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A new study has proved that consuming alcohol in moderate levels can be helpful for protecting accident victims from post-traumatic psychological distress.
The study was conducted on about 1,045 patients, who were hospitalised after traumatic injury. The patterns of alcohol consumption before and three months after the accident were studied.
They then studied the level of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder these patients experienced just a week after they incurred the accident and then after a period of three months.
Researchers from University of Adelaide (U-A) found that moderate alcohol consumption before and after the accident resulted in lower levels of psychological distress.
But the result also mentioned that lack of alcohol consumption as well as excessive consumption can lead to the increase in the stress.
"Rather than suggesting abstinence following exposure to traumatic events..., the importance of moderate drinking should be emphasised as this behaviour may have some benefit in minimising distress," says Alexander McFarlane, professor at U-A, who led the study.
A small group of patients showed a link between more severe PSTD and the emergence of alcohol abuse, suggesting "self-medication", says an U-A release.
These findings have been published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
