Relationships, Jealousy and Drinking

Do your drinking habits reflect your feeling of self-worth during a relationship? According to a new study published in Addictive Behaviors, that may be the case. The researchers on the study from the University of Houston wanted to dig deeper into the human emotion of jealousy and see if it affects alcohol consumption.

Researchers used a sample of 277 people at a university in the south. The participants were asked a multitude of questions regarding their self-esteem, relationships, jealousy and alcohol intake. The sample size was primarily female.

They found that the people whose self-esteem was reliant on relationships often turned to alcohol to subdue their emotions. This was also the case with those who felt disconnected from their partners or those who were easily jealous.

Although this particular study shows a correlation between self-esteem, jealousy and alcohol consumption, researchers are not convinced the connection is very strong. There could be many other reasons why people unhappy in life or relationships turn to alcohol.