i've been there, and i promise you, I wasn't particularly bothered about a Tarot reading. nor think of doing one at all.

The poor querant must be very hard-up to read a half-mad bunch of gibberish.

"not well" seems to be very vague I see
everyone can interpret it in different ways.... do drinking or (under influence of something else) and reading go hand in hand?

It all depends (from my personal experience) what kind of reading one is doing. For psychic/clairvoyant, I prefer to be in good health, no personal worries and troubles around me - at least at that particular moment or day. For tarot readings, if one is looking for the interpretation of the cards, it can still be done if one is not feeling so well, i.e. under the influence of alcohol, flu, ill, emotionally unwell, bla bla bla...... then a tarot reading can still be possible but without the personal intuitive guidance of the reader. But, then again, we are all different. Some of us do perform better under the influence, some need to be totally free of any external influences -- but then again, life is never perfect and no reader can be in a perfect state of mind or health.