Alcohol and the Pursuit of Happiness

Feeling down? Pour yourself a glass of wine. Want to join the party? Grab a beer. These are the messages we hear every day, from advertisements, from friends, from media. Our culture tells us that alcohol helps us to loosen up, chase away sorrows, and even find happiness. But research has shown that while alcohol can alleviate gloominess in the short-term, it’s nowhere near effective at promoting good vibes in the long-term. Instead, regular heavy drinking only pushes people toward addiction and treatment in an addiction recovery facility.

A team of researchers from the University of Kent studied the drinking habits of 17,000 people in the British Cohort of 1970, asking participants how much they had to drink in the past week and how satisfied they were with their life. Then, they used an app to gather survey data from 31,000 people in the U.K. between 2010 and 2013. At random times throughout the day, the app asked people what they were up to, and how happy they were in that exact moment. The results of the study suggest that alcohol can make people happy in the moment, but anyone who develops problem drinking will not be happier in the long-term. Indeed, anyone struggling with addiction needs professional help from a drug rehab program.

According to the study, the participants who responded to the app provided over two million data points. When drinking, they reported being, on average, four points happier than when not drinking (on a happiness scale of 0 to 100). However, this elevated effect subsided over time and did not have any bearing on overall life satisfaction. Researchers also found that although drinking accompanies many social events, like meeting friends and family or having sex, alcohol didn’t actually have much of an impact on increasing the enjoyment of these events.

It’s no surprise that problem drinking doesn’t lead to holistic happiness or life satisfaction. Alcohol addiction is a serious affliction that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Friendships, marriages, and family relationships often fall apart, and binge drinking, blackouts, and passing out are all regular parts of an alcohol-dependent life, leading to chaos and turmoil. Though many people seek out alcohol to drown their inner demons, drinks often only exacerbate the problem, creating a vicious cycle that perpetuates alcohol use. To escape from this cycle and get help, those suffering from addiction should contact an addiction treatment center immediately.

If you or a loved one is addicted to alcohol or other drugs, please speak with Right Path Drug Rehab today, and we’ll help you find a luxury drug rehab that caters to your individual needs. With luxury care, clients recover in comfort and peace. Treatment centers around group and one-on-one counseling meetings, where clients determine the root causes of their addiction, learn practical skills for fighting cravings, and develop a network of sober and supportive friends. Please contact us today to begin writing the next chapter of your life, a life marked by sobriety and wellness.