Hundreds of studies have shown that alcohol has destructive short-term and long-term effects, yet some people drink excessively without minding any harmful effects.
If you are surveyed to know why people drink, you will most likely come up with some reasons that seem logical. Still, upon knowing a bit more about psychology, you will discover that most people aren’t actually aware of the real reason that forces them to drink.
A person might believe that he is drinking because of one reason, while in reality, he would be doing it for a completely different reason that he is not aware of. In this article, I will explore some of these unconscious reasons that motivate people to drink even after they know that alcohol can be deadly.
Why do people drink alcohol?
Mood regulation
For the first instance, mood regulation might not sound like a bad idea. After all, if someone can drink to
Improve’s mood
Then why not do it? In fact, if you need mood regulation, then there must be something completely wrong with your mood. In such a case, you are using alcohol to escape from the state you barely tolerate to a state that makes you feel better. Some people drink to have more
Courage
1) To approach others: Do you know what does this really means? It means that they are cowards who need anything to help them become brave. The problem is such a case is not with alcohol itself but with the horrible state those people are in when they are sober
2) To let others see them differently: The Tomboy, who hates the fact that men are more likely to take risks, might start drinking to prove to the world that she can be as careless as a man. The guy who desperately wants to appeal to women might start drinking to seem more like a bad boy (the typical type of man who attracts women). This guy isn’t aware that Alcohol reduces testosterone production and makes him more of a feminine man than a bad boy. In other words, many people drink to create a new identity and to force others to see them in a new way
3) To prove something & protect their beliefs: Some people drink to prove something to themselves or the world. Some people might want to appear happier in the presence of others; Some might want to appear more social, while a third group might want to prove that alcohol is actually a good thing. An atheist might start drinking to prove to the world that drinking is a good thing, or in other words, he wants to prove that religions are wrong. Many people get involved in bad habits to prove something to themselves or others while believing that they are doing them for completely different reasons
Are there other reasons for drinking?
Yes, there are lots of other reasons. Please don’t email me telling me that I missed one of them simply because they can’t all be included in one post.
I wanted to show you that people drink for reasons that they are completely unaware of. They might believe that they are drinking to socialize while, in fact, they are drinking for completely different reasons.
As it’s clear from the sample we discussed, people drink because they need to drink, not because they like to drink. In another post, I said that the needier you become, the weaker you will be.
If you need to regulate your mood, become braver, or prove something to others, you will have low self-esteem. Drinking isn’t just a bad habit that leads to some health problems, but it’s also a habit that shows that something is wrong within your mind.
