[grzm]

> Maybe people should learn how to bond without a psychoactive crutch.

I understand what you're saying. At the same time, where do you personally draw the line for what is psychoactive and what isn't? I generally don't think of alcohol as psychoactive in the same sense as LSD or psilocybin. Mood altering might be a better term, but at the same time, I know I'm often more irritable if I'm hungry. Your parent isn't arguing that people need alcohol to feel a connection, only that it might have some benefit (and not even that it is only beneficial: they acknowledge it has downsides).

What we eat, drink, what medications we're taking, how much we exercise--a whole host of factors play into how we experience and react. Do you feel the same way if I know I should generally eat something before going out? Honest question. I'm not sure where I draw the line, though I admit to wanting to.

[Schizotypy]

Alcohol is absolutely as psychoactive as lsd. Maybe not as potent dose wise, but it absolutely does have a massive effect on cognition, perception, and mood. Most people do not realize how massive this effect is because they are usually under the influence. It only becomes apparent when you are observing another who has consumed the substance. If it lends any weight to my statement, I study behavioral neuropharmacology.

Lsd and ethyl alcohol only have different effects, it's the dose that determines how extreme the change is.