There is no scientific consensus as to why people get hang overs. There are a number of ideas and hypotheses as to which factors contribute to this condition. A hangover is the result of a large intake of ethanol or more commonly alcohol. The resulting condition is a physical manifestation of the body’s processes trying to get rid of the toxic metabolites formed through metabolism. There is another aspect to this and that is the psychological experience that results from processing the events that happened. 

Often times drinking is done in order to celebrate something. Even if that something is the end of the week. Sometimes though it’s just something to do and sometimes that is trouble. One drink turns into two and then into four. The next day me motivation was all gone. 

When alcohol is consumed whatever passes through into the bloodstream causes the intoxication. The rest immediately begins to be broken down first into acetaldehyde and then acetic acid. Acetaldehyde is much more toxic than alcohol. Acetic acid also has an effect on the severity of a hang over. The amount of another groups of chemicals called congeners influence the effects of a hang over. These are chemicals other than alcohol found in the drink itself. These are substances that either flavor the drink itself or are a by product of the fermentation and/or aging processes. 

There was a whole mixture of alcohol contained in my drinks that night and I’m sure that many of them were not of the highest quality which is where high concentrations of these congeners or impurities are found. So my body and mind suffered the effects of this poison deliberately ingested for some “fun” as it were. 

Booze has a tendency to depress inhibition. Actions that wouldn’t normally occur happen when copious amounts of this spirit are ingested. Talking becomes more animated and fun. Things that normally wouldn’t be said are expressed. Actions that wouldn’t normally occur happen. 

That depression gets carried over to the next day when the effects wear off and an analysis of events occurs. If too much booze is ingested a “what happened?” investigation pieces together a timeline. Luckily this wasn’t the case for me and it rarely is. Events do however stand out and regret at having consumed so much and acting the way I did come back to haunt. 

The positive in all of this is that those events showed me how perilous any activity can become. It made me realize what’s important.  I’m no longer a single man out here in the world. The sooner I finish this dilly dallying out here the better. This is something new for me so the old patterns of behavior that developed in order to get me off the market have to be banished. The hunter has become the prey.