The Covid-19 pandemic took the world by storm in 2019, with the first reports of the outbreak originating from Wuhan, China on the 31st December, 19. To date, it is estimated that the virus has taken the lives of some 6.1-million people worldwide – with many more lives left in ruin. It’s not just the direct deaths to take into consideration, but the economic blowback coupled with a myriad of other issues that stemmed from this pandemic.
One such way in which lives were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic is alcohol misuse. This is something that increased significantly during the pandemic. But why?
The Covid-19 pandemic drove countless people into lock-down
One of the most notable ways in which lives were affected by the pandemic were the lock-downs that were enforced by a number of countries across the world. In an effort to control the rate at which the virus was spreading, governments urged their constituents to isolate themselves from others by staying in their homes for an extended period of time – the longest of which was in Melbourne, Australia, where residents had to spend 260-days under strict conditions.
Was it just that people needed something to do? Or are their deeper issues at play?
Those with otherwise active lifestyles were forced to disrupt their natural routines and spend all of their days indoors, save for the occasional grocery shopping trip. Of course, there’s only so much Netflix you can watch which is why many people relied on alcohol as a crutch to get them through their lock-downs. For other people however, alcohol misuse wasn’t a symptom of boredom, but a result of deeper psychological issues.
While many people had their families, partners, or house-mates to spend lock-down with, for everyone else it meant that they had to isolate by themselves. This is something that can have a terribly negative effect on our mental health and general well-being.
Put it this way: what’s the worst punishment for prison inmates who misbehave? They put them in isolation for an extended period of time. People need to be around people and this one of the reasons why many turned to alcohol during lock-down – because they felt depressed and alone.
Those who previously used alcohol as a coping mechanism were at the biggest risk of alcohol misuse during Covid-19
Since people started going into lock-down, particularly in the UK, alcohol-related deaths rose by 16% in the first year. Those who had previously relied upon drinking alcohol as a coping mechanism were at the biggest risk of misusing alcohol even further during lock-down. As such, interest in alcohol detox and detoxification has increased significantly with many people wanting to cleanse themselves.
Some people who hadn’t previously suffered with alcohol addiction were able to shrug off their increased usage and get back to their normal lifestyles. However, for others, pursuing alcohol detox and detoxification alone is something that can be incredibly dangerous – particularly if a physical dependency has been developed.
The takeaway
Understand there is nothing to be ashamed of. The rise in alcohol abuse was something that has affected a great many people. It isn’t a fault of character, but a result of a terrible global pandemic that has caused an awful lot of stress and disruption in all of our lives.
If you or someone that you know has been struggling with alcohol addiction – particularly during lock-down – visit https://www.rehabtoday.com/alcohol-detox/ for more information on how to proceed.
You are not alone.
