How To Be Drunk Without The Alcohol

I had my first alcoholic beverage when I was about 12 years old. We owned a shop that sold alcohol so getting my hands on some was pretty easy! (Sorry mum and dad!) 😛 Anyone who’s ever tried alcohol will always say the first taste was disgusting but then they got used to it. I tried a non-alcoholic beer recently and it wasn’t disgusting, but I really couldn’t see the appeal. At the age of 15 I made a concious choice that alcohol wasn’t for me.
Do you drink alcohol? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you drink? Does it allow you to relax more and have bit more ‘fun’? Do you need the alcohol in order to be yourself? Do you feel lost when you don’t have a drink in your hand? Have you made any good decisions whilst drunk?
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they’ve made any wise decisions whilst they’ve been inebriated. However, if anyone finds any blog posts on that, let me know as I’m sure they would be hilarious! 😛 I’m not judging anyone that drinks, I just know that you can be drunk on life without having to order a Singapore Sling!
My Experiment
About four and a half years ago I went on a stag weekend with some friends. I’d decided that I was going to drink booze. Not because I wanted to start a new habit. I did it because I was intensely curious as what it felt like to be drunk. It was a personal experiment and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
On the trip I had plenty to drink. Unlike the experience for some people, the effect was not a jolly one for me. I ended up feeling grumpy, I didn’t feel intoxicated, and it made me feel miserable. My experiment was a failure because I wanted to experience what it felt like to be drunk.
Even though I didn’t achieve my intended purpose, I learned something important about myself. I learned that, when I’m out and about, I tend to act ‘drunk’ anyway. Anyone who’s seen my comedy will know that I can shake my ass with the best of them, and for me, being in that state doesn’t require any alcohol whatsoever! (Make mine a virgin!)
The Reason For Drinking
It’s not something I do often but I enjoy going out to clubs, having a boogie, and enjoy listening to music. A good portion of my friends don’t drink but the rest do. Out of those, some of them just have one or two drinks for the whole night to loosen up to feel more comfortable and the rest will drink heavily as their intention was to go out and get drunk. Here’s the list of most common reasons I hear why people drink:
1. To have that feeling of intoxication
2. To feel loose and more comfortable
3. To give their hands something to do
4. To express honesty (yes I’ve really heard this one!)
5. To feel more jolly and happy
6. To feel more confident
7. To gain some Dutch courage
What do all of the above points have in common? It’s simple, they’re all possible without alcohol! Alcohol isn’t needed for any of those things. In fact you can reach all of those states and still have your wits about you. The amount of times I’ve heard of people losing phones, wallets, ending up falling asleep on the street etc. What if you could be drunk and not end up wearing your underpants on the outside? (Hallelujah!)
How To Get Drunk; The Cool Way
When I go out I tend to just drink water or, if I’m feeling particularly adventurous, I’ll order a Virgin Colada (with a pink brolly), or a Virgin Mojito. I find that drinking lots of water gives me a natural high. Something which you can’t get from soft drinks or virgin cocktails.
The other thing is being in the right frame of mind. You can convince yourself of anything and if you believe it with your whole being, that you are going to have a great time and don’t need the alcohol to do it, you will! There are no complex mechanics to it. You just think it and do it!
I’ve noticed a pattern that young people, whey they first start, they start drinking heavily. As the years progress, they continue the heavy drinking, but it slowly decreases. Then somewhere in their mid 20’s to early 30’s the consumption goes right down and in some cases, they give up altogether. Then there are also those who become mildly addicted and those who end up needing to go to the AA.
Imagine if you could develop the mindset, from the beginning, that you don’t need an external form of intoxication to feel good; that you could feel intoxicated just by changing the way you think; that all it took was a small shift in beliefs, to know that at any time you choose, you could feel great and loose, and your wallet would still have some notes left in it at the end of the day!
All it takes is making a decision. All it takes is deciding that you want to learn to have fun without at any time, and in any place, without the the need for any external intervention. You just decide to have a great time, laugh out loud, be yourself in the moment, be authentic, not worry about what people think about you, and dance like nobody’s watching! 😉
A Side Note
I wasn’t actually going to bring health into this article but I happened to come across this article today on the BBC website. After I’d manage to pick myself up off the floor after rolling around on the floor laughing so hard that my sides nearly split, I managed to compose myself enough to finish this post.
Every week the mass media write contradictory articles on various aspects of health and the ones that entertain me the most are the ones on alcohol. One week they’ll say it’s good for something, the next week they’ll say it’s bad for something else. They never seem to be able to get it right.
Don’t pay attention to the mass media when it comes to issues of health. Decide for yourself. Do your own research and experiment on yourself. If you’re happy having a bit of alcohol now and again! Go for it! It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that excessive consumption, of even good foods is, overall, bad!
Amit, I hardly drink nowadays, except for the occasional glass of champagne – life is too short not to drink champagne!
At a party or a bar, most of the people around me may be getting drunk but I am having just as good a time as them! Often I have more fun then them anyway, watching their drunken antics.
As you say it is possible to achieve your 7 things without alcohol – and it is better for your health too, no matter what that BBC report says!
.-= Arvind Devalia´s last blog ..Be Special to Find the Special One =-.
Hey Arvind,
As someone said on my facebook page….heart or liver…you choose! LOL which lets face it sums it perfectly!
I think there’s nothing wrong with the odd glass of champagne! I occasionally have a cigar at Xmas! 🙂
I’m with you, i have fun watching others get drunk…they do some really strange things and they all get really lovey dovey with me and start saying things like ‘Amit, I love you, no no, you don’t understand, I really love you!’
LOL
I actually made the most important, life changing and wise decision of my life while heavily drunk! I was out one night in a venue that I attended regularly, I’ve been a musician for years but I wasn’t sure where it was going. After watching acts for quite a while, seeing a lack of structure, organisation, originality and overall development I decided to start a promotion label called “Electronic Intervals”.
I went straight up to the manager of the venue, told my idea, shared details and shook his hand. From that day on my life changed completely, I now own my own business, have an office, have performed across the world and gained national recognition. I highly doubt I would have made that decision had I been sobar as my usual pessimism would have kicked in telling me all the problems and flaws in such a proposal.
Which brings me onto my next point: I’ve stopped consuming alcohol. It may seem strange as it seemed to have helped me in that situation but it was the situation that it allowed me to be in that built up my confidence and made me into an optimistic person. It was this change in attitude that allows me now to see the good in my decisions and focus on what will work rather then dreading what won’t, as soon as this happened I was able to let go off the grip and dependency on alcohol. It shouldn’t have been a case that I needed it or such but now I am proud to say that I don’t need alcohol for anything and see of it as more of a nuisance.
Excellent post Amit, I don’t drink alcohol anymore because it doesn’t feel right for me. Sometimes I still join a drink though. I’ll follow your advice on getting drunk the cool way 😀
.-= Oscar – freestyle mind´s last blog ..Are You Creating Value? =-.
Indeed Oscar,
It’s got to be the cool way for me too! 😉
I have stopped drinking altogether due to taking a precept in abstaining from all forms of addiction. Since I have intended to make it my practice in developing mental clarity, taking the precept is a natural choice. Still, as a Singaporean, it is nice to know that the Singapore sling is being mentioned in your article.
Your post is certainly very cleverly crafted! Oh yes…I can certainly get drunk on life without drinking! Thanks for an intriguing post!
.-= Evelyn Lim´s last blog ..Feed has moved =-.
Hey Evelyn,
Glad you liked the crafty post and I’m in the same boat as you. I believe I can put myself in any state I choose without the need for an external influence.
Hi Amit,
I agree that we can get intoxicated on life, without the alcohol. I’m pretty indifferent to alcohol – I enjoy a nice glass of wine with a good meal now and then, but I often also feel that alcohol is out of resonance for me.
I think whether we drink alcohol or not doesn’t matter so much as long as we make a CONSCIOUS choice about it, rather than drinking out of habit or because others around us are drinking.
.-= Andrea|Empowered Soul´s last blog ..A Money Manifesting Journey – Live It Now =-.
Hey Andrea,
Thanks for commenting. You hit the nail in the head there which is the conscious choice part. I’m not against alcohol as a whole and having the odd drink is fine but I’m not a fan of the way we predicate that culture to our young. So long as responsibility and volition are brought into it, it’s like me saying I know chocolate isn’t great for me but I still like to have the odd kit kat now and again! 😉
It is definitely possible, and wonderful, to be intoxicated by joy, beauty, creativity, and freedom of expression.. also much less likely to wind up with an awful hangover from these ‘drugs’ of choice 🙂
.-= amanda@choosing-life-my-way.com´s last blog ..Just For Now Is All There Is =-.
Hey Amanda. I coudn’t agree more but I can’t deny that I enjoy it when I see other people having a hangover….my voice suddently becomes louder and about 2 octaves higher! :-p
Hi Amit. I really like this article. When I first drank beer and alcohol, I seriously had no idea why anybody could stand its disgusting taste. I took me a long time to realize that although there are hundreds of different alcohol taste, people really taste it for the feelings.
I drink if I’m in a social gathering, other than that, I don’t do it that much. Your article has reminded us that we can still get the same feelings that we get from alcohol by choosing to do so. Thanks!
.-= Tristan Lee´s last blog ..Are You Having a Happy Day? =-.
My pleasure Tristan. As arvind said sometimes life is too short to worry about everything. I think the odd drink now and again is find. You’re in control and that’s the most important part.
Hi Amit. I live an hour away from the wine country here in California and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I enjoy gastronomic pleasures. And part of great food is great wine, which for me really does enhance the dining experience. Once in a while, I’ll have a glass of red wine with my meal. One glass doesn’t intoxicate me. And I agree with what Arvind says, life is too short not to drink champagne.
But you have a great point. Life, without alcohol, is very much exhilarating and intoxicating.
Hey Belinda,
I was just in California and what an amazing place it is! I agree with both you and Arvind. For me now, since I made a strong decision when I was younger, i’ve stuck to it since. But I’m not as strongly against alcohol as I once was.
I’ve never been drunk. In fact, I haven’t had alcohol for going on 7 or 8 years. I tried once when i was 22 to get drunk. I had a bottle of wine, and a six pack of beer. Other than cravings for peanut butter, it had no other effects on me.
During that time I used to drink a glass of wine on Friday nights, i sipped the bubbly while in the bubbly tub. OR a starbucks latte with a shot of smirnoff the night before a math test. (I tend to do better at math with a little vodka, no joke.)
I don’t drink now, partially because its bad for my health. But partially because, eh whats the point??
I’m totally drunk on life and do all the 7 listed without sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or any kind of drugs. Life is so intoxicating, why bother with a hangover?
Hey Amie, Glad to hear that you chose not to incorporate alcohol into your life anymore. You actually start to realise life has so much more to offer than just getting trashed on a friday night and waking up the next day with a hangover! 🙂
i just like getting hammered :O
Each to their own.
What a great article. I am not a drinker but I hope your article inspires or at least plants a seed for many people.
I don’t know the expression “Dutch courage.” Would you please enlighten me?
Thanks Again.
Peace,
Michele
The “Dutch Courage ” is the confidence that you get when you are under the influence of alcohol. 🙂 That’s what most men do to get on with more courage, applicable for some women as well.
Natural highs are cool but you’re wrong and I hate you.
Thank you…I love haters! – https://www.unlimitedchoice.org/blog/tips/a-response-to-a-hater-and-some-hate-mail/
I’m a socially nervous shy high school girl and have used alcohol to get rid of that before, but i will NOT let myself become reliant on it, that’s how alcoholism could start. i like your post who ever you are, you totally just altered my decision whether to go get tipsy or not. of course i control my moods and can have fun from natural highs if i choose to… fuck becoming a loser reliant on alcohol to have fun with other people.
Good for you Niamh! You don’t need alcohol, a very wise decision indeed! 🙂
absolute genius! I love this article and think you’re the best personal development blogger I’ve ever come across…thank you for changing my life!
I’m so glad you enjoyed and thank you for your kind words!
I like a buzz. Not drunk. Buzz. Mild euphoria.
Hey there,
It’s great if you can stay in control and have just the right amount to give you that buzz. 🙂
~Amit
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this, I found it very inspiring for me.
😀 And it’s all true, too.
Hey Celine,
Thank you leaving your comments and showing your appreciation, I’m glad you enjoyed! 🙂
~Amit
Yo, Man I’ve Tried All This And I’ve Got A Good Day Rather Than Having Alcohol.Thanks Man.
Hey Adegoke,
Thank you so much for you comment and that’s great to hear! 🙂
All the best,
~Amit
Oh man, you do not understand alcohol, what it does…etc. Neither do (most) of the commentators.
I do applaud your attempt…. you are on the right track, but uneducated.
Hey Godleros,
I actually was on holiday recently and got drunk, once again as an experiment and I understand it a little better now, however, I do stand by my original message above, you don’t need booze to have fun or have an adventure. That is all in the mind!
All the best,
~Amit
I have a little different stance on this subject matter. I was raised on a family where alcohol was what brought us together. My brother, who was a mentor and my hero, has always drank. Infact the only times we got to spend time together was drinking and playing video games. In the course of this upbringing I have developed a lifestyle of binge drinking 2-3 times a week. Usually 1 2 day stint and then a 2-3 day recovery. I’m 37 years old and a slow learner. I haave 3 small children and I own my own business and I have started to see how it is effecting them and my business. I have decided to try to take a year off of drinking and try to actually remember a year since I barely recall most of the previous 20. Considering all of that I would like to thank you for your article as it has given a bit a strength to carry forward. I will try to be my natural crazy/happy self and savor each sober inhale and exhale.
Hey Andrew,
Wow, that’s some story – glad to hear it my friend and thank you for sharing!
~Amit
This is very good and nice post Amit, thank you for sharing this am cannot drink alcohol because it is give very serious for health and it is not suit our body. Sometime i am join my friend but i am drink only coldring.
For the reasons for self intoxication that you mention, most people can’t change their thought pattern or instinct with the want to do it. There is not a way to gather statistics on this since having this ability can not be proven without a doubt. For things like depression or anxiety, the feelings are created due to chemical changes in the brain that are considered abnormal. That is why going to a therapist with conditions caused by chemical changes or anormalies in the brain won’t help enough for observation. Some people will turn to intoxication, which one definition defines it as mentally or emotionally exhilaraTed, to influence their natural thought process and instinct of thought. This can be done without alcohol, drugs, plants, and othervmaterials. The feeling of being intoxicated can be induced by outward stimuli that influence the brain to to “feel” emotions to the extreme such as love, happiness, lust, or any other desired emotion. I’ve never experienced or heard of someone wanting to have the feeling of being intoxicated and simply thinking about something to become intoxicated. The only exception to that is if the thought is of something that conjures up “negative” emotion, or is something that the thinker would see as groungbreaking. I say that only “negative” emotions can completely change your thought process because in my experience it is just that. (I have in fact tried to fix my own emotional tendencies and thought evolution by simply convincing myself that it was different than it was, as well as thinking of objects or ideas that brought forth my desired feeling or emotion. This has never worked to the desired effect except with negative emotion.) When I was feeling depressed I would try everything and the only thing that worked to the desired effect, (being intoxicated enough to break the current thought pattern.) Was physical intoxication by outward stimuli. I am posting this so that someone in a similar situation to myself will not waste months trying this technique to no avail. If you doubt my opinion I suggest you try his opinion and come to the same conclusion I have.
Interesting perspective Jacob 🙂
~Amit
“sans alcool la fête est plus folle” ( without alcohol party is more funny) they say in a french commercial lol
LOL – love it! 😀
~Amit
Bs title. “High on life” wasn’t asked for. DRUNK without alcohol! Fake
I feel for you that you’ve never had that opportunity to experience that.
~Amit