That's what this study found, anyway. The study pointed out that a lot of people who don't drink at all are often from lower socioeconomic classes because drinking is expensive, and that those people already have a lot of other stresses and reasons why they wouldn't live longer. I think it also kind of implied that even those who drink to cover up stress or issues experience less stress and depression and more fun in their lives that keeps them living longer than those who don't drink at all and are also less social people. Very interesting study!
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1928187,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2014332,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1928187,00.htmlThe study, which was published recently in the journal Addiction, looked at more than 38,000 people in Norway. Researchers, led by Jens Christoffer Skogen of the University of Bergen in Norway, asked the participants how much they had drunk in the previous two weeks; the research team also asked them various questions to measure their levels of anxiety and depression
People in the top fifth percentile of drinkers had the highest odds for anxiety. But it was abstainers who were at the highest risk for depression — higher even than the heaviest of drinkers. Why?
Maybe because we abstainers are the ones that have to deal with the drunks?
The most powerful explanation seems to be that abstainers have fewer close friends than drinkers, even though they tend to participate more often in organized social activities. Abstainers seem to have a harder time making strong friendship bonds, perhaps because they don't have alcohol to lubricate their social interactions. After all, it's easier to reveal your worst fears and greatest hopes to a potential friend after a Negroni or two.
I think I would take into account that this study was done somewhere else and they only asked the participants how much they had drunk in the previous two weeks;
Which doesn't exactly seem like a long term study.
I would be more likely to take that instead of poisoning my body to live longer...which I'm sure isn't true; that it is real important to have close friends at least one or two. They don't seem to get that with a close friend you don't have to be drunk to reveal your worst fears and greatest hopes. And who does that with a potential friend anyway? Friendships are progressive relationships like any other ...alcohol doesn't change that.