I’ll start. I have to be careful drinking around other people, because I can get intensely motivational.

My neighbour used to be depressed and stayed at a cruddy job, despite poor pay. I was 17, and he was in his 40s. Well, one night we happened to drink together. It turned out he only stayed at that job in hopes that he would eventually get his parents approval, and that they would finally be proud of him. The job made him miserable.

I spent hours convincing him that he was worth more than his parent’s approval, and that he deserved to be happy. That he was the one living his day-to-day life, and that he should live it how he wants to. Many tears were shed that night. Dude quit before getting any new job prospects, and ended up working in a completely different field. He said thank you more than a few times, after everything was said and done.

That might not sound bad, but it was far from a one-off scenario. I eventually started to wonder what would happen if I accidentally helped lead someone to make a bad decision. It’s not like drunk people are known for making good decisions. So, I only drink around certain people now haha.

On a side note, a crazy number of people have problems with/from their parents.

  • MrJameGumb@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I don’t drink anymore, but when I did I would get more witty and talkative until about 6 drinks in at which point I would just become obnoxious and weird. Then I would get upset that everyone didn’t think I was absolutely amazing and get self conscious and angry. Then I’d go home and drink more by myself until I blacked out.

    So quirky!

    • JPSound@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Ah, a classic. All throughout my 20s, I put myself into this same pitiful loop as well. I cringe thinking about my behavior and relationship with alcohol during those days.

  • Max_Power@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Oh you’re a nice person.

    The only “drunken quirk” so to speak is that when I am drunk I’m very aware of that and that I will go above and beyond not to appear drunk. That’s it. It’s not as wholesome as your story ofc.

  • whoisearth@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    My eyes blink at different intervals like some Thom Yorke motherfucker.

    I will also say more stupid shit.

    Edit - added more. I already say stupid shit.

  • BananaPeal@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    I talk a lot when I’m drunk. I over-explain and over-share like crazy. My 10-year old also does this on a regular basis.

    On an unrelated note, I seem to be missing a bottle of vodka. If anyone sees it, please let me know.

  • roo@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    Yeah, I don’t drink because I’m a seriously happy drunk in a far too gregarious way. It gives off the wrong impression to people, and I can’t back it up with my sober personality. It usually leads to regrets, and I sort of despise overly familiar people in my daily life. I also get adventurous with vehicles and go on side quests in a Hangover movie way that scares me and causes problems. Never again.

  • tetris11@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I become highly suggestive. Up for cocktails later? I’m down. Ask me to buy a pitcher for the table? Consider it done. Start playing the MetalGearSolid theme? I will crawl under tables and hide in cardboard boxes, later ambushing you in the gents where I will punch, kick, and choke you from behind until you climax.

  • TeaHands@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Not quite the same sort of thing, but I have an annoying tendency to forget I’m wearing glasses and headbang them off. Had to start wearing contacts instead.

  • sara@lemmy.today
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    1 year ago

    I have the most embarrassing quirk when I drink. I get super emotional and start giving out hugs to people I would never hug sober.

    • reev@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      As long as you’re not forceful about it and can take a hint, everyone could use a couple extra hugs in life in my experience.

      • sara@lemmy.today
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        1 year ago

        I guess I should clarify I start offering hugs to people. I would never just wrap my arms around someone unless I knew it was ok.

    • ledtasso@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I used to do the same thing when I first started drinking. Now drinking just makes me slightly more open but also gives me a headache (even after 1 beer)

      • biscoot@lemmy.getmeotter.work
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        1 year ago

        Drinking 1 or 2 actually takes my (sober) headaches away. Maybe this is not good lol

        Have you tried alternating 1 drink and 1 water?

  • GrappleHat@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I’ve known two people who are extremely quiet and shy sober but become loud, social, and “larger than life” when they drink. Like a massive personality change.

    Always wondered whether their drunk selves were closer to their “true” selves, but they suppress it in daily life?

    • Senseless@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      I somewhat feel like I’m being addressed here. I can only speak for myself but I’d agree, that this is more like being myself. Yet things/reactions that happened in my childhood/youth are ingrained so deep in my brain, that barriers where formed and the true self is somewhere in there.

      Drinking partly breaks down those barriers. Good friends I had for a few years now also helped with this, so around them it became easier being “myself”.

    • vortexsurfer@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I knew a guy who was a very outspoken but peaceful vegan, didn’t want to harm anything. Animal rights activist. Super nice guy, when sober.

      But he also had a drinking problem, and totally flipped when he drank, you could almost see the switch happen in a few seconds when he was at 4-5 beers. His drunk personality was angry, paranoid, quarreling and violent, and he would often get blackout drunk and get into fights and whatnot. Got himself banned from several bars.

      I didn’t know him well, but he probably had some trauma/bad shit in his life. He never talked about his family, except his grandmother who apparently had raised him, more or less.

    • Devi@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I’m a bit like this, like less extreme at either end but I’m much more confident when drunk, I feel good about myself, I take pictures, I laugh loudly at jokes, I tell my own jokes. I think it’s closer to my true self. As a kid I was very outgoing, I’d talk to anyone, I was a theatre kid and did solos in the choir. Life has made me a much more reserved person, slow to speak and more happy to listen. Not a bad thing really but probably not my natural personality.

    • MrJameGumb@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      When I still drank I was very much like this! It’s not that I actively make a point to “suppress” my personality when I’m sober, it’s more like when I would drink every thought that popped into my head suddenly seemed like a great idea lol

      If I had to put a name to this phenomenon, I’d say drinking just turns off the common sense filter in my brain

    • soloner@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Yeah it’s probably the case. The alcohol sheds their filters and social reservations that other people don’t have at all in the first place. At least I feel like that when I drink. I don’t do parties without a few drinks for that reason.

    • JPSound@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Social anxiety is a bitch but a little bit of booze washes that little crippling demon away.

  • Dandroid@dandroid.app
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    1 year ago

    My wife can tell I’m drunk because I start repeating everything I hear. For example, I’ll be watching a sports game and just be repeating everything the announcers say in a very excited tone.

    • JPSound@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Me too brother. I don’t realize I’m doing it until she pauses whatever we are watching and say, “look, I can listen to you or I can listen to the TV. I cant do both.” The guilt sets in and I, for the 6th time in the last hour, apologize for being a little chatter box… until something happens that I once again i must proclaim aloud to my wife who knew full well my apologies and self awareness dont mean shit in times like.

  • Whisper06@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 year ago

    I lose all filters and chaos mode engages. If I see a button I push it, if something takes one little nudge for it to fall over I nudge it, pranks, fire, just any kind of chaos you can think of. It’s especially prevalent if I’m drinking Jager.

  • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    That neighbor being in that situation at 40 sounds miserable - at least they were able to find some happiness thanks to you though 👌.

    Pretty valid concern there about someone possibly making a bad decision based from advice when drunk… seems risky depending on where the other individual is/feels regarding life

    When I’m drunk I ask stupid questions and that’s it really 😂 things I usually keep to myself are all asked without any care in the world. Almost like the filter is removed

  • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Mine was that I don’t get hangovers pretty much at all so I never had an internal sense of “I’m going to feel like shit tomorrow if I keep going”. Anyway I don’t drink anymore and my body and relationships thank me.

  • thelastknowngod@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I am like a homing pigeon. I might not know where I am or how I got there but I can sure as hell navigate a city well enough to get home safely.

    • XIIIesq@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I usually end up walking around in circles until it’s been long enough that I’ve sobered up a bit and can remember where I am lol