The Four Stages of Drunkenness

It is rather odd how alcohol affects different people. There are those who can guzzle up huge amounts of booze and still stay sober. There are also those who crumble and stagger with a small intake. Most people settle for tipsy when drinking; they know their limit and stay well within that range.

The fool hardiness of a compulsive drinker however knows no limits. One glass goes down just like the next and the next and the next. 'Capa' (capacity for drinking) cannot be gauged unless one makes a habit of drinking. The entertainment value of a drink goes out the window when a drunk hits the bottle. He or she wants to get drunk and that is that...no limits ...no control and down the hatch it goes. There are some who just drink to drown their sorrows...the kind of people who just relish the blur which goes with downing a substantial amount of alcohol.

The four stages of drunkenness depend mainly on ever increasing amounts of booze consumed. They are as follows Jocose, Bellicose, Lachrymose and eventually Comatose. More booze means a deeper immersion into a hazy state which constitutes a drunken stage.

In the first stage of drunkenness: jocosity, the drinker is humorous in a facetious kind of way. Given to joke telling antics, finger jabbing, slurry speeching they crackle with smutty anecdotes which gets them noticed. "Remember the one about the dog who raped the camel..." they begin and you will be surprised to hear how that story ends.

For those with capa, this is the highest state attained. But for those without, a glass or two more for the road and they quickly slip into the next stage .