Many who are not working said boredom has taken its toll on them, and it is one of the many reasons they drink alcohol.
According to ScienceDaily, “The full impact of Covid-19 on alcohol use is not yet known, but rates have been rising during the first few months of the pandemic.” This should not be surprising. “Alcohol consumption is a common coping response to stress, and historically, it has increased in the United States following catastrophic events, such as terrorist attacks and large-scale natural disasters.”
However, because the Covid-19 pandemic is “longer lasting and more extensive than previous traumatic events — with widespread social disruption and isolation, limited social support and access to medical care, and negative domestic and global economic impacts — it could have an even greater effect on population-wide alcohol use.”
Experts at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts recommend public health messages about “managing stress and anxiety without using alcohol, drinking within safe limits during physical distancing and social isolation, and knowing when an individual ought to be concerned about themselves or someone else.”
The experts also call “for greater efforts to screen for alcohol use disorders during primary care visits and to provide treatments for individuals at risk for relapse or exacerbation of heavy drinking. Telehealth services that use mobile and online programs may help provide access to such care.”
If you think you’ve been drinking more these days, maybe it’s time to seek help.
