In a recent study published in the journal Alcohol Clinical & Experimental Research , researchers examined typical drinking motives in young adults and their associations with demographics, timings (weekday versus weekend), and alcohol use patterns. They used a questionnaire-based 14-day-long daily survey approach for their investigations to identify factors that could be used in future anti-alcohol abuse interventions. Study findings revealed that "wasn't interested in drinking" was the most common reason for alcohol abstinence (83.
4%), followed by "didn't want to get drunk" (81.8%). In individuals who substituted a different drug in place of alcohol, cannabis was the most often cited (81.
8%). Together, these findings highlight that 'personal decisions' form the bulk of young adults' underlying reasons for alcohol abstinence and identify situational barriers (such as financial concerns) as crucial points that clinicians and policy-makers can tap into for future alcohol-centric interventions in this at-risk population. Study: Prevalence and correlates of daily-level reasons not to drink among young adults who use alcohol .
Image Credit: AndreyCherkasov / Shutterstock A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2022) identified alcohol as the most common substance abuse among young adults (ages 18-25). Alcohol is known to have a substantial negative impact on this vulnerable age group, contributing to surges in road-related accidents, phys.