NTs and the drinking paradox

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I do understand NTs more than most Aspies do. Except their interests in being drunk (this mostly goes for the 17-35-year-olds that get really drunk, and not those who just drink in moderation).

Being very drunk can make people:-

Act unpredictably
Act childish
Get violent or aggressive
Do antisocial things
Look stupid or weird
Ill
Inadvertently harm themselves or others
Be tactless
Flirt or cheat on partner
Cause arguments with family, friends and partner
Commit crime
Have unwanted pregnancies

Most young NTs think the cause of the above (drinking lots of alcohol) is great, fantastic, necessity, requirement, fun, living, exciting, grown-up, social, etc etc.
But at the same time all of those things listed there are either frowned upon, or are what NTs generally dislike, in modern Western cultures. So why do young NTs enjoy getting drunk every weekend if it causes people to jump into the uncanny valley and behave in a way that break all the social rules that NTs swear by?

It boggles my mind if you ask me.

When you say young NTs, what do you mean by that? Scientists say that our brain doesn’t necessarily mature until we are roughly 25. People engage in many behaviors that triggers a sense of pleasure in their mind. So, sometimes when they are experiencing a certain feeling it may cause them to behave in such a way.

I know when you are drunk, you are less likely to discern from good or bad behavior, so if you’re talking about alcohol consumption that is outside of a persons tolerance level, then that is what it does.

I think people enjoy drinking because, for some, it tastes great and induces a feeling of relaxation and enjoyment, which isn’t really a bad thing. It’s just when people have too much to drink and their reasoning skills are not what it would normally be.

When you say young NTs, what do you mean by that?

It’s just when people have too much to drink and their reasoning skills are not what it would normally be.




Maybe I haven't explained my OP very clearly, but most NTs are typically into clubbing and getting wasted in their late teens and in their 20s and even in their early 30s. I don't know what age they begin to prefer drinking responsibly or even stop going out at all, but every NT I have ever met so far have been absolutely blotto at some point in their lives, and that is usually when they are young.

What I don't get is the people who think being drunk out of your head is great, as in coming out of the bar or nightclub absolutely wasted. Everybody knows the stupid things people do when really drunk, even if they don't remember it themselves (although these days you have evidence of their loutish behaviour filmed on phones). If NTs dislike weird behaviour (which is why us autistics get rejected or bullied by them so much) then why do they allow themselves to get that drunk to the point of doing things that they don't like?

It's like they're becoming what they hate.

Are you asking why NTs who get drunk and do stupid things are accepted but Aspies who are sober but weird get rejected?

Well yes sort of, but I'm not looking for an answer like "all common sense, logic and reasoning goes out the window when you're drunk, and being drunk isn't your true self", because it doesn't matter whether you're breaking social rules because you have a mental disorder/illness or if you're under the influence or drugs or alcohol, [ibyou're still not conforming to the social expectations[/i]. A lot of people dislike the thought of mental hospitals because the patients are "loonies" to them, but getting blotto makes you act like a "loony" too so why is getting extremely drunk so socially acceptable if it turns most people into what they're naturally wired to be afraid of? Why do people love the idea of drinking so much? Why is it when I ask people around my age or younger what they're doing this weekend, they grin and reply, "getting hammered again I suppose" - like it's such a wonderful thing?

I think that this is a very interesting and pertinent question. I have never understood why someone would take a hard earned paycheck and go and blow it all in the pub.

Somehow a stupid culture has developed that it's cool to drink, do dumb things while drunk and this has become socially appealing.
Same as getting stoned is becoming endemic in young people of all socio-economic and educational backgrounds.

I have my theory. The work day in my country has slowly crept from an 8 hour day to a twelve hour day plus commute in the high-tech and many other sectors. The cost of living is constantly escalating and people need to struggle to stay out of debt. I think that drinking is a means of escape, a temporary illusion of being carefree for a while and pretend life is good for a fleeting moment. Life is very competitive, harsh and violent these days. When they get hammered or stoned people can pretend it's better for a short while.

Also, shy people can be more adept socially as far as being more open when they drink. I have an aspie friend who relies on alcohol to be communicative. I can't judge him for that.

It's funny because every time me or my husband get drunk, we don't do all the above - we become more outgoing and affectionate, actually less agressive (especially my husband) and more outwardly expressing love to our closest ones...

Because youth like to rebel, and love to rebel together.

^^you hold in your liquor well.

Those who don’t can be very idiotic and violent when drunk.

That's because you probably drink responsibly. There's a difference between drinking to relax and have a good time, and drinking just to get smashed out of your head because it's cool or something.

I think it's about wanting to feel good... yes, they know there'll likely be a hangover, but they want that moment that makes them feel good.

It's the same with sex: it can lead to an unwanted pregnancy and with pregnancy and childbirth being so dangerous, why would any woman agree to have sex with a man if they aren't trying to get pregnant? Even with birth control the risk is still there, so why bother take the risk? Same for men, why do they bother taking the risk of putting a woman to such a danger? For a moment of pleasure, that's why. Not smart, but that's how most people are.

The drunk behavior of a typical NT is not QUITE the same set of things the characterize the normal behavior of sober aspies or autistics.

Autistics are not particularly "uninhibited", and don't flirt much, and don't get knocked up, or knock up others. And are not particularly aggressive, or violent.

The "weird" and the "childish" adjectives might apply.

In fact young NTs often get drunk to act LESS like the normal behavior of autistics, and not more in that direction: ie to become uninhibited, and to get the nerve to talk to the opposite sex, and....get knocked up...lol!

I think that you're posing a kind of a silly question.

Drunk folks (autistic and NT) tend to act more Down Syndrome folks than they normally do.

So a better question to ask is "if being called 'ret*d' is considered to be one of the worst insults ever, why do folks that it's cool to imbibe in beverages that make them act more like ret*ds (perhaps even MORE ret*d than a sober Downs Syndrome person would act)?"

It's coz they're stressed from masking all week. They call it "letting your hair down", but it's the same thing.
It's how they learn to conquer some of their fears and it helps them dance, approach each other, flirt, hook up.

Alcohol is a drug that causes illusions for the drinker think that they are none of those things the OP listed. They think they are the life of the party, great at socializing, a great lover, a superb dancer, and they aren't afraid of anyone or anything.

But I know that alcohol is no better than crystal meth or heroine or any of that illegal poison that people get horribly addicted to.

I did not say autistics and drunk people are the same. I'm saying that the way NTs hate odd behaviour of any sort plus the things listed in my OP, yet they find it appealing to get drunk and do things WORSE than a sober autistic person does. You'd have thought NTs would go, "getting drunk is stupid - why would I want to get into that state and look ridiculous?"
Although the analogy about sex is quite a good answer, but sex is natural and every living thing on the planet does it. Getting blotto is just a stupid craze that people think is so appealing and in the UK everybody (with the exception of certain religious or disabled or whatever) gets drunk in their younger years and doesn't see a problem with the consequences it brings at all.
When I last went out a girl spoilt the whole dinner because she was drunk. She tried picking arguments with others and embarrassed her boyfriend, and it made everyone uncomfortable during our meal. Then halfway through the meal she was sick, which wasn't very pleasant to see. All because she had been drinking lots before she came to the restaurant. So what's so appealing about that? Being drunk ruins things if you let your drinking get out of hand, which most youngsters do.

Obviously NTs do not drink...in order to become an embarrassing spectacle.

They do it because they like the feel of being drunk. They don't plan on becoming spectacles when they decide to have a pint.

Maybe the question is "why is being sober so bad?".