It reduces anxiety in social situations. It's much easier to bond with people and be confident with members of opposite sex. When I was younger I had crazy amount of success with girls when drunk (assertive, loud, alpha) compared to my sober self (introverted, timid, beta). Downside is obviously health and long term path to hell. When you drink by yourself when watching Tv before going to sleep, you're in danger of becoming full blown alcoholic. Bottom line, drink as long there is more upside, but once side effects outweigh positives it's time to stop (usually after 10 years of drinking it stops being fun and becomes a problem).