Does Stress Lead To Excessive Drinking In Women? Know Here

Women are catching up to males in terms of alcohol consumption, even though men misuse alcohol at a higher rate. Women are also more prone than men to have problems with alcohol. According to a new study, stress alone might lead to excessive drinking among women. Men under the same stress only drank excessively after they had already begun to drink. The results of a study appeared in the journal “Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.” At a simulated tavern, participants consumed alcoholic beverages while going through stressful and non-stressful situations. Women, but not men, were more likely to drink more than they intended as a result of stress, underscoring the need of looking into gender differences in alcohol use.

“Some people may plan to drink one or two alcoholic beverages and then quit, while others simply keep drinking,” explains Julie Patock-Peckham, the main author of the research. We know that stress is linked to both impaired control and dysregulated drinking and that reduced control over drinking is one of the first indications of alcoholism. Stress’s role in poor alcohol control, particularly in women, is little understood. The experiment was conducted in a research centre set up to look like a bar, replete with a bartender, bar stools, and vibrant discussions. There were 105 ladies and 105 men among the contestants. They were divided into groups at random, with some going through a stressful circumstance and others going through a non-stressful situation.

After that, half of the participants were given three non-alcoholic drinks and the other half three alcoholic drinks. All attendees got unrestricted access to alcoholic beverages from the bar for the following 90 minutes. Thanks to the experimental arrangement, the research team was able to determine whether the amount of alcohol consumed was caused by stress, the initial drink, or a combination of the two. The amount of alcohol consumed was calculated using the total number of drinks consumed as well as the blood alcohol level in the breath (BAC).

Also Read: How To Make Restaurant-Style Chicken Curry In 30 Minutes