How can you tell if someone's actually drunk or faking it?

[Rabid Mammal Wax]

Today my best friend, a total amature, had barely anything to drink and was stumbling all over the place and laughing. Now he claims he's a light weight, and compared to me, he is--in both departments (hell, you don't see him posting on internet forums). Anyway, I was pretty sure he was faking it and I started smacking the crap out of him.

Was there an alternative course of action I should have taken?

 

[senorwoohoo]

I think you handled it nicely. Being a lightweight myself, I enjoy being told to do random tasks that usually end up in pain, but laughter as well.

 

[GuilewasNK]

[quote name='Rabid Mammal Wax']Today my best friend, a total amature, had barely anything to drink and was stumbling all over the place and laughing. Now he claims he's a light weight, and compared to me, he is--in both departments (hell, you don't see him posting on internet forums). Anyway, I was pretty sure he was faking it and I started smacking the crap out of him.

Was there an alternative course of action I should have taken?[/QUOTE]

I would think there is always an alternative to beating the shit out of your best friend. :lol:

You never really know how alcohol will affect people.

 

[kill3r7]

As the saying goes a "drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts". That should give you a hint.

 

[alonzomourning23]

He probably assumed he would react that way. There is a connection between how you view alcohol and how you act when you are intoxicated (ie. those who expect to be extremely happy and nice are more likely to react that way than to start punching people).

There was also an experiment done (I assume more than one, but I remember the one) where they gave a bunch of kids punch and told them it was spiked. They all became "drunk" on alcohol free punch.

edit: This may be what I was thinking of:

Participants were then randomly assigned to one of four conditions (see Table at right): 1) expected and received alcohol (upper left cell); 2) expected alcohol, but received no alcohol, only tonic water (upper right cell); 3) expected no alcohol, only tonic water, but received alcohol (lower left cell); and 4) expected and received no alcohol, only tonic water (lower right cell). Participants drank in a laboratory at University of Washington that was designed to look like a barroom. Before they began consuming their beverage and at different times while drinking they completed a questionnaire to assess how they were feeling.

Results:

1.​

As you might expect, participants who expected to receive alcohol, and then actually received alcohol, felt what they expected to feel a result of drinking.​

2.​

But interestingly, participants who expected alcohol, but actually received no alcohol, also felt things they expected to feel as a result of drinking. The drinking setting itself was enough to make participants believe they had consumed alcohol. The belief that they had consumed alcohol was enough for both men and women to feel less inhibited.​

3.​

Participants who did not expect to receive alcohol, but actually did receive alcohol, felt none of the effects of the alcohol. In other words, the belief that they would not receive alcohol was enough to offset the pharmacological effects of alcohol.​

4.​

People’s expectancies concerning the effects of alcohol contributed strongly to the “buzz” the participants felt, even when they expected alcohol but received only tonic water. The buzz people felt was a result of: a) what they expected to happen, and b) the setting in which they were drinking. ​

http://www.alcohol.vt.edu/Students/alcoholEffects/intoxFactors.htm

 

[2poor]

i can never really tell when a person is drunk because i always think theyre faking it.

 

[vietgurl]

I always try to fake not being drunk when I am drunk but I'm probably the only person who does that.

 

[pdat2003]

How can you tell if someone's actually drunk or faking it?

Puke

 

[Mookyjooky]

When he shits in his hands and eats it.

 

[BIG5]

Try to have sex with them. If you fail, buy them another drink.

 

[Mookyjooky]

[quote name='BIG5']Try to have sex with them. If you fail, buy them another drink.[/QUOTE]

Liquid "yes" is always my best choice... then I sprikle the sleepy dust in their drink if they get crabby.

 

[mr ryles]

Just yell out "The cops are here!!!!" Right next to your friend. If he takes of running and doesn't stumble at all then he is obviously faking it. This may not always work As I was at a party and was wasted, then my "friend" comes up stairs with another guy and threatens to kick my ass if I don't leave. SoI got up and said fine. And on my way out I was going down the stairs hella fast, and did it flawlessly for being drunk.