13 Things That Can Happen During Drunk Sex

Drunk sex. Ever been there? Would you even consider it? Maybe tipsy-you would say "sure" even though sober-you has doubts. Plenty of people have been there too — sometimes with a stranger, sometimes with a friend, sometimes with a longtime partner.

Drunk sex can absolutely be fun, or it can be a way to get back into the swing of things. Try it, and there's a solid chance you'll run into some version of these 13 things.

1. You Might End Up Sick

If you or your partner have had way too much to drink, throwing up becomes a real possibility, and that can turn things messy fast. Worse, you might not even make it to sex if things get too intense, or you could end up with someone still eager to continue despite a pile of vomit or the smell of it on their breath.

2. Things Might Get Awkward

Ever been so wasted you couldn't stand up straight? Or had the room tilt and wobble in your vision? Impaired coordination and vision don't exactly help during sex, especially anything beyond basic missionary. Losing your footing could mean a fall, or in a worse case, an ER visit!

3. He Might Struggle To Get Hard

As a woman, getting aroused enough for sex has never been something you had to force, but plenty of men run into this exact struggle, especially after heavy drinking. It can get awkward for both of you and embarrassing for him, and being drunk yourself might make it harder to handle gracefully. Be gentle here — male egos are far more fragile than they let on. He might come around eventually, but it's also possible sex just isn't happening tonight.

4. You Might Get The Giggles

If you can roll with a little awkwardness and laugh at yourself, drunk sex can genuinely be a lot of fun. Honestly, everyone should laugh during sex now and then anyway. And when you're drunk, laughter tends to spread easily. Just make sure your partner knows you're laughing at the situation, not at him.

5. It Might Feel Different Than Usual

That fuzzy, buzzed feeling in your head can change how sex feels entirely. Picture having sex on a boat, or a waterbed — drunk sex can have that same disorienting quality.

6. You Might Agree To Things You Normally Wouldn't

Alcohol lowers your guard. That might mean finally saying yes to something exciting and new — like the threesome your partner's been hinting at for ages. Learn how to have a hot threesome and check out these wild threesome positions.

It could also mean agreeing to something you'd never touch sober, for good reason. Nobody wants to wake up the next morning realizing they used someone else's unwashed toy, let their sexual moment get filmed and sent around, or skipped using a condom entirely. Setting boundaries while sober, ahead of time, can save you from all of that.

7. You Might Pick Different Partners Than You Normally Would

Drunk sex carries risk partly because you might say yes to someone who wouldn't even cross your radar sober — someone alcohol's social confidence suddenly makes approachable. You might even work up the nerve to talk to someone you'd normally consider out of reach.

On the flip side, you might end up texting your ex for a late-night hookup and reopening old wounds. Or wake up next to someone who's clearly not your type, not actually single, or someone you really should've left at the bar. And sleeping with a friend, coworker, or boss? That's a recipe for an awkward Monday.

8. You Might Mistake The Alcohol For Chemistry

Sometimes drinking games with a partner followed by drunk sex genuinely works out great. You don't overdo the drinks, you click with someone, and you end up back at their place once the bar closes. Maybe he's funny, you cuddle after, or you share a late-night snack alongside the sex itself.

But what happens once you're sober? Was the connection real, or was that just the alcohol talking? If you rewatched the whole encounter with clear eyes, would you realize you gave him more credit than he deserved? Or might he genuinely turn out to be worth pursuing?

9. You Might Actually Develop Feelings

Say you hook up drunk with someone who'd actually make a great match. Can that turn into something real? Maybe one of you left without swapping numbers, or since you met at a bar, neither of you expected it to go anywhere.

Unfortunately, a lot of people go home for drunk hookups but don't fully respect the person they're with for being willing to sleep with someone while intoxicated. You might catch yourself feeling that way too, which isn't exactly a great foundation for something lasting. Still, don't talk yourself out of pursuing it if there's real chemistry there.

10. Your Self-Image Might Shift

We're not here to slut-shame anyone at Love Curi, but not everyone feels good about themselves after sex fueled by alcohol. If it's happening nightly, if you're drinking to numb heartbreak or something else painful, or if you can never remember the encounters at all, it's worth pausing to reflect.

Ask yourself why. Is it easier to open up when you're drinking? Do you worry people only want you, sexually or otherwise, once you've had a few?

11. You Might Lose Some Belongings

Stumble into someone's place for a drunk hookup and stumble back out before sunrise, and you might discover you left your purse, favorite bra, or the wrap you wore out that night. Drunk people misplace and break things constantly, and your late-night adventures might cost you something tangible.

12. You Might Face The Walk Of Shame

If you've watched any college movies from the past fifteen years, you've probably seen someone, usually a woman, doing the walk of shame. There's literally a movie with that exact title, following a woman forced to trek across the entire city to get home after a drunken hookup.

The walk of shame is grabbing your things, maybe not even fully dressed, and slipping out of your hookup's place. You might pass roommates or family on your way out, catching judgmental looks or the occasional whistle. Once you're sober, likely nursing a rough hangover, this is not how you want to spend your morning.

Of course, you can dodge the walk of shame by bringing someone to your place instead, or if he lives alone — but making smart calls like that is hard when you're drunk in the moment! Trekking back to the bar to retrieve your car afterward isn't exactly anyone's ideal way to close out a night of drunk sex either.

13. You Might Have A Great Time With Zero Regrets

For plenty of people, the occasional round of drunk sex is genuinely a positive thing. It might help you get back into a rhythm, ease sexual anxiety, or reignite the spark in a marriage. More on reviving a sexless marriage. Whatever reason draws you to drunk sex is reason enough to give it a shot!

A Word On Consent

Whether you're drunk or under the influence of something else, you legally cannot give consent to sex. Plenty of people enjoy sex while drinking, sure, but that puts you in genuinely murky legal territory if you do say yes. Some guys may hesitate to sleep with you if they're worried you could later claim it wasn't consensual.

You might also realize afterward that you didn't actually want to sleep with someone, but alcohol clouded that decision in the moment, which can create some genuinely messy situations.

There are plenty of reasons to think twice about drunk sex, but don't get us wrong. Sex after drinking can absolutely be fun, especially if you know your limit and stop before you're truly drunk. A glass or two of wine, for instance, can help you loosen up, which is great if sexual anxiety tends to hold you back. More on that here. Armed with all this, you can decide for yourself whether drunk sex is something you want to explore.

January 2, 2021