Why Does Alcohol Make You Drunk?

It's easy to spot someone who's had too much to drink. Their speech slurs, their movements become clumsy, and their judgment seems to disappear. But what's actually happening inside your body when you drink alcohol? Let's explore how alcohol affects your brain and body to create that familiar feeling of being drunk.

What Is Alcohol?

When we talk about alcoholic drinks, we're referring to beverages containing ethanol. This clear, colorless liquid forms when yeast ferments sugars from various sources—barley becomes beer, grapes become wine, and potatoes can become vodka.

Once you drink an alcoholic beverage, ethanol quickly enters your bloodstream and travels throughout your body. Your blood alcohol content (BAC) measures how much alcohol is in your system. For example, a BAC of 0.08% means there are 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood—often the legal limit for driving.

At lower BAC levels, you might feel relaxed and sociable. As BAC increases, these feelings can turn into poor coordination and impaired judgment. At dangerously high levels, alcohol can cause unconsciousness or even alcohol poisoning.

How Does Alcohol Make You Drunk?

Alcohol reaches your brain within about five minutes, and you can start feeling its effects within ten minutes. It crosses the blood-brain barrier—a protective layer that usually keeps harmful substances out of the brain.

Once in the brain, alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters, the chemicals that help nerve cells communicate. Two key neurotransmitters are particularly affected:

• GABA: This neurotransmitter slows brain activity. Alcohol enhances GABA's effects, making you feel relaxed and calm.
• Glutamate: This excitatory neurotransmitter stimulates brain activity. Alcohol suppresses glutamate, slowing down your thought processes and impairing judgment.

The more alcohol you drink, the greater these effects become, leading to slower reactions, poor coordination, slurred speech, and reduced inhibitions.

Which Brain Areas Does Alcohol Affect?

Alcohol impacts several key brain regions:

• Frontal Lobe: Controls planning, decision-making, and impulse control. Alcohol impairs these functions, leading to poor choices.
• Amygdala: Processes emotions like fear and aggression. Alcohol can reduce fear and increase risky behavior.
• Hippocampus: Forms new memories. Alcohol disrupts this process, potentially causing blackouts.
• Thalamus: Relays sensory information. Alcohol can distort your perceptions.
• Cerebellum: Coordinates movement. Alcohol affects this area, causing clumsiness.
• Medulla: Controls automatic functions like breathing. Alcohol can slow these processes, leading to drowsiness or unconsciousness.

Why Do People React Differently to Alcohol?

Not everyone gets drunk at the same rate. Several factors influence how alcohol affects you:

• Weight: People with more body mass have more tissue to absorb alcohol, diluting its effects.
• Biological Sex: People assigned female at birth typically have less body water and different enzyme levels, making them more susceptible to alcohol's effects.
• Age: Metabolism slows with age, so older adults may feel alcohol's effects more strongly.
• Genetics: Some genetic backgrounds affect how quickly your body processes alcohol.
• Drink Type: Stronger drinks and carbonated beverages are absorbed faster.
• Drinking Speed: Drinking quickly raises BAC faster.
• Food Intake: Eating before or while drinking slows alcohol absorption.
• Medications: Some drugs can intensify alcohol's effects.
• Overall Health: Conditions affecting liver or kidney function can alter how your body processes alcohol.

Tips for Avoiding Intoxication

If you choose to drink, these strategies can help you stay in control:

• Practice Mindful Drinking: Pay attention to what and how much you're drinking. Set limits beforehand.
• Count Your Drinks: Keep track of how many drinks you've had to maintain awareness.
• Sip Slowly: Take your time with each drink rather than gulping it down.
• Stick to One Type of Drink: Mixing different alcohols can raise your BAC quickly.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink water between alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and slow your consumption.
• Eat Before and During Drinking: Food in your stomach slows alcohol absorption.

The Bottom Line

Alcohol causes intoxication by slowing brain activity and affecting neurotransmitters that control coordination, judgment, and memory. While various factors influence how strongly alcohol affects you, practicing mindful drinking habits can help you avoid becoming too intoxicated.

If you're looking to reduce your alcohol consumption, Quitemate can help. This app has helped millions of people develop healthier relationships with alcohol and build lifestyle habits that support their well-being.