Liquid Courage - Does It Help?

April 28, 2023

Short answer is “Yes”. You are more likely to land your first date after the proposition “Let’s grab a drink”. Why? Maybe it’s because it generally involves a very relaxed environment. Maybe it’s because you are not committed to spending a long period of time so you have an easy out should you feel the date isn’t going well. Either way, when you mix first interactions with alcohol, it is very easy to let your guard down too much and bring out a side of you the other person may not be quite ready to meet yet.

Know your limit.

Often, our younger days are spent challenging ourselves by consuming copious amounts of alcohol to test our limits. As adults, we know exactly what our limits are. Having a drink is usually harmless but if you find yourself at the bar for the 4th time during your date, you’d hope that the other person is enjoying your company. It is easy to misread others when you are feeling a little more than tipsy.

Is this the real you?

The belief that alcohol helps a person be sincere and show “their true self” is only partially true. Drinking makes people more relaxed, and bold. It gives you a false sense of confidence that gives you the courage to do things that you wouldn’t dare to do while sober. It is ok to feel relaxed so that you can open up to the other person.

Are you enjoying each other’s company?

Alcohol makes it difficult to adequately perceive not only the red flags but also your true feelings. After a few glasses of wine, almost any person seems a little nicer than they are. It is extremely easy to please someone who is tipsy, the jokes seem funnier, the food tastes better, and the person in front of you looks prettier. Unfortunately, this effect evaporates with alcohol. So, before drinking together, it would be nice to make sure that this person is pleasant to be with, even without the addition of alcohol.