Increase in Alcohol Intake Concerns UW Health Dietitians

COVID-19 sees rise in problematic trends according to University of Wisconsin (UW)

As reported by WMTV-15, UW Health Dietitians are seeing a concerning rise in two trends during COVID-19: an increase in eating and alcohol intake.  At the University of Wisconsin, health experts are seeing that too many people are curing boredom by eating or looking to alleviate stress and anxiety with alcohol. These trends can lead to long-term health problems and can “increase the risk of complications with chronic diseases, sleep, and stress.”

UW health experts suggest trying to establish healthy coping strategies, finding other ways to cope with stress and anxiety during these difficult times. As the article notes, alcohol sales were up 55 percent at the end of March and have continued throughout the pandemic and lockdowns.

Hopefully, as quarantine restrictions ease throughout the country and life begins to return to some semblance of normalcy, some of these trends will retreat as well. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can result in life-threatening health conditions or even death. It is vital to limit alcohol intake and seek treatment immediately if you are developing an unhealthy relationship or dependency. Many state and local governments are offering free counseling and mental health guidance during the Coronavirus outbreak. There are many tactics to learning to cope with stress and anxiety that can keep you away from dangerous habits.

California offers a number of hotlines for those that may need to talk to someone including:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 800-273-8255

Disaster Distress Helpline – 800-985-5990, you can also text TalkWithUs to 66746

Crisis Text Line – text HOME to 741741

California Peer-Run Warm Line – 855-845-7415