Young adults who drink heavily report more romantic highs and lows

A study of heavy-drinking young adults found that consuming a greater number of alcoholic drinks on a given day was associated with both a higher likelihood of regretted and positive romantic or sexual experiences on that same day. Among women, the simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis was linked to a lower likelihood of regretted romantic or sexual experiences. The study was published in Addictive Behaviors.

One standard drink in the United States is typically defined as containing 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. This is equivalent to approximately 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol), 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (40% alcohol). Heavy drinking is commonly defined as consuming more than four drinks per day or more than 14 drinks per week for men, and more than three drinks per day or more than seven drinks per week for women. This level of alcohol consumption is associated with serious health risks, including liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and increased risk of alcohol use disorder.

Heavy drinking can also impair cognitive function and decision-making, increasing the risk of accidents, injuries, and engagement in risky behaviors. Over time, chronic heavy drinking can lead to permanent organ damage, mental health disorders, and social or occupational dysfunction.

Despite these risks, estimates suggest that about one in four young adults in the United States engaged in heavy drinking in the past month. Among this group, approximately one in four women reported consuming eight or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion, while one in four men reported drinking ten or more drinks on a single occasion. Many young adults who engage in high-intensity drinking also report using cannabis simultaneously.

Lead author Gabriela López and her colleagues aimed to explore how alcohol use—and the simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis—relates to the romantic and sexual experiences of heavy-drinking young adults. Specifically, the researchers examined whether the number of drinks consumed or co-use of alcohol and cannabis predicted the likelihood of experiencing either a regretted or positive romantic or sexual event on a given day. They also examined whether gender or a history of sexual assault moderated these associations.

The researchers analyzed data from a longitudinal study on high-intensity drinking and blackouts. The sample consisted of 201 individuals between the ages of 18 and 29 (average age 22), all of whom reported at least two high-intensity drinking days in the past 30 days. High-intensity drinking was defined as consuming eight or more drinks for women or ten or more drinks for men in a single day. About 57% of the participants identified as women.

For 28 consecutive days, participants completed brief daily assessments. In the morning, they reported how much they drank the previous day and whether they had used alcohol and cannabis at the same time. In the evening, they indicated whether they had experienced a “romantic/sexual experience you now regret” or “a positive romantic/sexual experience” during or after drinking the previous day. Participants also completed a baseline measure of sexual assault history using the Sexual Experiences Survey.

The results showed that on days when participants consumed more drinks than usual, they were more likely to report both a regretted and a positive romantic or sexual experience. This association held for both men and women, and regardless of sexual assault history.

In men, simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis was not significantly associated with the likelihood of experiencing a regretted romantic or sexual encounter. In contrast, for women, simultaneous use was associated with a decreased likelihood of reporting a regretted experience, even when controlling for the number of drinks consumed. However, simultaneous use was not linked to a higher likelihood of positive experiences in either gender.

“The current study findings suggest that heavier drinking was associated with both regretted and positive romantic/sexual experiences, regardless of sexual assault history or gender. Simultaneous use was not associated with positive romantic/sexual experiences when controlling for number of drinks. However, given that women were less likely to report a regretted romantic/sexual experience in the context of simultaneous use, even controlling for how much alcohol they had consumed, continued research examining gender differences in day-level associations between substance use and romantic/sexual experiences is needed to inform prevention efforts and reduce the likelihood of substance-related harm,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the links between alcohol use and romantic experiences. However, it should be noted that all data came from self-reports leaving room for reporting bias to have affected the results.

The paper, “Day-level associations among alcohol use, simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use, and both regretted and positive romantic/sexual experiences,” was authored by Gabriela Lopez, Holly K. Boyle, Michelle Haikalis, Mary Beth Miller, Kristina M. Jackson, Kate B. Carey, and Jennifer E. Merrill.