Why It Is Hard to Have 'Just One' Drink

Source: Pascal König/Pixabay

When selecting a jury on a case involving alcohol, I inquire into their personal drinking habits and attitudes about indulging. A blue-suited executive prospective juror admits he has a glass of wine "occasionally with dinner,” while the juror sitting next to him wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt admits downing five beers at the ball game last night. “The game went into extra innings,” he explains. But did the fact that he remained at the ballpark longer require him to keep drinking?

Joseph A. Lutz and Emma Childs (2021) explored the link between alcohol use and the locations where it is consumed. They note that prior research has established that alcohol-associated stimuli, including pictures or environmental cues, can increase alcohol craving and consumption. In their own research, they found alcohol-paired environments increased positive subjective responses to alcohol (such as euphoria) and promoted indulgence.

Unexpectedly, however, Lutz and Childs found that drinking within an environment paired with the absence of alcohol created a higher dislike for the effects of alcohol. They note that this discovery suggests that drinking in a location where alcohol has not previously been consumed creates a negative experience that may constrain consumption. Perhaps this is why it is effective for people seeking to abstain from alcohol to limit their time in bars and even restaurants with bar areas.

Music Matters

In terms of audible cues, the risk of overindulgence apparently depends not only on where you are but what you can hear. Anastasia I. Nikoulina et al. (2020) explored the influence of music on alcohol consumption. They found that listening to “party” music increased the likelihood of making risky decisions, regardless of history of alcohol abuse, while listening to other personal music did not. They also found that party music specifically increased the likelihood of risky decisions regarding drinking compared to eating. Participants with a history of alcohol abuse, however, perhaps not surprisingly, made more risky drinking decisions in general, regardless of the music.

Consider the practical reality of these research findings. Many people wouldn’t crave a drink as much while studying in a library or sitting at a desk in an office as they would upon arriving at the local pub afterward. So too, consider how appealing a glass of wine would be in an empty, silent room, versus a furnished cocktail lounge with upbeat music. Recognition of these visual/audio cues is important for people seeking to stay sober as well as for people seeking to reduce or control their drinking. Departing an environment associated with alcohol consumption or increased cravings after reaching one’s limit is a good way to avoid overindulgence.

Two Dangerous Words: “Hosted Bar”

Another reason people consume more than one cocktail is simply because they can. At events with open bars, especially at expensive functions, many people are motivated to get their money’s worth of free drinks. They might joke they got what they paid for if the mixed drinks are watered down, but they will be grateful the next morning because diluting drinks helps avoid dehydration. But consistent with research, in most cases, an open bar likely facilitates drinking “more than one” also due to the presence of alcohol-friendly cues.

Because many people are concerned about drinking to excess, whether they admit it or not, strategizing venue and setting can help avoid environments that enable overindulgence.