Dylan Richards, assistant professor at Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ psychology department, spoke to Futurity about drinking responsibly.
According to new research based on two surveys of almost 3,000 college students, having choices, feeling confident and knowing that others care about you, are all indicators that we have a healthy relationship with alcohol.
“Psychological needs matter, and they have important implications for not only your well-being but your physical health as well,” Richards said. “This research shows that this applies to alcohol, and it affects why people drink and if they drink responsibly.”
Similar studies were done with 1,700 adults — between the ages of 40 to 50 — to see their long-term alcohol use compared to how their psychological needs were filled.
“They are more positive and experience more internalized motivation for doing things that are healthy for them, like drinking responsibly,” Richards said. “They don’t do things because other people expect them to do something.”
The study illustrated that people who didn’t feel self-confident, competent or supported by others are at higher risk of misuse than those who do.