Why Does Alcohol Make You Feel Lucky?

The Brain's Warning System

Imagine your brain has a little alarm clock that rings when you might make a mistake. It is always watching to keep you safe. When you drink alcohol, this alarm gets softer and quieter.

Why You Feel [Brave](/search?q=brave)

You start thinking everything will be okay. If you trip, it is just funny. If you speak up, people will love what you say. This happens because alcohol calms the part of your brain that worries about bad things.

The Lucky [Feeling](/search?q=feeling)

This quieting of worry makes you feel lucky and happy. You are not actually luckier; you just care less about being wrong. It is like wearing sunglasses that make a cloudy day look sunny.

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Examples

  1. A child thinks a scraped knee is terrible, but after drinking juice, it feels like a small adventure.
  2. You decide to try a new food because you feel brave enough to handle it if it tastes funny.
  3. When you drop your toy, you laugh instead of crying because you feel good about the moment.

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Categories: Health · neuroscience· psychology· alcohol effects· optimism