The Big Bang Theory Explanation of: Why do drunk drivers get drunk in the first place?

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  EDITORS NOTE: This article is part of a series titled "Air Force Liquid Television," which features stories about the various areas of life impacted by alcohol and the act of drinking and driving.

Drunk driving is a problem, but even if you remove the driving factor you still have the problem of a person being drunk. But how did the person get drunk? Why did the person consume alcohol in the first place?

Just as the big bang theory is used by science to explain the origin of the universe, the Behavioral Health Clinic here assists in explaining the problem of drunken driving, which is really impaired judgment from too much alcohol consumption. 

"Most people would probably try to explain the reasons why a person gets drunk by first asking 'what were you thinking,'" said Capt. Thomas Efird, a licensed clinical social worker and clinical addictions specialist with the 319th Medical Operations Squadron who works at the base's Behavioral Health Clinic. "There are many theories and personal opinions, but the basic answer is people drink because they like the way alcohol makes them feel and after so many drinks their judgment becomes impaired."

Efird said that although the previous question and response may be simple, it is still a complex issue. 

"The use and misuse of alcohol is viewed through the prism of the individual," he said. "There are social, biological, cultural and societal factors that come into play when we discuss alcohol use.  In order to explain why a person gets drunk we must ask ourselves the question why people drink in alcohol in the first place hence, they like the way it makes them feel."

A behavioral health field expert of 12 years, Efird added the answer comes from how the brain and the body are programmed. 

"One of the ways the human brain has been programmed is to pursue pleasure," he said. "Over time our brains have become hardwired for pleasure, so we pursue things that make us feel good, such as eating comfort foods, having sex, sleeping, spending money, gambling, drinking and so on. Going out with friends having a few beers makes a person feel good. It's a social thing to do. What can happen is that alcohol impairs otherwise rational people into making bad decisions."

Alcohol targets the part of the brain that helps people make decisions. It lowers your ability to make responsible choices.  Not only is the person's ability to make good decisions impaired, but the level of intoxication impacts physical reactions as well. The brain's ability to direct balance, coordination, speed, vision, speech and memory significantly diminish the more they drink. 

"Basically, the more you drink the less control you have over your body physically and mentally, said Efird. "Getting a DUI is a sign of a larger issue. It's really about binge drinking."

Efird elaborated with the following analogy.

"Think of the brain as a computer," he said. "If you are introducing a virus into a computer, the virus will impact how the computer operates. It slows or stops processing, corrupts programs and impacts files [memory].  Your computer system is now compromised. Adding alcohol to the brain produces a similar result."

Efird further explained that consuming alcohol is not the problem itself, but the amount of alcohol consumed can be.

"Alcohol affects everyone very differently depending on if it's beer, wine or hard liquor," he said.

While these spirits have different proofs, a person can get just as drunk on beer as they can on wine or liquor.

"As a very general example, when a person buys a mixed drink, there is a trained bartender who is measuring the alcohol, whereas at home, it may be measured by the 'eyeball technique'-that's when a person uses only his eyesight to estimates how much may be the correct amount of alcohol without the use of cocktail jigger or dual measuring cup," explained Efird.

Efird used the Red Solo Cup for example. 

"Someone pours 4 ounces of liquor up to the second red line on the cup.  That is 6 shots of liquor [1.5 oz=1 shot].  How it is mixed, is irrelevant," stated the captain.  "Regardless of drinking at home or at a club, how much a person drinks will directly impact their judgment.  That said; most people are able to drink and remain safe because they don't reach that level of intoxication.  The problem we've experienced is that plans will frequently fall apart due to the amount of alcohol consumed."

Additionally, alcohol misuse can be brought about by various stressors such as financial, work or relationship problems.

"The need to seek relief from emotional pain can be a reason a person to drinks too much.  I say can, because sometimes the intention is to get drunk and try and forget." said Efird.  "The trouble with this logic is that the next day you wake up with the same problem, but now you have a hangover!  So nothing is resolved."

Efird said the examples of a person getting drunk, whether it takes place on what are perceived originally to be a positive or negative experience, become irrelevant once a person is drunk. 

"The reason I say that is because judgment becomes impaired the more a person consumes alcohol and that's the bottom line," he said. "This is a simple thing to think: you can't drive drunk if you're not drunk. For some people the way they avoid drunk driving is by not drinking any alcohol, for others it may be counting on trustworthy and dependable wingmen, for some it may be committing themselves to a plan that may limit them to just having three drinks or less and waiting for effects to subside, but how do you what is right for you?  Alcohol affects people in different ways and some have more tolerance than others."

Efird emphasized that every person whether as an observer or drinker must learn about detecting signs that may put you at risk for alcohol misuse. 

"This is an issue of personal responsibility," he said. "If you are choosing to drink, that is your choice as an adult [over the age of 21].  Understand that should you drink too much, you are choosing to impair how you make decisions.  So, this really starts long before the first drink."

The Air Force promotes the Wingman concept, which encourages Airmen to intervene before something becomes an alcohol-related incident or worse.

"Intervention and prevention are the best things to do," said Efird.  "You run the risk of making your friends angry, but it is far better for them to be alive and angry than injured or worse.  This is a fundamental keystone of integrity - doing the right thing, in the face of societal or cultural pressure.  It's easier to stand up to a bully than to stand up to your friends or others who are intoxicated.  It's not popular, but life is not a popularity contest." 

Efird provided tips on some the ways a person can detect or gauge whether or not they may be susceptible, by asking some questions such as the following:

1. How many alcoholic beverages did I consume?
Last Night______This week______  This month_________
2. Do I need to cut down on my drinking?
3. Do I get into arguments with my friends or family because of my drinking?
4. Do I ever feel guilty about something I have done while drinking
5. Do I ever need an "eye-opener'' to get over a hangover?
6. Is substance abuse or alcoholism present in my personal or family history?

"The consumption of alcoholic beverages like any another substance may present a danger to us and others if our behavior is not the appropriate one," said the Efird. "There is nothing wrong with having a drink or two with dinner or friends.  The problem is that if you are consuming mass quantities of alcohol, your judgment will become impaired.  It's not a question of 'if' but 'how quickly.'" 

The Air Force provides its Airmen with more than enough resources and tools to ensure they choose to demonstrate the right behavior, and the Behavioral Health Clinic like the one here on Grand Forks Air Force Base is one of those resources. They can help people explore and explain the origin of their problem. They can help an Airman discover the Big Bang Theory to their drinking.