Why do some people do risky things when they drink?
       As discussed in previous sections, college students sometimes engage in risky, often uncharacteristic behavior when they drink.  Why?  Not surprisingly, there are no simple answers.  In any given circumstance, our behavior is determined by a long list of factors, including past experience, current social influences, expectations about the results of our decisions, and more.  When substance use is involved, we must also take into consideration the impact of the drug on brain function.  The effects of alcohol on brain function certainly help explain why intoxicated individuals often make poor decisions.
       As discussed in another section of this site (see Blackouts), alcohol disrupts the functioning of the frontal lobes, which are critically involved in higher cognitive functions such as planning, decision-making, impulse control, and more. These are the processes that allow us to identify outcomes that are favorable and then plot a course toward those outcomes, keeping our impulses to engage in activities that would thwart those plans at bay.  For instance, if one decided to lose 10 pounds, they would first have to determine what behaviors are consistent/inconsistent with the desired outcome and then stay on track until the outcome is realized.  During this process, the individual would have to control their impulses to engage in behaviors that would interfere with achieving the goal, like eating lots of junk food or skipping workouts. 
       Alcohol disrupts the ability to identify appropriate goals and then plot a course to achieve those goals.  It also increases the odds that an individual will act on impulses that thwart already established goals.  Colloquially, we refer to the impact of alcohol on these processes as reduced inhibitions.  Next day regrets about one's behavior while intoxicated are common consequences of this effect. Given the impact of alcohol on planning, decision-making, and impulse control, it is perhaps not surprising that the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors is increased when alcohol is involved.
       Below is a video clip that shows an unfortunate example of poor decision-making while intoxicated.  The clip shows a college student preparing to drink a shot lit on fire by a friend.  He tries to blow the flame out before drinking the shot, but inadvertently blows the flaming alcohol all over his hand, which momentarily catches on fire.  His friends all laugh, one so hard that he falls on the ground.  The clip was found through a basic websearch.