Alcohol-Induced Euphoria: Alcoholics Compared to Nonalcoholics

Abstract

The affective responses of 24 alcoholics and 21 nonalcoholics were compared in a 2-h free-drinking situation. At baseline, the alcoholics were more dysphoric. During the drinking, the alcoholics reported no relief from the dysphoria but reported and displayed increases in positive mood. The magnitude of the positive effective response to alcohol was comparable in the 2 groups judged by most scales. The data offer little support for the hypothesis that alcoholics achieve a special euphoria from alcohol. Methodological problems in assessing alcohol-induced mood changes are reviewed.