Dating and drinking go hand in hand. Going for a couple of frosty ones is many peoples' favourite first date - it's casual, the lighting is good, and there's just the right amount of social lubrication in the form of alcohol. However, worrying new research shows that we could be overly dependent on alcohol and the idea of "dutch courage" when it comes to dating and sex. A survey conducted by dating website Match found that the average date involves three alcoholic beverages for dutch courage. This doesn't seem too steep, however the survey also found that 52 per cent of people would not have the confidence to approach someone or have sex with someone for the first time without alcohol. Thirty-eight per cent of respondents admitted they wouldn't feel comfortable getting naked without alcohol, and 42 per cent revealed that their last sexual encounter involved boozing. The research revealed that 58 per cent of dates involve alcohol while one in eleven drink on every occasion. Dating psychologist Madeleine Mason said: "The feeling of fear and anxiety usually lies behind the lack of confidence people are experiencing, which from a physiological perspective is an activation of the nervous system. "Breathing and heartbeat speeds up creating a form of arousal. The impulse is to calm the nervous system down by consuming alcohol. "The solution is simple really: reframe the anxiety to excitement. If you think about it, excitement has the exact same physiological response as anxiety. "When you are excited your heart beast faster, you get flustered. What if you are excited about your date and not anxious?" Might be worth a shot... just not tequila.