Drinking alone as a teenager may foresee future alcohol problems

Creswell collaborates with researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Monitor the future A study, an epidemiological study of drug and alcohol use among young Americans following adulthood.

Approximately 4,500 people aged 18 have completed a survey of alcohol usage patterns and whether they drank alone.

Creswell said the study was “several times larger” than previous studies, and that the samples analyzed were more representative of adolescents living in the United States.

“Our results are more compelling and decisive than previous studies, especially because we have managed the risk factors established in the analysis and have shown drinking alone to predict alcohol problems.” She said.

Participants were followed for 17 years, provided information on drinking and drinking until their early twenties, and reported AUD symptoms in adulthood (35 years).

Studies have reported that about 25% of adolescents and 40% of young adults drink alone.

Researchers suggest that targeted interventions may help educate and inform these groups, especially young women, about the risks of drinking alone to prevent future AUD. It states that it is.

“I was amazed at the magnitude of the link between adolescent and young adult lonely drinking and adult alcohol problems,” Creswell said.

The findings showed that adolescents and young adults who reported drinking alone were at higher risk of developing AUD symptoms in adulthood than their peers who drank only in social situations.

Creswell and his team managed established early risk factors for alcohol problems, such as drinking and drinking frequently.

They found that by the age of 35, the odds of developing AUD symptoms were 35% higher in adolescents who drank alone and 60% higher in young adults who drank alone, compared to social-only drinkers. ..

However, adolescent women who drank alone appeared to be at increased risk of developing alcohol problems in adulthood.

“Adolescent women who drink alone are especially at risk,” Creswell said. “This is especially related to the increasing proportion of lonely drinking among adolescent women in the United States.”

“Women are catching up with men because of alcohol use disorders,” he said. Moe GelbertPhD, Director of the Behavioral Health Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California.

Dr. Gilbert explained that women need much less alcohol to have alcohol-related problems because of their smaller size and weight than men, and other biological differences.

“Women’s potential high-risk drinking is one cup a day compared to two men’s,” he added. “Biological differences mean that much less alcohol is needed to reach the same blood alcohol levels as men.”

Erin GoodhartThe executive director of core programming at the Caron Treatment Center in Pennsylvania said alcohol marketing is aimed at women.

“Between the pandemics and the pressures of everyday life, we need to find a viable way to deal with and prioritize health,” she said. “Women are in the worst of alcohol because we are the target of millions of dollars in marketing dollars to peg alcohol as a catch-all solution to anxiety, stress and even the underlying trauma. “

Goodhart said that women’s biological composition and hormones mean that they are “significantly” more likely to develop alcohol use disorders at a faster rate than men.

Jeff ReiningerMenlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine NPs in Menlo Park, California, said that for some people, drinking during a pandemic is another cycle of existing abuse patterns.

“The burnt circuit that regulates the transmission of dopamine, serotonin, gabber and glutamate is already there, and the pandemic just added fuel to the fire,” he said. “For others, alcohol has become a new, maladapted coping strategy.”

Reilinger pointed out that the pandemic closed gyms and restaurants, restricted travel, and made many people feel at ease drinking.

“When fear and chaos surround,” he said. “Avoidance and escape are important.”

According to Gerbert, one of the key factors for people with alcohol disabilities is the denial of the problem, so it’s common to be reluctant to ask for help.

“You need to understand alcoholism and realize that it’s not just a choice or problem of willpower, but a disease that needs help,” he said.

Gelbart avoids discussions and judgments about a person’s behavior, instead pointing out specific behaviors and letting them know how you feel and how others close to you feel. Is recommended.

“Ask them to look for qualified professionals with substance abuse expertise and get a rating, and let them know that if the doctor feels there is no problem or problem, they will accept those findings. “He said.

For those who are aware that there is a problem with alcohol, Gelbart advises them to get their own support and learn how to deal with the problem by attending. Alanon meeting.

“If the situation persists, we can talk to an expert about formal intervention,” he said.

A new study found that adolescents who drink alone are at a much higher risk of developing AUD in adulthood, and adolescents who are female are at even higher risk.

According to experts, this is because women drink much less to reach problematic blood alcohol levels.

They also say that people had less option to deal with stress as the pandemic restricted travel and made things worse by closing the gym.