To think you can use a bit of alcohol to boost your presentation

[oganesson]

I know how the stupid the OP sounds and I would have thought that as well. I'm in college and there is this guy who is smart when it comes to giving all the answers and getting good grades. He told me when we went out for a few drinks last week that before he does any presentation, he consumes half a bottle of beer and it relaxes him but not enough to affect his judgment, coordination or memory.

I would have always thought that alcohol is a non-functional drug but remembered that my cousin who is a GP, prescribes benzos to patients in secondary school before major exams to reduce their anxiety. I suppose "the dose determines the poison".

Hmm. I can sort of understand how this might work but I think you’d be in so much trouble if found out (smell??) that it wouldn’t be worth the risk. I also think there would be a risk of getting it wrong and saying something slightly inappropriate. Or there would be for me at least!

I think if you convinced yourself that half a glass of mineral water or a few drops of rescue remedy would calm your nerves, it could well work.

Honestly, for an adult male the amount of alcohol in half of a beer is almost certainly negligible for relaxation purposes. I suspect it's basically a placebo at this point.

I'd stick with nonalcoholic placebos if only to avoid any awkwardness if you misjudge the dose or someone smells it on your breath.

I think this is probably more common than anyone would think. I suffered really badly with anxiety a few years ago, I’d never had it before but it was absolutely crippling if I had to speak infront of a group. I was so desperate for people not to notice me having a panic attack that I was taking beta blockers (from GP) alongside herbal anxiety medication that isn’t supposed to be taken with anything else. I didn’t ever drink in those situations but did fully rely on having a drink when out anywhere. It did cross my mind to have a drink before someone would come round to the house, even if it was in the middle of the day, just to stop the panic attacks. People get so desperate if they are really anxious so it wouldn’t surprise me if people did this

DS had a tremor. The consultant suggested giving him a sip of alcohol to see if it resolved it, as that would mean beta blockers would help. He was about 14.

We didn't bother as he was managing it himself.

I'd think 'taking the edge off' was perfectly possible, but susceptible to escalation and abuse.

I had a white wine spritzer before an interview once and I really think it helped (I felt more relaxed and I got the job)
Bit dodgy though.

Yes it could work if you timed it right. Only in an online interview, though, otherwise you’d risk them smelling it on you.

I microdosed mushrooms for a recent interview. I took slightly too much and could feel the effects slightly, and worried afterwards that it had made me too waffly and happy-clappy / carey-sharey.

I got the job, though.

Ove never done it in a work situation but I do feel I'm snappier with a response, after one drink, in social situations.

In so much trouble....at college? I mean, it might not be ideal but I can't imagine anyone would care so long as there was no obvious effect.

This. I couldn’t do a presentation or interview having had alcohol but in fact if I had only had one drink probably no-one would know. But if I was having a drink to relax I would worry about it becoming a habit in any stressful situation.

It doesn't work for me, makes me really sleepy and dopey if I drink alcohol during the day. I tried once during Covid for a meeting I had online that I was nervous about (had a shot of whiskey) and I was so hyper aware that I had done that and anxious that it was really obvious that I had done that that I was worse than if I had just gone in as normal. So probably all down to the person and how alcohol affects them.

I did used to joke that my best performing afternoons at work were after having a drink at lunchtime.

Alcohol causes disinhibition, so sure, it could work. BUT the risk of abuse and/or dependence is massive and it would be better to find a healthy coping mechanism to deal with nerves and to improve presentation skills.

I wouldn't do it either because of the what ifs, but I do believe that you can use little rituals to calm yourself.
I have one, but whenever I tell someone they tell me I'm wrong and blah, blah, blah, their way is the right way.

I have done it before zoom job interviews in the pandemic. A half glass of wine with no fear of a smell. I felt it really helped me but it did feel so so wrong. Not something I'd like to admit to any of my friends.

I don't think half a bottle of beer is particularly risky, but a small scotch could well be. Best to stick to something like sucking on a wine gum or something.

PG Wodehouse covered the perils of this rather well in Right Ho, Jeeves.

Knew someone who made sure he needed a wee whenever he had a big presentation to make. He believed it gave his speech a sort of urgency and forcefulness.

Another one I wouldn't risk. Could be embarrassing

There's something in this I think...! Years ago I used to play Call of Duty with my younger brother. I was terrible. I'm not a gamer, and have a terrible spatial memory so could never remember the maps.

However, if I had 1 or 2 bottles of beer while playing, I absolutely kicked his ass. Then I'd have the third beer and it'd all go to shit again

My first job was cold calling in a call centre. Once I gulped a miniature of vodka in the toilets before starting hoping it would help my nerves and somehow give me the gift of the gab. It did not.

I don’t really see any problem with this but I would be afraid it would backfire for me personally as I start to slur my worlds after like 3 sips of wine. I also have a pretty wacky sense of humour which is good to be inhibited by sobriety in professional settings 🤣 But I take beta blockers for presentations and interviews and they work perfectly without any impairment.

The Danish film “Another Round” explores the concept of being functionally intoxicated. It centres on a theory by psychiatrist Finn Skarderud that humans are born with a blood alcohol content (BAC) deficiency of 0.05%, and that being at 0.05% makes one more creative and relaxed. A group of teachers decide to do an experiment where they are basically a bit tipsy all the time. It originally “works” and they find themselves more motivated /better teachers. But then they start needing more etc etc and I won’t say any more in case anyone wants to watch it.

I used to joke that work would be so much better if we could just be a tiny bit tipsy. I am now a serious problem drinker attempting to stay on the sober path for the umpteenth time. I wouldn’t recommend using alcohol as any form of help/safety net.

I've always gone for a quick pint before an interview if there's a pub near by (and it's not first thing in the morning!). No, it's probably not the healthiest coping mechanism in the world, bits it's my little ritual and I've gotten every job that involved amount before hand.

I seriously hope there are not children in the UK being prescribed benzodiazepines for exam stress. I’ve watched someone try to come off those and it’s horrendous.

This is interesting. I might have to watch it.

At my old work we used to have a beer fridge in Friday afternoon meetings. Most of us would have 1 or 2 bottles of becks or something similar.

One Friday the meeting was moved to late morning. We all had a beer anyway. My god, trying to get back to work afterwards, I was SO TIRED. I honestly could have fallen asleep at my desk! Almost like my brain associated alcohol with winding down for the weekend, and really resisted having to do any actual work for the rest of the day