What type of drinker are you? Psychologist reveals there are 7 distinct personalities – and the one who has a problem isn’t the most obvious

Are you the confident life of the party, or the social butterfly booking in plans only to flake on them when sober?

According to Phil Macleod, hypnotherapist, psychologist and Founder of Thought Reader, there are seven different types of drinking personalities that you’ll usually observe should you take the time to look around on your next evening out at the pub.

Macleod explained: ‘After more than two decades working as a hypnotherapist and psychologist (and more than 10 years working in the City of London when it was a big drinking culture), I’ve learned that alcohol is rarely about alcohol.

‘It’s about decompression, confidence, belonging and numbing long before it’s about alcohol.

‘Over time, these reasons form patterns. And once you understand the pattern, you begin to recognise your own drinking personality.

‘There are various drinking personalities that can be observed psychologically through patterns and people’s body language. Once you understand the pattern, you begin to spot what drinking personality you are.’

Read on to discover the different drinking personalities according to Macleod – and see if you can spot the one most like yourself…

The Weekend Wobbler

Macleod said: ‘They are disciplined all week and focused at work. Gym sessions are booked, and they are highly productive. Then Friday arrives, and the switch flips – like a weekly routine.

‘The Weekend Wobbler doesn’t sip – they go all in to de-stress and relax with their friends from the busy week that has been.

‘What’s happening here is decompression. They have a high-flying career, but Friday nights and often weekend blowouts are less about celebration and more about escape and feeling alive (and escapism from the mundane).

‘The problem with this concentrated burst is that the nervous system pays for it, and the continuous loop can make you feel drained and tired all weekend, until you psychologically switch back into productive cruise mode come Monday morning.’

The Flake

‘The Flake drinker will cancel the coffee catch-up but rarely cancels evening drinks.

‘They might make the same old excuses, but it is less about inconsistency, and in fact, a sign of anxiety.

‘For some people, alcohol can quieten insecurities and give a short-lived confidence boost, and without it, social interaction can feel very exposing.

‘Your brain begins to believe that’s the only way you can access that version of yourself. Over time, natural confidence decreases because it’s never being practised without drinking.’

The Ritual Reveler

‘This is the one who loves the shared moment more than the drink itself. They’re often the organiser, the one raising a glass, encouraging the toast and bringing the group together. For them, drinking is about networking and community.

‘Psychologically, this drinking personality reinforces connection and is about feeling safe and secure. 

‘But with every meaningful moment, when alcohol is involved, this endeavour can start to feel incomplete without it, and it can be confusing whether the connections or chemistry are really genuine, or if it’s the alcohol fueling the connection.

The Evening Exhaler

‘Poured quietly after work, the Evening Exhaler has the usual familiar glass that signals the end of the working day and the temporary end of responsibility. This is the psychological shift from on-duty to rest. And in the short term, it works. Alcohol slows the nervous system just enough to create the feeling of relief, which is why being an Evening Exhaler is common.

‘Having said this, this personality type can experience disrupted deep sleep and increased low-level anxiety the next day as a result. This can have a knock-on effect, as the Evening Exhaler will seek more relief the following night, which is only temporary and keeps the pattern on a loop.

‘Ultimately, when relaxation becomes something you trigger chemically rather than generate internally, or learn coping mechanisms (ones we teach our patients in hypotherapy), resilience gradually weakens, and codependence can rule.

The Social Armour

‘Confident. Witty. Often the life and soul of the party. And as such, the first drink usually goes down rather too quickly.

‘For this type of drinking personality, alcohol acts as protection. It smooths any vulnerability and creates a buffer between them and the room.

‘Many people in this category are more sensitive than they let on. They ultimately fear being judged, and underneath they are not as confident as they appear.

‘The problem is that armour also hides the real them. And often, when these individuals finally test social situations without it, they cope far better than they ever expected. 

‘They doubt themselves too quickly and should realise they are fun, confident and witty without the alcohol.

The Stress Suppressor (The One who doesn’t know it yet)

‘This is the pattern I see most often. No drama. No obvious excess. Just consistency, with little days off.

‘One or two most nights, and occasionally three. They always frame it as normal.

‘What it’s often doing is numbing emotional load. Whether that is work pressure, relationship strain or a lingering dissatisfaction or hiding from past trauma.

‘Rather than coming to terms with those feelings or seeking therapy to work it out, the issues just get buried in the sand. The person, though, doesn’t feel out of control in any way, it’s a functional routine they live.

The Reward Drinker

‘This is different from the Evening Exhaler. The Reward Drinker celebrates every achievement with a drink. And they find anything to celebrate from “I closed a deal” or “I made it through a boring presentation” or just “I deserve this”. Alcohol is their trophy, a self-soothing gold medal.

‘Psychologically, this links dopamine with alcohol. Over time, the brain fuses success with drinking, making it harder to celebrate or unwind without it.

‘In my experience this type is common among high performers, especially in competitive environments, they don’t necessarily binge like the Weekend Wobbler. The drinking feels earned, justified, rational, deserved.’