The effects of alcohol on emotion in social drinkers

Abstract

Understanding why people drink alcohol and in some cases develop drinking problems has long puzzled researchers, clinicians, and patients alike. In the mid-1940s and early 1950s, experimental research began to systematically investigate alcohol’s hedonic properties. Presumably, alcohol consumption would prove reinforcing as a consequence of its capacity either to relieve stress or to brighten positive emotional experiences. This article reviews experimental research through the years examining the impact of alcohol on both the relief of negative affect and the enhancement of positive affect. It covers initial accounts that emphasized direct pharmacological effects of ethanol on the central nervous system. These early studies offered surprisingly tepid support for the premise that alcohol improved emotional states. Next, studies conducted in the 1970s are considered. Informed by social learning theory and employing advances derived from experimental psychology, this research sought to better understand the complex effects of alcohol on emotion. Coverage of this work is followed by discussion of current formulations, which integrate biological and behavioral approaches with the study of cognitive, affective, and social processes. These current perspectives provide insight into the particular conditions under which alcohol can boost emotional experiences. Finally, future research directions and clinical implications are considered.

Changes in Diet, Sleep, and Physical Activity Are Associated With Differences in Negative Mood During COVID-19 Lockdown

“…In Scotland specifically, whilst 29% of drinkers surveyed reported that they had been drinking more-often since the beginning of lockdown, the same percentage reported they were drinking less-often ( Alcohol Focus Scotland, 2020 ). Whilst there is evidence to suggest that alcohol-dependant individuals drink to alleviate negative emotional states ( Koob, 2011 ), the relationship between emotional experience and alcohol in social drinkers is less-clearly defined ( Sayette, 2017 ). Poor mental health has consistently been reported in abusive ( Pottenger et al, 1978 ; Grant and Harford, 1995 ; Schuckit, 2006 ) and social drinkers ( Birnbaum et al, 1983 ; Parker et al, 1987 ; Jones et al, 2007 ), and drinking alcohol has been associated with negative mood ( Howland et al, 2010 ; Alford et al, 2020 ).…”

The influence of groups and alcohol consumption on individual risk-taking

“…This is because alcohol consumption is a well-known regulator of emotions (Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014;Lowe et al, 2013;Sayette, 2017;Sayette, Creswell, et al, 2012) and mood can be altered via social influences (Neumann & Strack, 2000;Parkinson & Simons, 2009;Sy, Côté, & Saavedra, 2005). Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that risk-taking is shaped by the mood people are in (Kim & Kanfer, 2009;Yuen & Lee, 2003).…”

Preprint: Increased startle potentiation to unpredictable stressors in alcohol dependence: Possible stress neuroadaptation in humans

“…This previous research suggests acute alcohol administration selectively reduces response when these stressors are unpredictable, regardless its source, but we have yet to consider the impact of chronic AOD use in these tasks in a clinical sample. Other researchers have recently noted that the effects of alcohol on response to unpredictable stressors in social drinkers also appear to extend beyond manipulations of electric shock to more real world situations that include inherent unpredictability, such as in most social interactions (e.g., Sayette, 2017;see Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014 for review).…”