So Christmas is upon us yet again, and in that lawless period between Mad Friday and New Year's Eve, it's safe to say that many of us are going to be hitting the liquor as hard as possible before Omicron sweeps the nation and sends us all back into lockdown in January.
But let's hope it won't come to that!
Anyway, here's something to consider if you're still able to have your office Christmas party in person rather than on Microsoft Teams... According to a study by the Global Drugs Survey, if a G&T is your weapon of choice on a night out, then you could find yourself going from tipsy to surly quicker than you might expect.
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That's right, it turns out that drinking gin on a night out is more likely to make you act more aggressive.
The study revealed that nearly a third of spirit drinkers reported feeling angry and aggressive when they have too much of a tipple - which is 20 percent higher than those who drink beer or wine.
Co-author of the study, Professor Mark Bellis, revealed: "For centuries, the history of rum, gin, vodka, and other spirits has been laced with violence.
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"This global study suggests even today consuming spirits is more likely to result in feelings of aggression than other drinks."
Although it's been reinvented as a more cosmopolitan drink in recent times due to the litany of trendy gin bars and designer brands that have sprung up its wake, back in the 18th century and prior to that, gin was seen as an addictive and destructive spirit most typically associated with poverty, infanticide, depression and death; famously illustrated in William Hogarth's 'Gin Lane' illustration from 1751.
But whereas gin used to be referred to as 'Mother's Ruin' due to the disastrous effects it was perceived to have upon young women, these days it seems that the ladies tend to fare slightly better on the stuff than the fellas.
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According to the survey, men were found to be much more likely across the board to experience feelings of aggression whilst drinking than women do.
Meanwhile, beer and white wine drinkers were found to be the least likely to have angry feelings whilst drinking and instead, were more likely to feel relaxed and confident.
Meanwhile, red wine supposedly makes you more tired.
In general, spirits were found to elicit a much more emotional response - 58.3 percent felt energised, 59 percent felt confident, and 42.4 percent felt in the mood to get frisky.
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Then came the emotions we all dread after a few too many - 29.8 percent said they felt aggressive, 47.8 percent felt ill, 27.8 percent said they felt restless and 22.2 percent became tearful.
So, if gin is your poison, try to take it easy over the festive season. Christmas is already a pretty emotional time - let's avoid the drama too.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash