In vino veritas … does alcohol loosen the tongue to reveal hidden truths?

After witnessing some unsavoury drunken behaviour recently, I paused to reflect whether alcohol loosens the tongue to reveal hidden truths, or does the chemical interference simply cause someone to talk a lot without thinking carefully about what they’re saying & say things they would later regret??

In vino veritas is a Latin expression which translates to “there is truth in wine”; that under the influence of alcohol, a person tells the truth. Does someone under the influence of alcohol lower their inhibitions and reveal inner truths that they would normally even hint at when sober? Or is it cause and effect - is the very fact of being drunk, of being affected by alcohol, the reason why so-called truths are aired because the alcohol has created a chemical imbalance in someone’s body?

How much does it reveal about the true inner feelings and thoughts? The pain and suffering those drunken revelations cause is the real issue. One short period of intoxication and so-called revelation can reverberate for many months (if not years) through friends and family.

In my honest opinion, it is admirable when people learn from their mistakes and regulate their alcohol intake. If alcohol has that effect upon you, then manage yourself and the way that you socialise and drink accordingly.

Contemplation sutra

The Contemplation Sutra is one of the three major Buddhist sutras found within the Pure Land branch of Buddhism. It describes thirteen “contemplations,” or mental visualization exercises, that are to be followed in order. By deeply contemplating various aspects of the Pure Land and attempting to visualize them in detail, the aspirant draws closer to the Pure Land. The sutra ends with a short section describing the benefits gained by those who listened to these words of the Buddha.