When you drink alcohol, have you noticed that it’s harder not to behave in a different way? It’s not just being drunk; it’s the urge to do things quickly without thinking or to be impulsive. These responses are because alcohol lowers your inhibitions.
Alcohol is a depressant and slows activity in the prefrontal cortex in the brain, which is the region responsible for rational thought, impulse control, and assessing consequences. Alcohol can also make you feel more confident, and so you trust spontaneous thoughts and ideas more easily than you would in a sober state.
Lowered inhibitions aren’t always a bad thing. However, if they have long-term detrimental effects, if they negatively impact your daily functioning, or if you drink alcohol specifically to have lower inhibitions, those are signs of a problem.
Why Does Alcohol Lower Inhibitions?
There are a number of biological and social reasons why alcohol leads to lower inhibitions.
Biological Explanations:
Suppression of the prefrontal cortex. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning it slows down activity in the brain, specifically the frontal lobes that regulate thought and behavior. As a result, it’s harder to have foresight, pause before acting, and exercise self-regulation.
GABA changes. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that works as a brake system to calm nerve activity. Alcohol interrupts how the brain processes GABA signals, which disrupts the restraint and risk assessment people normally exhibit when sober.
Glutamate suppression. Alcohol blocks glutamate, the neurotransmitter responsible for alertness and cognitive processing. It’s therefore harder to think clearly and your memory formation is impaired.
Increased dopamine. Dopamine is the “feel-good” hormone, and its release is triggered by alcohol. Feelings of euphoria and confidence follow, which can make spontaneous or high-risk actions more likely.
Social Explanations:
Alcohol myopia. Alcohol narrows your cognitive focus, so you focus more on your immediate environment and events, and are more likely to ignore contexts or consequences you can’t see or consider at the time.
Lower social anxiety. Alcohol can temporarily mute internal stress, fear, and hyper-self-awareness. The reduction can influence overcompensating behaviors where you lose your inhibitions.
Shared social rituals. Drinking in groups creates a collective experience where “looseness” is celebrated and people mirror one another. Socializing with alcohol provides a space to act more freely and drop normal social taboos or expectations.
Who Is Most Likely to Have Lower Inhibitions While Drinking?
Anyone who drinks alcohol can experience lower inhibitions, but there are some groups who are more likely to have reduced inhibitions and to have them more intensely due to alcohol. These include:
- People with existing impulsive traits. These people tend to have a faster breakdown of behavioral norms, such as teens or people who struggle with manic episodes due to bipolar disorder.
- Women. Moderate amounts of alcohol can affect women’s brains more in the areas that govern response inhibition [1].
- Socially-anxious people. Because alcohol reduces anxiety and self-consciousness, these people notice a stronger shift in their inhibitions.
- Young adults. As they are still developing cognitively, young adults can be more susceptible to biological disruptions in the brain.
- College students. Binge drinking culture on campuses increases intoxication and a larger degree of lowered inhibitions.
Common Experiences of Lowered Inhibitions While Drinking
Research shows some of the most common cases of lowered inhibitions due to alcohol are [2]:
- Talking more and oversharing
- Unfiltered opinions and judgments
- Feeling things more intensely
- Increased sexual risk-taking
- Aggressive behavior
- Driving while drunk
Some of these experiences are harmless. Some can cause hangxiety the next day, where you worry you were out of character and feel regret or embarrassment. Others are very high risk and can put you and others around you in danger.
Harmful Effects of Alcohol-Induced Lower Inhibitions
Lower inhibitions because of drinking alcohol can have direct and indirect negative effects. For instance:
- A lack of control over spending can result in financial troubles.
- Heightened emotional states can damage relationships and self-esteem.
- Increased aggression can cause physical fights and violence.
- Risky sexual behavior can lead to unprotected sex, non-consensual encounters, and the transmission of STIs.
- Driving while drinking can reduce coordination and reaction times, causing collisions, injury, and even death.
It’s difficult to predict the full repercussions of reduced inhibitions when drinking. But, the reality is even small behaviors can have a ripple effect that damages your quality of life.
When to Seek Treatment
One study found 68% of people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) made high-risk decisions compared to control groups [3]. Getting help is an important step to manage your relationship with alcohol and to prevent lower inhibitions from creating more or lasting damage.
Signs that may indicate you need treatment are:
- Waking up after drinking alcohol with intense anxiety, shame, and regret that lasts more than a couple of days.
- When you have become aggressive or violent on multiple occasions during or after drinking.
- If relationships with your family and friends are suffering because of your behavior while drunk.
- People who know you well have expressed concern about your change of inhibitions when drinking.
- You have been involved in a crime as a result of drinking alcohol.
- You have seriously hurt yourself or others due to lower inhibitions.
- You have engaged in high-risk behavior (such as looking after children while drunk).
- You have spent much more than you intended several times after drinking alcohol.
- You intentionally drink to lower your inhibitions to feel “more free”.
- You feel you have lost control over cravings for alcohol.
Care Is Closer Than You Think at Red Rock Recovery, Colorado
At Red Rock Recovery, we’re a team of licensed medical professionals who offer empathetic care to overcome alcohol addiction and to understand the roots and triggers of it.
From our centers in Colorado, we have recovery programs spanning medical detox, residential care, and outpatient treatment. We use evidence-based therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to support you as you develop healthy coping skills and emotional regulation. We also have medication-assisted treatment to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings when clinically needed.
We treat co-occurring mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. We host wellness activities such as hiking and yoga and make the most of the beautiful nature surrounding our centers to ensure you heal both inside and out.
Where you’ve been doesn’t have to be where you’re going. Start a new path. Contact our admissions team.
Sources
[1] Hoppenbrouwers, S. et al. 2009. Alcohol breaks down interhemispheric inhibition in females but not in males. Psychopharmacology.
[2] Field, M. et al. 2010. Acute Alcohol Effects on Inhibitory Control and Implicit Cognition: Implications for Loss of Control Over Drinking. Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research.
[3] Ariesen, A. et al. 2023. Risky Decision-Making in Adults with Alcohol Use Disorder—A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine.