How Not to Get Drunk

Official and unofficial meetings, banquets, cocktail parties, friendly gatherings, and other events often involve the consumption of various alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol has become an almost inevitable part of modern life. In some cases, getting someone to a certain state of inebriation can help achieve specific goals: reducing their level of fear, obtaining necessary information, or lowering their social inhibitions. Alcohol can decrease critical thinking, temporarily bring out hidden abilities, and help with tasks like building trust, gathering information, and revealing a partner’s true intentions and capabilities.

We all know examples of people who become overly talkative after drinking, eager to impress or show off. Their persistent attempts to convince others of their point of view or emphasize their own importance often involve sharing all the information they have, whether or not it’s appropriate.

Of course, during such events, it’s important for an agent (or anyone who needs to stay sharp) to remain “in shape.” So, what should you do to stay alert and adequately assess the situation, no matter how much you drink?

Tricks like swapping your glass for one filled with mineral water instead of vodka don’t always work and carry the risk of being “caught in the act,” which can destroy trust. Maintaining a genuine connection is crucial.

Preparation and Environment

First, choose the right time, place, and company for the event. All your efforts to establish a subtle psychological connection with your conversation partner can be ruined by a rowdy group causing a commotion near your table.

If you want to strengthen your respectable image in the eyes of your guest, you can arrange with the bartender at a high-end bar in advance and pay for the evening’s drinks ahead of time. This way, you can sit with your guest as long as you like without paying for drinks in their presence. If the bartender comes over and says, “Mr. Petroff! Would you like to treat your guest to my signature cocktail?” the effect will be even more impressive. Do the same with other staff, including the doorman and coat check attendant.

Preparing Your Body for Alcohol

The next step is to prepare your body for alcohol. What should you do if you can’t avoid drinking? How can you drink without getting drunk?

The first principle is to drink a small amount of alcohol (about 100–150 ml) and have a good meal four to five hours before the event. The main idea is to let your body feel the effects of alcohol and wait until they wear off. After this, you can drink more at the event—your body will be better equipped to handle the alcohol. There are various “vaccination” methods. For example, right before drinking, you can take about 20 ml of Eleutherococcus tincture, or have strong tea with mint or coffee. After drinking alcohol, repeat the “vaccination.” Mild intoxication will pass quickly.

The second group of methods slows down the absorption of alcohol through the stomach lining. For example, taking 4–5 tablets of activated charcoal an hour before drinking can help. Similarly, you can take a tablet of Festal and aspirin about 40 minutes before the party. Normally, alcohol is absorbed in 8–10 minutes, but if you eat fat or oil beforehand (like a sandwich with butter and caviar, a piece of lard, sturgeon, or pork), it coats the stomach lining and delays intoxication by about 45 minutes. Keep in mind, this method doesn’t neutralize intoxication—it only delays its onset.

Rules for Drinking Alcohol

If you can’t avoid drinking, it’s important to know a few key principles:

1. Choose your drinks wisely. Try to minimize the amount of fusel oils you consume, as these are responsible for reducing rational control. Plan your list of drinks in advance.
2. Don’t mix different types of alcohol, even the finest ones. Champagne plus vodka can be as destructive as a “Molotov cocktail.” Observe and analyze your own reactions to alcohol. Which doses and combinations send you over the edge? Mixing different drinks causes stronger intoxication than large amounts of a single drink.
3. If you must mix drinks (for example, if you plan to get your guest drunk by taking them from a beer hall to a restaurant), follow the simple “ladder rule”: the strength of the drinks should increase. You can chase beer with vodka, but not the other way around.
4. About snacks and hot dishes. Good, high-quality snacks, especially meat dishes, significantly reduce the risk of getting drunk. Eating lemon, certain types of fish, and parsley can help reduce the inevitable smell of alcohol. However, be cautious with exotic snacks—they can lead to unexpected gastronomic surprises.