What Types of Drunks Are There?

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Take a deep dive into the different archetypes of drunkenness
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Some people feel especially happy or nostalgic when they drink, while others feel grumpy or sad. Just how many drunk personality types are there, though, and how do you know which one you fall under? We’ll cover a common paradigm that highlights 7 different drunk personalities, as well as a research-based paradigm that lists 4 distinct drunk personalities. We’ll even cover how alcohol affects both your brain and your body, so you can stay safe the next time you drink.

Things You Should Know

  • One common paradigm lists drunk individuals in 7 categories: affectionate, angry, happy, irresponsible, sad, sloppy, and wistful.
  • Another well-known paradigm cites 4 drunk personalities: Hemingway, Mary Poppins, Mr. Hyde, and The Nutty Professor.
  • Alcohol affects your brain in a variety of ways, like lowering your inhibitions, which is why there are so many types of drunk personalities.
Section 1 of 4:

7 Stereotypical Drunk Personalities

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  1. Alcohol affects your brain’s cerebral cortex, which lowers the sense of restraint and inhibition you’d have when sober. [1] With this in mind, you might find yourself getting more touchy-feely and affectionate with the people around you when you’re drunk, even if it’s not something you would typically do.
    • An affectionate drunk might confess their feelings to their crush, or give their friends hugs when they aren’t typically a huggy person.
  2. Alcohol has a variety of impacts on your brain and how you observe and interact with the world around you. For one, alcohol makes it more difficult to analyze all the different social cues of a situation. It also makes it easy to misunderstand someone else’s behavior and even lowers the inhibitions you’d normally have in place. [2] Because of this, some people tend to be labeled as “angry” or “aggressive” drunks.
    • An angry drunk might initiate a yelling match after someone bumps into them, or may even resort to physical violence.
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  3. Alcohol is a funny substance—while it’s technically a depressant, it can boost a person’s feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine . [3] Because of this, some people tend to be really free-spirited and cheerful when they start drinking.
    • A happy drunk might be super giggly, as well as cheerful and friendly with everyone they meet.
  4. Alcohol affects your ability to make sound judgments, which can lead to some pretty questionable and reckless decisions. [4] Irresponsible drunks might consistently use drinking as an opportunity to make poor decisions.
    • An irresponsible drunk might try to get a tattoo or piercing or make a financially ill-advised decision with their credit card.
  5. Alcohol throws your brain chemistry off-balance. In fact, research shows that frequently drinking a lot can be connected with depression. [5] Sad drunks might use alcohol as a way to cope with their current state of mind, and/or they may tend to feel blue whenever they drink.
    • A sad drunk might keep to themselves while drinking, or may even start crying.
  6. Since alcohol directly impacts the brain, your sense of balance and coordination are often thrown off if you’ve had a lot to drink. This can lead to “sloppy” behavior, like tripping, having trouble with simple tasks, and spilling drinks. [6]
    • A sloppy drunk might have a hard time sitting up on their own, or they may stagger on their way to bathroom.
  7. Alcohol can have all sorts of impacts on your emotional state—it all depends on the person. Some people, for instance, may feel especially nostalgic and wistful after having a drink. In fact, men reported in one poll that whiskey specifically inspired nostalgic feelings in them. [7]
    • A nostalgic drunk might spend most of their time focusing on “the good old days” or fun, carefree memories from the past.
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Section 2 of 4:

4 Science-Backed Drunk Personalities

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  1. In the psychological community, the 5-Factor Model of Personality is a well-known theory used to measure a person’s personality using 5 core traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. [8] Researchers used this theory to identify 4 different types of “drunk” personalities: Hemingway, Mary Poppins, Mr. Hyde, and The Nutty Professor. [9]
    • Agreeableness refers to the way a person interacts with others.
    • Conscientiousness relates more to a person’s sense of impulse control. [10]
    • Extraversion is all about how much social interaction a person needs. [11]
    • Note: For the sake of the study, researchers measured “Emotional Stability” in lieu of Neuroticism and “Intellect” instead of Openness. [12]
  2. The “Hemingway” type of drunk behaves similarly to how they are when sober. Over 40% of the studied college students fell into this category, showing lower levels of Conscientiousness and Intellect thanks to their intoxication. [13]
    • This personality type is named for famed American author Ernest Hemingway, the author of well-known novels like The Old Man and the Sea and For Whom the Bell Tolls . [14]
  3. “Mary Poppins” types of drunks are pleasant to be around when they’re both drunk and sober, though only about 15% of college students fell into this category. Mary Poppins-type individuals are high in Agreeableness when they’re sober, but have below-average levels of Agreeableness, Intellect, and Conscientiousness while they’re drinking.
    • In the Disney movie Mary Poppins , the titular nanny is known for her bubbly and upbeat attitude as she cares for two young children.
  4. Named for the fictional Dr. Jekyll who had an evil alter ego known as “Mr. Hyde,” “Mr. Hyde” drunks experience a strong personality shift after they start drinking. Mr. Hyde's typically experience big drops in their Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Intellect levels while they were intoxicated. Just a little over 20% of the studied students had a Mr. Hyde-type drunk personality. [15]
    • The name “Mr. Hyde” comes from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde . Dr. Jekyll is a good-natured doctor who ends up giving himself a sinister alter ego after an experiment gone wrong. [16]
  5. These drunks are introverted when they’re sober, only to become much more extraverted and social after a few drinks. People in this category tend to be much more Extraverted drunk than when they’re sober and have lower Conscientiousness levels when drunk. In the study, 20% of the researched students appeared to have The Nutty Professor drunk personality type. [17]
    • This category comes the 1996 Disney film The Nutty Professor , a movie about a shy, overweight professor who slims down temporarily with them help of a special formula. While he’s skinny, he takes on the persona of a rude and outgoing individual known as “Buddy Love.” [18]
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Section 3 of 4:

What does alcohol do to your brain?

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  1. The medical community classifies alcohol as a neurotoxin—a major reason for this is that it gets in the way of your brain’s communications. Because of this, drunk individuals are often unbalanced and uncoordinated, and have trouble being steady on their feet. [19]
    • Biologically speaking, alcohol only takes about 5 minutes to get to your brain after you first start drinking. You may notice its effects in as little as 10 minutes. [20]
    • This disconnect in the brain is why it’s so dangerous for drunk people to drive. [21]
  2. When someone drinks an excessive amount of alcohol, it can hinder the brain’s ability to move short-term memories to the hippocampus (the storage area for long-term memories). Because of this, some drunk individuals “blackout,” or don’t remember what happened when they were intoxicated. [22]
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Section 4 of 4:

Signs That You've Had Too Much to Drink

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  1. Drinking a lot of alcohol can impact your ability to communicate properly—you might find yourself losing focus while speaking, or end up rambling on about something confusing. If you’re unable to hold a regular conversation, it’s likely time to cut yourself off. [23] The next time you purchase or order alcohol, start off with 1 serving of alcohol and see how you feel. Here’s a handy guide to reference when you’re shopping or speaking with a bartender:
    • Beer (5%): 12  fl oz (0.35 L)
    • Malt liquor (7%): 8 to 10  fl oz (0.24 to 0.30 L)
    • Wine (12%): 5  fl oz (0.15 L)
    • Fortified wine (17%): 3 to 4  fl oz (0.089 to 0.118 L)
    • Liqueur or cordial (24%): 2 to 3  fl oz (0.059 to 0.089 L)
    • Hard liquor (40%): 1.5  fl oz (44 mL)
  2. When you’re really drunk, you might find yourself stumbling into the objects around you (like furniture) or having difficulty walking in a straight line. Signs of intoxication also include swaying in place, feeling unbalanced on your feet, and falling to the ground. If you’re having trouble moving properly or staying coordinated, it’s probably time to pause your drinking. [24]
    • When you’re really drunk, you might also have trouble completing simple tasks like getting money out of your wallet or opening a door.
  3. Maybe you’re a little more aggressive or argumentative than you usually are, or you’re especially grumpy, loud, or disorderly. Behaving poorly is a key sign that you’ve had too much to drink, and that it’s time to cool off. [25]
    • Drowsiness, a lack of focus, confusion, rudeness, and extra friendliness are all possible behavioral cues that you could be drunk.
  4. You’re showing signs of alcohol poisoning . This occurs when you drink too much alcohol in a short period of time. If you’re experiencing alcohol poisoning, you may feel confused and may have difficulty staying awake. You might also experience physical symptoms like vomiting, seizing, breathing extremely slowly (less than 8 times in a minute), pale or blue-tinted skin, and hypothermia. Call emergency services if you suspect that you (or someone you’re with) has alcohol poisoning. [26]
    • Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening, so it’s important to get medical assistance right away.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I help someone overcome their alcohol addiction?
    Seth Hall
    Life Coach
    Seth T. Hall (ICF ACC, CLC, and MNLP) is a Certified Life Coach and Founder of Transformational Solutions, a Los Angeles-based life-coaching company that helps people achieve their toughest goals, find their own voice, and think outside the box. He has been a life coach for over 10 years, specializing in personal development, relationships, career and finance, and wellness. He has helped his clients break the negative cycles in their lives and replace them with a positive, proactive mindset. Seth believes that everyone has the potential to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, and works passionately to help them reach their full potential. With a deep understanding of how our minds work and the power of positive thinking, he encourages his clients to find their unique paths in life and find success on their own terms. He is a certified master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a featured co-author for WikiHow, and co-author of "The Mountain Method”, “The Happy Tiger”, and “The V.I.S.I.O.N.S. Program”.
    Seth Hall
    Life Coach
    Expert Answer
    Always try to understand them and also avoid showing your anger to them. Anger can push them away, try to see them as a sick person who needs your love and support. You should also set boundaries to protect yourself and show them that their behavior has certain consequences. Also, remember to take care of yourself as well, because you can't help them if you're not healthy. Lastly, consider attending Al-Anon meetings or other support groups with your loved ones to support them on their journey to overcoming their alcohol addiction.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://drinkwise.org.au/under-18s/how-alcohol-affects-your-brain/
      2. ↑ https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-and-aggression
      3. ↑ https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-and-your-mood
      4. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-misuse/risks/
      5. ↑ https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-and-depression#howalcoholcanaffectyourmood
      6. ↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitality-tourism-sport/liquor-gaming/liquor/training/rsa/refresher/unduly-intoxicated/signs
      7. ↑ https://alcohol.org/guides/alcohol-fueled-emotions/
      8. ↑ https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html
      9. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
      1. ↑ https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html
      2. ↑ https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html
      3. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
      4. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
      5. ↑ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1954/hemingway/biographical/
      6. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
      7. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zg2trdm/revision/1
      8. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
      9. ↑ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-nutty-professor
      10. ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-drinking-alcohol-kill-brain-cells
      11. ↑ https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/alcohol-and-the-brain
      12. ↑ https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over
      13. ↑ https://alcohol.org/health-effects/memory-loss/
      14. ↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitality-tourism-sport/liquor-gaming/liquor/training/rsa/refresher/unduly-intoxicated/signs
      15. ↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitality-tourism-sport/liquor-gaming/liquor/training/rsa/refresher/unduly-intoxicated/signs
      16. ↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitality-tourism-sport/liquor-gaming/liquor/training/rsa/refresher/unduly-intoxicated/signs
      17. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20354386
      18. ↑ https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help#pub-toc1

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