Ann Arbor Times

A new study from the University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University has found that solitary drinking among young adults is on the rise, reaching levels not seen since the late 1970s. The research, published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, analyzed data from 12,851 participants aged 19 to 30 collected through the Monitoring the Future Panel study at the University of Michigan.

Researchers observed that after a period of decline, solitary drinking began increasing steadily in the mid-1990s. This upward trend has been particularly noticeable among young women since the late 1990s, closing the historical gender gap in this behavior.

“The trends show that the gap between men and women has narrowed,” said co-author Megan Patrick, research professor at U-M’s Institute for Social Research. “There have been increases in solitary drinking among young women, in particular, over the past 25 years. Solitary drinking, or sometimes drinking when they are alone, was reported by about 40% of young adults who drank in the past year.”

Lead author Kasey Creswell, associate professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, emphasized the significance of these findings: “Roughly 4 in 10 young adults who drink alcohol report drinking alone at least once in the past year. This matters because solitary drinking is a strong predictor of alcohol use disorder. Unlike social drinking, solitary drinking is associated with drinking to cope with negative emotions, such as anxiety or depression, which in turn predicts heavier drinking and escalation into problematic alcohol use patterns. The rising rates of solitary drinking, especially among young women, suggest a shift in drinking habits that could signal increased risk for future alcohol-related harms.”

Solitary alcohol use is often linked to coping with stress or loneliness and can lead to more severe alcohol-related problems over time. Researchers argue that these patterns call for targeted prevention strategies tailored by sex.

“Solitary drinking seems to be a red flag for future alcohol problems,” Creswell said. “By identifying this pattern early, especially in groups where it’s rising, such as young women, public health initiatives can better target resources to those who may be at elevated risk. Monitoring trends in solitary alcohol use can also help inform policy decisions and shape educational campaigns that go beyond how much people drink to also consider how and why they drink.”

The study received support from several grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The authors noted that their findings represent their own conclusions and do not necessarily reflect official positions of funding agencies.