Life is short, do drugs. I quit all substances for three months, didn't do jack shit. I'm planning to see a psychiatrist in autumn for my chronic exhaustion and sleep problems, and just in case I get prescribed something that doesn't combine with substances, this summer I'm binging on weed and acid because fuck being sober.

> It seems like it should be possible to reproduce this effect without alcohol.

It's a skill you have to train. Usually when you have one person in a group who sets the mood, and the rest see that person as a leader, they will follow. Observe how drunk people behave and replicate this whenever you meet your friends. I'm mostly friends with my coworkers so during lunch we talk about fun stuff while two tables over the CEO is giving a lecture about AI.