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Arousal in alcoholics and social drinkers progressing through a drinking sequence
The International Journal of the Addictions
|October 1, 1981
Summary
This study found that alcoholics and social drinkers experienced reduced pulse rates after consuming alcohol. Contrary to prior research, no increased anxiety was observed in alcoholics before drinking.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Alcohol Studies
Background:
- Previous research suggested alcoholics experience heightened anxiety before drinking.
- These findings were often based on studies involving hospitalized or abstinent individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological and self-report reactions of nonabstinent alcoholics and social drinkers before, during, and after alcohol consumption.
- To re-examine the hypothesis of pre-drinking anxiety in alcoholics.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring physiological (pulse rate) and self-report measures in 11 nonabstinent alcoholics and 11 social drinkers.
- Administering two supposedly alcoholic beverages and observing reactions across different time points.
Main Results:
- No evidence of increased anxiety or arousal in alcoholics prior to drinking was found.
- Both alcoholics and social drinkers exhibited decreased pulse rates during and after alcohol consumption.
Conclusions:
- The common finding of pre-drinking anxiety in alcoholics may be an artifact of previous study methodologies.
- Physiological responses like reduced pulse rate are observed in both alcoholics and social drinkers post-consumption.
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