As the cold beer ran down my throat, the sharpness of my self-conscious thoughts started to lose its edge. The conversation started to flow, and the laughter became easier.

The first time I discovered the social lubricant magic of alcohol was at a high school party. The music was loud, and I was anxious. A friend handed me a beer, told me it would help me loosen up. And it did. From then on, I learned to turn to alcohol for a little confidence boost every time the discomfort of social anxiety rises.

I am far from the first one who discovered alcohol’s “confidence boost” effect. The fermented juice has long been thought of as a social lubricant for a reason. Acting as a central nervous system depressant, alcohol........

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