You may have heard the Latin expression In vino veritas or its Russian translation “the truth is in wine” more than once. These words are attributed to the ancient Roman polymath Pliny the Elder, but similar thoughts were shared by other ancient figures. This is one of many sayings that claim that alcohol makes a person more honest and is a kind of “truth serum.” Indeed, after a couple of beers or something stronger, many people become more sociable and can blurt out too much. But are they telling the truth, or are they making something up? There are no studies that have given a direct answer to this question. But scientists have been able to study the results of scientific studies on similar topics and explain how alcohol affects human behavior.
How true is the phrase “the truth in wine”? Scientists have tried to answer this question
Does alcohol make you tell the truth?
According to Aaron White, who works at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol can indeed prompt people to say whatever is on their mind. In some cases, it's the truth. But in other cases, it's just the person saying something that only they know to be true.
According to Live Science, it all depends on the situation. Sometimes, people drink so much that they end up spilling their deepest secrets. But sometimes, people just get temporarily brave and tell tall tales about themselves or make overly grand promises.
Alcohol makes people more open, that's a fact. Image: ridus.ru
For example, have you ever had a situation where during a get-together with friends you all agreed to go on vacation together. In the end, this idea was forgotten and no one kept the agreement. Based on this, we can conclude that alcohol is definitely not a “truth serum”. Yes, sometimes drunk people really do tell the truth, but you can't trust their words.
But the “truth serum” does exist in reality, it is not fiction! Various substances can be used in its role – here is a list.
How alcohol affects behavior
Scientists have never conducted studies on the topic of how alcohol affects honesty. But many scientific studies have been conducted on the topic of the effect of alcohol on human behavior and emotions.
In 2017, the scientific journal Clinical Psychological Science described how human behavior changesafter drinking vodka with lemonade. The group of subjects were allowed to drink until their blood alcohol level exceeded 0.8 ppm – at this level in the US and England it is no longer allowed to get behind the wheel of a car. In Russia, the permissible blood alcohol level is 0.3 ppm.
It has been scientifically proven that alcohol makes a person more extroverted. Image: gourmetshop.ru
The second group of volunteers talked to their tipsy colleagues. Their task was to identify the changed traits of their interlocutors. They unanimously noted that drunk people became more open, they began to show increased extroversion. Based on this, the above-mentioned Aaron White suggested that alcohol's ability to bring people out of their “shell” may help them speak out what's on their minds.
Read also: Wratislavia Spirytus: the most lethal alcohol in the world with a strength of 96%
How alcohol affects the brain
Michael Sayette, who works as a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, reminded that alcohol also makes a person more emotional.In a relaxed and easy-going environment, drunk people smile and joke a lot. But in a tense environment, a person under the influence of alcohol can shed tears or start expressing aggression.
Under the influence of alcohol, people tend to follow their impulses. This is due to the fact that alcoholic drinks suppress the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which regulates behavior. Because of this, drunk people commit many rash actions – this is how they can lose in a game of chance or even commit a crime.
Alcohol can easily reveal all the bad traits of a person. Image: alkospas.ru
Alcohol also suppresses the amygdala of the brain. Because of this, it switches off the feelings of fear and anxiety.
Consequently, under the influence of alcohol, a person often acts on emotions and takes more risks. In this state, each of us can say too much. But we will not necessarily tell the truth, so considering alcohol as a truth serum is wrong.
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In general, drinking alcohol is harmful, but not everyone listens to warnings. Alcoholic drinks are addictive, bad for your cardiovascular system, and they also destroy your liver. But there is good news: statistics show that today's youth drink less than representatives of previous generations.