Mental health outcomes and characteristics of autobiographical memory associated with odor cues of alcohol among individuals with problematic drinking behaviors

The number of alcoholics worldwide has increased since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and understanding and preventing alcohol addiction is of utmost importance. We investigated the relationships among odor cues of alcohol, autobiographical memory, and the mental health of individuals with and without problematic drinking behaviors. Overall, 711 and 332 Japanese participants with and without problematic drinking behaviors, respectively, were asked to recall autobiographical memory evoked by the odor of alcohol. Thereafter, the participants were asked to complete questionnaires to measure their autobiographical memory and mental health. The results revealed that participants without problematic drinking behaviors recalled more positive memories and exhibited better mental health than those with such behaviors. These results suggest that mental health may be enhanced by positive memory recall among problem drinkers. Clarifying how mental and physical health problems and well-being are specifically related to positive and negative memories among problem drinkers is important.