So, I’ve never gotten drunk before. I’ve had a drink or two on occasion, but never enough to get more than buzzed. And realistically now that I’m on antidepressants I probably won’t any time in the near future.
Something I’ve wondered about is when it comes up in movies or real life news stories is: Exactly how responsible are you for things you do while drunk? Not legally, that’s more concrete, but practically. If alcohol inhibits your decision making capabilities, to what extent is anything done while drunk something you “decided” to do? You could still be held accountable for getting so drunk in the first place that this was able to happen, but that seems at least somewhat different from the actual act made during inebriation. Like say, drunk driving: Is the act of deciding to drive drunk merely the act of drinking a lot plus a roll of the dice to see if you end up making a decision you wouldn’t have made sober?
Like I said though, I have no personal experience with this, so maybe I’m way off base in understanding the nature of how in control a drunk person is of their behavior.
Before I started drinking, I had the misconception that drunk people literally have no control over their actions. Then, in university, I got drunk somewhat frequently and also helped take of other drunk people and my view changed.
There are things I might do drunk that I wouldn’t do sober, same thing when I’m stoned. But I wouldn’t cross the line into serious crimes like drunk driving because, even with inhibitions lowered, I am still able to think through the consequences. Being drunk tends to make people a little more impulsive and less concerned about consequences but not to the point of doing things they know are morally wrong or highly illegal, unless they’re already willing to do those things sober. Are there some people who alcohol does affect to that point? Maybe. But, like you said, the responsible thing for those people to do is not drink. Most people wouldn’t drink if doing so took a gamble that they’ll do something highly illegal or immoral that they aren’t willing to do sober
In my hometown, there was a lot of drunk violence, which gave me the misconception of drunk people having no control over their actions. My university friends informed me that violent drunks are already violent people to begin with