If stressed, men more likely than women to crave alcohol: study
14.05.2008 18:00
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
When it comes to stress, women are more likely to be depressed and anxious, while men are more apt to turn to the bottle, suggests a new study. Men who become upset are more likely to develop cravings for alcohol and develop alcohol-related disorders, say researchers at Yale University. The study was published online Sunday in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. "Following a stressful experience, women are more likely than men to say that they feel sad or anxious, which may lead to risk for depression and anxiety disorders," said Tara Chaplin, associate research scientist at Yale, in a release. "Some studies have found that men are more likely to drink alcohol following stress than women. If this becomes a pattern, it could lead to alcohol-use disorders." Researchers conducted a study in which 54 healthy adult social drinkers split evenly between men and women were read various scripts based on experiences in their lives such as relationship breakdowns and job losses. One script focused on a stressful event, another was alcohol-related, and a third was neutral and relaxing. Participants' emotional responses to the scenarios were observed, such as their behaviour — whether they showed such responses such as twitching or muscles spasms, or had quickened breathing or yawning. Their heart rates and blood pressure were also monitored and their self-reported cravings for alcohol noted. Researchers found women were more responsive to the stressful scenarios than men, reporting more feelings of sadness and anxiety. The men, on the other hand, were more likely to experience cravings for alcohol. "Men's tendency to crave alcohol when upset may be a learned behaviour or may be related to known gender differences in reward pathways in the brain," said Chaplin. "And this tendency may contribute to risk for alcohol-use disorders." She also points out that anxiety and sadness are more accepted by society in women than in men. Post a commentPeople have commented on this storyRecommend this storyPeople have recommended this storyStory Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKStory comments (0)Sort:Most recent | First to last | Most recommendedPost your commentNote: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are pre-moderated/reviewed and published according to our submission guidelines. Comment:Characters allowed: 2500PostSubmission policyRelatedInternal LinksStress of evening shift may hurt health in long run: StatsCanStress factors into female mortality rates, Statistics Canada findsSome worrying news about men's heart attack riskHealth HeadlinesOverworked, unsupported nurses more likely to report drug errors00Nurses who worked in hospitals that were understaffed or had inadequate resources were most likely to report medication mistakes, a new survey finds. Discovery of HPV in male oral cancers leads to vaccination call00There's growing evidence that the virus that causes cervical cancer in women is also linked to cancers in men, leading some health professionals to call for an HPV vaccination program for boys. Bayer anti-bleeding drug associated with higher death rate00Canadian research has shown that a Bayer anti-bleeding drug used during heart surgery dramatically increased the risk of dying compared to less-expensive alternatives. Craving for sweets, obesity risk could be genetic: study00For those who have a sweet tooth and wonder why they're so drawn to sugary foods and beverages, the answer could be that it's all in the genes. Exercising teens have lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer: study 00New research shows exercise during the teen years — starting as young as age 12 — can help protect girls from breast cancer when they're grown. Health FeaturesIN DEPTHCholeraDisease of disasterCONSUMERCalorie trackerVIDEOImmigrant healthA decline in health after settling in (Runs 4:09)IN DEPTHFoot-and-mouthHuman, animal versions unrelatedHEALTHLightning ProcessControversial training program comes to CanadaPeople who read this also read …
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