The illusion of self-medication
It is often assumed that people drink excessively due to depression, but this study challenges that assumption. According to Andrea King, the lead author of the study, “We generally assume that people drink to escape sadness, but our study showed that people who drink alcohol, whether they suffer from depression or not, equally experience positive and pleasurable effects.”Harmful effects of alcohol
According to this study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, alcohol causes over 200 diseases and injuries and is responsible for over three million deaths worldwide every year.Alcohol Addiction and Mental Health
Researchers studied 232 individuals aged 21 to 35 in the US, as this is the age group that consumes the most alcohol. Participants were questioned about their experiences while drinking and without alcohol via a smartphone-based survey.Surprising conclusions
The research found that alcohol consumption led to a slight reduction in negative emotions, but this reduction was not uniquely different in individuals with depression or AUD. However, the positive effects of alcohol were greater in those with AUD compared to those without. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between those with both AUD and depression and those with only AUD.A new perspective on treatment
The findings of this research challenge existing theories that attribute alcohol addiction to changes in the brain’s stress and reward systems. Researchers say that focusing solely on reducing depression and stress during treatment is insufficient; understanding the pleasure and stimulation derived from alcohol is also necessary. This study could change the perception that people drink alcohol solely to reduce sadness and depression. Instead, the pleasure and stimulation derived from alcohol should also be considered a major cause of addiction. This new information could help make treatment approaches more effective.
