Although we are of course skeptical of any study involving fewer than a hundred people, we thought this study out of the University of British Columbia was interesting.
They studied gamblers’ behavior under an alcohol and a placebo condition. SIde note: they used tonic water as a placebo, and we highly recommend tonic water for those who are new to not drinking. Its bitterness makes it a solid substitute for an alcoholic drink.
What they found was that gamblers (who in this case were playing roulette) were more likely to chase losses (bet bigger after losing money) when intoxicated than sober.
That just sounds like something a drunk person would do, doesn’t it? It’s not just that the action is irrational; it’s that it’s optimistically so.
Intoxication leads to feeling uninhibited, but it also apparently leads us to be even more illogically optimistic than we humans normally are. That could help partially explain why people do so many risky things (from driving to getting in stupid fights to having unprotected sex) when they’re drunk.
If you’re making changes over the holidays, we’d love to help you cut back or quit. Drinker’s Helper is an app that provides motivational exercises, drink tracking and insights into why you drink, and a support group of your peers to help you make needed changes. Try it free for a week before joining!
