Alcohol’s Effect on Mood and Energy Levels May Influence Future Drinking Habits
Research Society on AlcoholismHow social drinkers experience the effects of alcohol on their mood and energy levels may help predict their future drinking habits, a new study suggests. The factors that drive some people to excessive drinking, including Alcohol Use Disorder, are not well understood. Evidence indicates that subjective responses to alcohol play a role. People who experience alcohol as a mood-lifter, for example, appear more likely to drink excessively than those who find it to be an anger trigger or powerful sedative. This association is complex, however, and interacts with other factors, possibly including the cardiovascular effects of alcohol. A study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research explores how alcoholic drinks and placebo drinks affected participants’ moods and drinking behaviors.