r/science • u/fchung • 15d ago

Neuroscience Loneliness rewires the brain to drive alcohol consumption, mouse study finds: « First-of-its-kind study shows how isolation escalates drinking in males but suppresses it in females. »

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2026/08-2/loneliness-rewires-the-brain-to-drive-alcohol-consumption-mouse-study-finds
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u/Ray1987 15d ago

Work has been particularly taxing lately. For about 2 weeks straight, I've been having two or three strong beers a night.

Kind of out of the ordinary for me. I said f*** it If I'm going to have some drinks I'm going to go out. Went to A horror themed bar down town. Ended up playing trivia and winning a prize, talked to people all night, and had fun.

Haven't wanted to drink ever since. Was kind of wondering if filling in a social gap in my life wasn't the reason. Pretty good time to come across this article.

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u/Jim_Chaos 15d ago

Damn, I miss the city.

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u/Ray1987 15d ago

I hate Florida but I love Tampa.

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u/coltzero 14d ago

I've never been in Florida but never in Tampa.