Matthew Hogg, 34, has a rare condition that makes him get drunk on bread and pasta.
Rather than just the usual vodka or beer, the British man has to avoid carbohydrates to stay sober due to an excess amount of yeast in his digestive system, PEOPLE reported via Vice.
While being naturally drunk might sound fun, it's a rough struggle for a daily routine. Hogg's disease is called auto-brewery syndrome, which causes his digestive system to produce ethanol, or pure alcohol, after he eats carbs.
The condition can leave him often drunk or tired and hungover.
"It's had a huge and devastating effect on my life," Hogg told Vice.
Hogg, who has had the condition for about 20 years, wasn't diagnosed until after high school. Tired and disoriented for most of his teenage years, Hogg struggled in his later high school years while taking tests and didn't understand why. He faltered in his academic subjects and had to quit sports.
"I felt frightened, not knowing what was happening to me, as well as frustrated and angry that I was unable to function at the high level I was used to," Hogg recalled. "My social life suffered badly, and I felt alone and detached from my friends and lacked the energy and motivation to be a part of things."
After around $80,000 worth of medical testing, Hogg was referred to the London specialist who properly diagnosed his condition, which is also called "gut fermentation syndrome."
Hogg keeps the disease under control by following a strict diet described as similar to the Paleo Diet, which relies on meats and vegetables, but minus the fruit. Unable to keep a full-time job due to the disease, Hogg runs The Environmental Illness Resource, a website that offers information and support for people with disorders like auto-brewery syndrome.
People who visit the site face similar struggles, one problem being the disbelief they encounter from others.
"I'm constantly reading messages from visitors to my website who suffer from the condition, saying their doctor, boss, co-workers, and even friends, family and partners, just don't understand," Hogg told Vice.
"People think we're just making this condition up."
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