Those familiar with the animated television show The Simpsons might recall an episode where Bart finds a pair of goggles with a tag attached, reading “Beer goggles. See the world through the eyes of a drunk.” He slips them on and then glances over at his slightly overweight, frumpy, chain-smoking aunt, and she suddenly morphs into a bombshell with ample cleavage and great hair. It’s good for a laugh, but beer goggles are a real phenomenon – only as an altered mental state and not a physical object. If you’ve had few drinks and someone starts looking considerably more attractive to you than they did an hour before, you’re looking at them through beer goggles.
How is it possible that drinking could change the way you judge another person’s attractiveness? One theory is very simple: after we’ve had a certain amount to drink, our visual acuity starts to suffer. If a person’s face has turned into a vague blob, any features that we may have perceived as unappealing are unnoticeable. We’re hard-wired to find symmetrical faces attractive, but it’s hard to tell one way or another when everything is a blur. A study conducted with both sober and intoxicated individuals found that people who had been drinking were less likely to be able to identify asymmetrical shapes.
Another answer is that alcohol impairs your judgment. You might be aware in an abstract way that you’re making a mistake or doing something unwise, but your inhibitions are lowered to the point where you just don’t care. For example, ordinarily you might be out at a bar and see a person you find attractive, and you do an almost subconscious risk-benefit analysis. It might go something like: “Wow, that person is really attractive. Maybe if I go chat with them a bit, they’ll end up coming home with me. Wait, do I have condoms at home? I have no idea who this person is; they might have a disease. I should see if anyone has protection, otherwise, this isn’t going to happen tonight.” And then, whatever happens, happens, but you’ve made sure that you and your partner are both safe.
When you’re drunk, however, the more reptilian part of your brain takes over, and you aren’t likely to get much past, “You’re hot; let’s get out of here.” This is a great way to end up with HIV, another sexually transmitted disease, or an unplanned pregnancy.
In addition to poor reasoning and decision making, alcohol can increase your arousal and kickstart your brain’s reward system. Endorphins and dopamine are released, and your brain tells you to seek out enjoyable activities, including sex. So even if you are still seeing clearly enough to recognize attractiveness, you might – to put it crudely – be willing to lower your standards.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
