Pandemic Stress and Alcohol

Alcohol-related Deaths Increase Among Women, Causing Worry During Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every person on the planet. The ongoing health crisis caused fears of sickness, hospitalization, and death. Shutdowns and economic uncertainties have led to fears about a person’s future financial stability.

Headlines confirm that more women have had to leave the workforce as the pandemic creates a third crisis in childcare. Schools throughout the country have shuttered or opened on a hybrid schedule in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus. All of this has left an unfathomable burden on parents, and disproportionately women.

Increase in Alcohol-Related Deaths Causes Concern

As reported by NBC News, “alcohol-related deaths are on the rise in the U.S.” A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that alcohol-related deaths increased by 43 percent from 2006 to 2018.

According to the study, women were more impacted by the change than men. While the study did not point to a specific cause, the article notes that the increase “coincided with an economic recession.”

Then and Now

Similarities between that time period and now have some concerned that the increase in alcohol-related deaths will only continue, if not get substantially worse. At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a demonstrable increase in alcohol use. The article notes that certain factors exacerbated by the pandemic may add an additional stress.

  • Social isolation
  • Employment insecurity
  • Household demands
  • Childcare uncertainty

Researchers worry that women (and men) may use alcohol to cope with these stressors. Excessive alcohol use can have devastating consequences including an increase in mortality. If you believe that you have an addiction or reliance on alcohol, there are options for treatment.

Stress caused by the pandemic can be crushing but using alcohol as a coping mechanism can be dangerous to yourself and others.