Correlation between alcohol and higher thought processes

[Scarlett Hayden]

Anyone else get mind blowing revelations when they're drunk or is that just me?

 

[intpz]

Never been drunk.

 

[lungs]

lol. mind-blowing revelations like, "you don't need music to dance!"

 

[Fukyo]

Maybe the alcohol just dumbs you down so these revelations feel extraordinary.

 

[Kuu]

It must be you.

 

[Scarlett Hayden]

Maybe the alcohol just dumbs you down so these revelations feel extraordinary.

Yeah figured someone would say that. But idk why, when I drink I find it alot easier to concetrate on and see the bigger picture to in depth topics. Maybe it's because I'm relaxed?

 

[Cognisant]

It does help me focus, oddly.

Or rather when I'm working on something delicate or thinking about something exciting it prevents me getting stressed or distracted, mind you I'm only talking about a small amount of alcohol, being relaxed isn't the same as being drunk.

Edit: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DrunkenMaster

There is a World of Warcraft raider type called the "Drunken DPS". These people (usually mages) started raids sober or slightly buzzed. As the raid progressed, they would get drunker and drunker, and their damage output would rise as well. Apparently they were pretty valuable, provided they didn't fall off their chairs while facing the dungeon boss.
Drunken Healers exist as well. Really good healers during battles but have to be reminded which instance they are in from time to time.
This has much to do with the incredible amount of stress that can be placed upon a raid healer in certain encounters. Where a sober player would be jittery from adrenaline and potentially lock up, a drunken player will be calmer and can actually respond more quickly.
That ties into the notion that the less stressed you are about something, the smoother it is to do it. Ever try tying your shoelaces while in a rush? Same principle applies here.
Further note: Since stress/adrenaline causes the body to focus on "big muscle movements" (biceps, triceps, the thigh muscles) at the cost of decreased focus on "little muscle movements" (like those in your fingers), this is probably a further source of drunken computer gaming prowess. Since the alcohol is counteracting the adrenaline to some degree, it probably really is restoring considerable fine motor control (at least until you hit the point where the alcohol is reducing your fine motor control, rather than just taking the edge off of the adrenaline).

 

[Scarlett Hayden]

It does help me focus, oddly.

Or rather when I'm working on something delicate or thinking about something exciting it prevents me getting stressed or distracted, mind you I'm only talking about a small amount of alcohol, being relaxed isn't the same as being drunk.

Edit: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DrunkenMaster

Mmm, this sounds viable. I only ever get drunk alone though and most times I end up staring at the walk for hours on end with nothing but the most insane thoughts passing through my head every few seconds. Shame I can't usually remember them when I'm sober mind, but maybe the energy that would normally be expended on my lack of movement is transfered to the brain instead? Or maybe the intellectual standard really has just been lowered and I seem to think I'm super clever when in actual reality my thoughts are dumber than that of a camels'?

 

[Cognisant]

Most likely the latter.

 

[Roni]

I do seem to have access to a larger working vocabulary when I'm very drunk. It shows up in the things I type* once I've staggered home, full of some brilliant revelation I simply must capture before I pass out. My written expression tends to be more elegant and precise when I'm too drunk to question my use of words like 'sacrosanct'.

However, the brilliant revelation I capture this way never seems so brilliant once I've sobered up. Usually it's just a simplistic rant against all the people my drunk mind perceived as threatening, worthless, or both. Sometimes the rant is very funny, and often it shocks me by using words I didn't know I knew, but it's never the mind blowing revelation I thought it was when I was writing it.

*typed rants are the only way I can know this. Nobody can tell me the content of my slurred speeches and I can't read my slurred handwriting. If it wasn't for spellcheck and backspace I'd never have known how disappointing my drunken revelations actually were.

 

[cerebedlam]

Only the MJ has the power to elevate this mind.

 

[GYX_Kid]

Yeah figured someone would say that. But idk why, when I drink I find it alot easier to concetrate on and see the bigger picture to in depth topics. Maybe it's because I'm relaxed?

Yeah, same here. Might have something to do with a default habit of narrow over-analysis of a detail which may or may not be relative bullshit. Then when drunk, that tunnel-visioned focus eases up but we're still being analytical

 

[Cavallier]

Drunken Healers exist as well. Really good healers during battles but have to be reminded which instance they are in from time to time.
This has much to do with the incredible amount of stress that can be placed upon a raid healer in certain encounters. Where a sober player would be jittery from adrenaline and potentially lock up, a drunken player will be calmer and can actually respond more quickly.
That ties into the notion that the less stressed you are about something, the smoother it is to do it. Ever try tying your shoelaces while in a rush? Same principle applies here.

I know a guy like this. There are legends concerning his MMO Healer Abilities. One involves him Tanking while being a squishy Healer when the team's original Tank dropped out of the game.

As for mind blowing deep thoughts while drunk? I'm certainly less likely to self-consciously nit pick my own ideas when drunk thus making me think my drunken ideas are brilliant. My self confidence rises dramatically and my fear of failure drops.

It's not good to leave me alone with my thoughts when I'm drunk. I admit it.

 

[SLushhYYY]

Write down your "revelations" when they come to you, then analyze them when you're sober.

Quick and easy.

 

[snafupants]

Write down your "revelations" when they come to you, then analyze them when you're sober.

Quick and easy.

That would generally be a clever test, but perhaps its efficacy doesn't extend far beyond alcohol and other depressant substances. On certain psychedelics, for instance, psychic tendencies absent during the trip recapitulate themselves, which could have a deleterious effect on subsequent and sober cognizance of veritably profound insights gleaned during yesterday's mind-bending experience. Perhaps the same could be said for coffee or nootropics. Merely because one can't cognize the earlier brilliance of an idea doesn't mean that the original idea was devoid of insight; that is, unless brain damage from substance use is causing the consequent misapprehension.

 

[SLushhYYY]

That would generally be a clever test, but perhaps its efficacy doesn't extend far beyond alcohol and other depressant substances. On certain psychedelics, for instance, psychic tendencies absent during the trip recapitulate themselves, which could have a deleterious effect on subsequent and sober cognizance of veritably profound insights gleaned during yesterday's mind-bending experience. Perhaps the same could be said for coffee or nootropics. Merely because one can't cognize the earlier brilliance of an idea doesn't mean that the original idea was devoid of insight; that is, unless brain damage from substance use is causing the consequent misapprehension.

I've started writing about 4 different research essays based off of revelations I had when smoking marijuana. Each of which is not finished, nor will they be finished since I cant grasp the subject as well when I'm sober. Hopefully one day I can finish at least one of them when I'm under the influence again.