What’s YOUR Drunk Personality?

I’ve been told that with a few drinks in me, I’m more bubbly and affectionate than my sober self. Some of my friends become emotional, goofy, or even combative when drinking. Ever wonder what — other than a few gimlets — contributes to your drunk identity? Our friends at Shape investigated why your behavior changes as happy hour progresses.

Here's what they found: Drinking doesn’t create character traits, it exaggerates the ones you already have. So, this may be tough to hear, but the biggest puzzle piece of your drunk personality...is your actual personality. Research indicates that alcohol reduces the activity of your brain’s prefrontal cortex, the seat of self-control. When that slows down, you’re less likely to check your impulses and more apt to engage in, shall we say, socially questionable behavior.

Gender also influences your response to alcohol. Women produce less of the liver enzyme that breaks down alcohol than men do, so they feel its effects more quickly. But, the physical response to alcohol — its effects on coordination and speech — is genetically determined; researchers have also pinpointed a single gene that makes some people more likely to drink heavily than others. These same people can knock back more beverages before feeling or showing drunkenness. To discover the full story behind your inebriated alter-ego, click through to Shape.