It is generally acknowledged that stress is an important factor in alcohol abuse and alcohol use disorders. However, the influence of stress on alcohol drinking is complex and not fully understood. On the one hand, alcohol has anti-anxiety properties, serving as an effective anxiety-reducing (anxiolytic) agent. Hence, motivation for drinking may be driven, at least in part, by its ability to alleviate stress, including stress associated with periods of abstinence following bouts of heavy drinking (Cappell and Greeley, 1987; Sayette, 1999). This has been the cornerstone of the tension-reduction hypothesis of alcoholism (Conger, 1956). From a behavioral perspective, this defines how alcohol can serve as a negative reinforcer (i.e., alcohol consumption results in the removal (alleviation) of an aversive or unpleasant (anxiety) state).
