Alcohol makes you drunk primarily because of the ethanol it contains. Ethanol is a psychoactive ingredient that directly affects the brain by disrupting neurotransmitter function. Specifically, ethanol binds to GABA receptors in the brain, which slows down communication between neurons, causing feelings of sleepiness and relaxation. It also affects NMDA receptors, impairing short- term memory, motor skills, and cognition. Together, these effects alter brain chemistry and cause the sensation of being drunk. Ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system and quickly reaches the brain, where it acts as a depressant, slowing down brain activity. This leads to symptoms such as slurred speech, impaired coordination, lowered inhibitions, and slowed reaction times. The liver metabolizes ethanol, but when consumption exceeds the liver's ability to process it, blood alcohol levels rise, intensifying drunkenness. Other factors influence how drunk a person feels, including body weight, sex, the amount and type of alcohol consumed, how fast it is consumed, and whether the stomach is full or empty. For example, women tend to have higher blood alcohol levels than men after consuming the same amount of alcohol because of differences in body composition and alcohol metabolism. In summary, alcohol makes you drunk because ethanol interferes with brain communication, slowing down neurological functions and changing brain chemistry, which leads to the characteristic effects of intoxication.