A lockdown on alcoholism

THIS year has been trying for most, to say the least, and in times of stress, sadness, anxiety and also boredom many of us are tempted to turn to alcohol.

Since March I think its safe to say, drinking at home has increased considerably. Alcoholchange UK claims that they saw a 242 per cent rise in visits to the advice and support pages on their website between 23 March and 23 June compared to the same period in 2019, suggesting that not everyone has felt comfortable with their drinking during lockdown, and many have needed help.

In a survey of 2000 people, one in five (19 per cent) of those surveyed have drunk alcohol as a way to handle stress or anxiety during lockdown. Parents of under 18s were more likely to say that they had done so (30 per cent) than non-parents (17 per cent) and parents of adult children (11 per cent). Of those who drank more heavily during lockdown (nine plus units on each drinking day), 40 per cent had drunk as a response to stress or anxiety.

Many of us created ‘virtual pubs’ as we tried to socialise with friends on zoom calls but Research shows that not drinking when others are, can come with negative consequences such as the judgement of others, feelings of missing out and social exclusion.

Some have gone the opposite way though and have used lockdown to cut back. A considerable number of current and former drinkers (7 per cent) stopped drinking completely during lockdown, that would equate to over three million people across the UK. This was surprisingly among younger people, with 11 per cent of 18-34 year-olds saying they have stopped drinking during lockdown.

This year as Christmas approaches if you think you are already struggling with alcohol consumption since lockdown, perhaps now is the time to speak to someone.

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