overall the creativity is coming from you, not the alcohol. Just try to enjoy it in moderation and I wish the best to you!

Answer 4

The nature of alcohol's effect is that it temporarily makes one 'not see' certain details about life. Alcoholism sometimes happens when a person wants to remain this way indefinitely. See you in the funny papers.

Answer 5

Sounds like you just relax and not take things too seriously but believe me there are better ways of relaxing than drinking...Drinking doesn't do anything for you that you can't do yourself. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it but don't think it's the answer to all your problems.