Martini Effect -- No Consistent Definition

[drbill]

Hmmm... I often wondered about the martini effect and just realized something. Back in Sept., 1969, when I was heading to college my Dad made a pitcher of martinis and we sat out on the backyard deck so he could "teach" me how to drink. About 2:30 in the morning, after 2-3 pitchers, Mom yelled down from the bedroom "Bill, wake up your Dad and bring him up to bed... you have to be up in 5 hours to catch your flight." Well, when I started doing deep dives on air, down to a maximum depth of 200 fsw, I noticed I didn't feel much of an effect from the narcosis. I could function in a pretty clear headed manner (as long as I wasn't task loaded). I could locate, frame and follow subjects when I shot video at those depths. I guess the martini effect is a good example! Of course later on, when I wasn't doing much deep diving and not diving as regularly as I did earlier, I could get noticeably narced at depths as shallow as 107 fsw and whacked nearly out of my gourd at 151 fsw.

 

[tracydr]

Alcohol isn't a fair comparison to Narcosis. It's more like nitrous oxide and there is no quantitative measure to the effect, as each person feels it and reacts to it differently

IMO, "Dark Narc" is the equivalent of the guy who smokes pot for the first time in his life and then freaks out.

I've actually been significantly effected by nitrous oxide, significantly narced and had too much to drink. I've never had a "freak out" on marijuana, although I have tried it, long, long time ago.
I really wouldn't describe it as any of these. I don't like narcosis, once it's noticeable enough to feel it. It makes me anxious, although, I'm sure I've been narced many times where the effects weren't that noticeable to me, but also didn't feel drunk or stoned.
To me, the time it was most noticeable, I had tunnel vision, some roaring in my ears and a bit of anxiety. It was unpleasant and I ascended about 10 feet after notifying my buddy that I wasn't happy, at which time the unpleasant feeling went away.
I did date a Vietnam veteran for a few months, who was unfortunately a recovering addict and had PTSD. He was a diver, both in Vietnam (SF) and a commercial diver. He passed away using nitrous oxide, accidently overdosed on it. He told me it made him feel like when he was really narced while diving.

 

[DaleC]

I have experienced both types of Narc. The dark narc manifests as anxiety but the happy narc has two features for me. One is a dumbing down as has been mentioned but the other is a feeling of overall happy wellbeing, inappropriate to the occasion. In that regard it is somewhat like drinking, but only that first bit where everything seems great, but before the cussing, fighting and puking.

 

[AfterDark]

I've actually been significantly effected by nitrous oxide, significantly narced and had too much to drink. I've never had a "freak out" on marijuana, although I have tried it, long, long time ago.
I really wouldn't describe it as any of these. I don't like narcosis, once it's noticeable enough to feel it. It makes me anxious, although, I'm sure I've been narced many times where the effects weren't that noticeable to me, but also didn't feel drunk or stoned.
To me, the time it was most noticeable, I had tunnel vision, some roaring in my ears and a bit of anxiety. It was unpleasant and I ascended about 10 feet after notifying my buddy that I wasn't happy, at which time the unpleasant feeling went away.
I did date a Vietnam veteran for a few months, who was unfortunately a recovering addict and had PTSD. He was a diver, both in Vietnam (SF) and a commercial diver. He passed away using nitrous oxide, accidently overdosed on it. He told me it made him feel like when he was really narced while diving.

I believe the comparison to alcohol or nitrous oxide is the equivalent impairment affect, not the “feeling”.

 

[CT-Rich]

I think my generations' mermaid was the hottest of the bunch. I felt she needed to be up there for completeness... Is there one from the seventies or the nineties? we already have seen the 50's(1957), 60's(1962) and mine (1980) there was a 1974 edition and I have no clue after that....

As far as a definition is concerned, some people hold there liquir better than others, but the definition of drunk is more of a societal matter than a practical one. The legistlatures decided that .08 is the definition of two drunk to drive. I am sure there are plent of people who can function fine at that level. The law is more about those that can't function at that level and pose a hazard to themselves and others. So the definition is actually pretty arbitrary. Being narc'd is not about a definition, it is about being aware that there are situations where your abilities may be impaired. Unlike a martini, we can't chose how much is drunk, but about task loading when planning a dive.