Alcohol-induced euphoria: alcoholics compared to nonalcoholics

The affective responses of 24 alcoholics and 21 nonalcoholics were compared in a 2-hour free-drinking situation. At baseline the alcoholics were more dysphoric. During the drinking, the alcoholics reported no relief from the dysphoria but reported and displayed increases in positive mood. The magnitude of the positive affective response to alcohol was comparable in the two groups judged by most scales. The data offer little support for the hypothesis that alcoholics achieve a special euphoria from alcohol. Methodological problems in assessing alcohol-induced mood changes are reviewed.