A new study has found that stress alone can drive women to excessive drinking. Men who experienced the same stress only drank to excess when they had already started consuming alcohol. The findings of the study were published in the journal 'Psychology of Addictive Behaviors'.

Though rates of alcohol misuse are higher in men than women, women are catching up. Women also have a greater risk than men of developing alcohol-related problems. Participants consumed alcoholic beverages in a simulated bar while experiencing stressful and non-stressful situations. Stress led women, but not men, to drink more than intended, a finding that demonstrates the importance of studying sex differences in alcohol consumption.