How to Recover from a Drunk Text

Co-authored by Brett Baughman and Eric McClure

Last Updated: December 30, 2022 References

Did whiskey win out over your better judgement last night? Waking up to the realization that you were firing off some belligerent texts can cause your stomach to drop, but rest assured that it’s normally a breeze to bounce back from this. So long as you take responsibility and own up to any mistakes, the other person should have no problem laughing it off. In this article, we’ll show you how to recover with grace and ease, so pour yourself a warm cup of coffee and read on while you nurse that hangover.

1

Apologize for the text.

If you made a mistake, tell them that you’re sorry. If you crossed a line, said something potentially insulting, or just bothered someone at 2 am out of nowhere, take responsibility. Send them a heartfelt apology for your drunk text. You can add as much context as you feel is appropriate.^{[1]
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Research source} You might say:
- "Hey, sorry about those messages. Obviously, you've been on my mind, but I realize now that this wasn't the best way to communicate. I hope you're doing well, and thanks for understanding."
- “Omg, I’m so sorry about my drunk texts last night. I’m never drinking tequila again.”
- “I feel really bad about hitting you up last night when I was wasted. I didn’t mean to treat you like a booty call; you mean so much to me, and I crossed the line. I’m sorry.”
- “I apologize for last night. I don’t even remember what I was trying to say, I’m sorry if I woke you up or bothered you.”

2

Try to laugh it off.

If you want to back off of what you said, poke fun at yourself a bit. If you did something you regret and you really want to live this one down, pretending you didn’t do something silly isn’t a good strategy. Play it off like your texts are just funny. This isn’t to say that you should lie like it was a joke or anything, but a little humor will help you recover with grace.^{[2]
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Research source} You could text them:
- “Drunk texting felt so right last night, but so wrong this morning 😭”
- “Oh no. What have I done 😳…I texted so many people last night 😂”
- “What’s got two thumbs and a phone full of cringey drunk texts…this guy!”

3

Ask for discretion if you revealed something.

If you let something slip that you shouldn’t have, ask them to cut you a break. Did you send a text to your coworker about how much you hate your boss? Did you text a friend that you’ve got a crush on someone’s sister or brother? If so, it’s best to get ahead of this before they share the news with anyone.^{[3]
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Research source} You can say:
- “I was totally out of line last night. I don’t really feel that way, I was just blackout drunk. Please don’t let anyone know I said that.”
- “I will 100% buy you dinner if you promise to delete those texts and pretend none of that happened. Pretty please?”
- “I know I crossed a boundary last night. I’m really embarrassed about it. I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone.”

4

Admit how you feel if you confessed to a crush.

If you texted your crush and they seem into it, tell them how you feel! It’s not the most romantic origin story of all time, but getting drunk and admitting you’ve got a crush on someone can be a good thing! If you were texting someone you like and the liquid courage got you to admit it, consider being up front about your true feelings if they seem receptive.^{[4]
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Research source} You could say:
- “Look, I know that wasn’t the cutest look of all time, but I do really like you.”
- “I’m just going to admit it. I like you. That wasn’t just me being a drunk fool. I’m sorry this is how you’re finding out.”
- If they don’t seem particularly interested in your intoxicated flirtations or propositions, it’s probably best to not double-down the next day.

5

Consider owning it.

Acting like this isn’t something to be embarrassed about may be ideal. Most people will send a drunk text at some point in their lives, and if you didn’t say anything that bad you don’t have to act ashamed. You can play it up like you had a wild night and just move on. This is a good option if you texted a friend or your crush and the two of you have had crazy nights before, since they won’t look down on you for having a good time.^{[5]
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Research source} You could say:
- “Obviously, I was off the chain last night. I can barely remember the party, but man was it epic.”
- “Alright, never do shots with Maggie. She was matching me all night, and I clearly couldn’t keep up.”
- “Oh man, I’m scrolling through my phone trying to piece together what happened last night. You got any clues? Last night was wild…”

6

Tell them your friend took your phone.

If you’re too embarrassed to own up to it, a little white lie might get you out. It’s generally best to be honest with people you care about, but if you said something especially problematic or you’re super ashamed, being dishonest may be the best way to go. Just make sure you didn’t say anything in your texts that only you would know—it’s hard to blame a drunk friend if it is obvious you sent the texts.^{[6]
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Research source} You could say:
- “Sorry about last night. Avery stole my phone as a ‘joke’ and I totally forgot to check and see what kind of damage they did.”
- “Ugh, I left my phone in an Uber last night. Apparently someone had some fun. Luckily, I got it back this morning. Sorry about these weird, random texts.”

7

Ignore it and move on.

This doesn’t need to be a massive deal if your texts weren’t too bad. Unless you told someone you were in love with them or you revealed some deep and dark secret, you can just leave it at a simple apology and move on. Don’t make it a big deal. This is an especially good option if they haven’t replied to you and all you sent them originally was a “hey” or “u up?”^{[7]
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Research source}

8

Don’t get up into your head.

Overanalyzing this or feeling ashamed is unnecessary. It’s not like you did something vengeful or cruel here; you made a goofy mistake and that’s all it needs to be. The other person has probably received drunk texts before, so it’s not like they’re going to think you’re some kind of monster. Stay hydrated, feel better, and move on with your life.^{[8]
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Research source}
- Treat his as a lesson. Never drink and text! You can prevent this in the future by giving your phone to a friend before you start drinking, or downloading an app that locks you out of your phone for certain periods of time.
- You can also delete certain contacts from your contacts list and stash their info elsewhere so it isn't as easy to text them.

9

Distract yourself while you wait.

Double- or triple-texting before they’ve replied won’t help you recover any faster. Watch some TV, play a game, or go out for a walk and get some fresh air without your phone. You'll feel better by keeping your mind off of last night.^{[9]
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Research source}

10

Delete the texts if they embarrass you.

If they’re out of sight, they’ll be out of your mind. If the texts are eating away at you, there’s no reason to keep the them around. Delete them, take a deep breath, and try not to worry about them anymore.^{[10]
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Research source}
- You will get over this eventually—even if you’re super worried about living this down now, everyone will forget soon (including you).