For people with high social anxiety, drinking alcohol is a way of coping with anxiety. They claim that alcohol is sufficiently effective in reducing the severity of their anxiety - enough that they are able to cope with social situations.

In the study conducted, people with social anxiety were significantly more likely than the control group to admit that they use alcohol to feel more confident in social situations and that they avoid these situations if alcohol is not available. They were more likely than the control group to appreciate the effectiveness of alcohol in relieving anxiety. Analyses indicate that these individuals use alcohol especially to cope with interpersonal interactions.

A study conducted on a group of 46 people (including 23 with severe social anxiety).