Nobody likes breaking up, but sometimes it’s for the best. Breakups is something that everyone experiences in their lifetime. However, no matter how many breakups you experience, they never seem to get easier, especially when you have a lot of time invested. There’s a popular saying that says “some people come into your life for a season or a lifetime”. This saying doesn’t just apply to romantic relationships, it can include friendships and relationships with certain habits, like the relationships that women develop with alcohol. Often times women identify alcohol as more than a seasonal friend, even though it’s a relationship that should’ve never began. Many women are introduced to alcohol at a young age, which makes it even harder to cut ties. According the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) by age 15, about 29.8 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink. Research shows that people who start drinking before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.

After reading the book, “Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol” by Ann Dowsett Johnston, I noticed that many women who struggled with alcoholism started in their early teens. Another common theme that I noticed was that many women were using alcohol to cope with depression, anxiety, and abuse brought on by childhood trauma. Mental health seems to be a common underlying factor that encourages women to turn to alcohol. This isn’t surprising given that research shows that women drink for more negative reinforcement, meaning that they drink to remove or block out an adverse experience. For example, 1 in 4 girls experience sexual abuse in childhood. Women who endure sexual abuse as a child may not know how to express their feelings or may not feel safe enough to do so. Therefore, they turn to alcohol, drugs, or other risky behaviors to block out the experience and numb the pain.  In addition to childhood trauma the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says that depression is more common among women than men, likely due to certain biological, hormonal, and social factors that are unique to women. Some of the physical and hormonal changes that impact women’s mental health include, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), perinatal depression (depression during pregnancy), postpartum depression (depression after the baby is born), and perimenopause (the transition into menopause). Whether it’s an adverse childhood experience or a physical or hormonal change, many women have a hard time dealing with these experiences and may resort to unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol.

So what’s the solution? As of right now there is no perfect solution; however, there are things that can be done to help mitigate the increase in alcohol consumption among women. For starters we need to know our audience or what populations are most vulnerable to alcohol abuse. Of course, women are the main concern; however, we need to dig deeper and find out if there are specific age groups, races, or demographic areas that should be targeted more strongly than others. This doesn’t mean all women won’t be targeted; however, this will guide interventions and messaging for specific populations.

 As stated in the beginning, breakups are hard and they can sometimes be messy. Have you ever had a friend who was dating someone that just wasn’t good for them? And no matter how much you warned them, they continued the relationship anyway? Well the relationship between women and alcohol can be similar. In order for women to cut ties with this toxic substance, they have to understand and see for themselves that this relationship is no good for them. Therefore, education and awareness is key. There needs to be stronger messaging about the adverse effects of alcohol use among women. According to NIAAA, women who regularly misuse alcohol increase their chances of developing liver damage, heart disease, brain damage, and breast cancer. Although, the adverse effects of alcohol are talked about, it’s not being pushed with the same level of urgency like tobacco or opioids; however, the effects of alcohol are just as severe. In addition, It’s important to note that alcohol companies and spend millions of dollars on marketing. In the first quarter of 2016 alone, alcohol companies spent $421 million dollars on advertising. Although, public health may not have enough money to compete with the marketing of alcohol companies, it’s important that we leverage our partnerships and think creatively about how we can implement stronger messaging that effective and will influence women to think differently about consuming alcohol.

Mental Health is an underlying risk factor for alcohol misuse and a growing issue in our society. Therefore, implementing strategies to support women and adolescent girls in coping with adverse childhood experiences and physical/ hormonal changes could deter women from turning to alcohol. One example of how this can be done is to normalize the incorporation of mental health check-ups. Just like we go to the doctor every year to check on our physical health or visit the dentist twice a year to check on our oral health, we should also see therapist or psychologist to check on our mental health. Mental health check ups could help psychologist address mental health concerns early on opposed to when it’s too late. It could also help adolescent girls and women learn healthy and effective ways to deal with stress, depression, anxiety, etc. without resorting to alcohol use.

As you can see breaking up with alcohol, is not as easy as it seems. Behavior change is not an easy task, especially when you have to change someone’s way of thinking. Alcohol use is a normalized part of our culture that has become embedded in everything we do. We use alcohol during celebrations, when we’re sad, when we’re having a girls night out, when we’re stressed and so much more. We even have holidays that celebrate and encourage alcohol use, such as Cinco De Mayo, National Wine Day, National Tequila Day etc. A lot of work has to be done in order to change people’s mindset. Therefore, it’s important to note that the relationship between women and alcohol won’t end overnight; however, with persistence and time we can make strides in decreasing alcohol consumption among women through research, education, policies, and effective evidence-based interventions.

References

An American Addiction Center’s Resource. (2020, April 27). Rules & Regulations About Marketing Alcohol. Retrieved from An American Addiction Center’s Resource: https://www.alcohol.org/laws/marketing-to-the-public/

Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention. (2020, May 1). Sexual Violence is Preventable. Retrieved from Injury Prevention and Control: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/sexual-violence/index.html

National Institute for Mental Health. (2020, May). Depression in Women: 5 Things You Should Know. Retrieved from National Institute for Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-in-women/index.shtml

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2018, January 9). Alcohol and the Female Brain Video Bank. Retrieved from National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-and-female-brain-presented-niaaa-director-dr-george-f-koob

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2019, December). Women and Alcohol. Retrieved from National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/women-and-alcohol

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2020, January). Underage Drinking. Retrieved from National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/underage-drinking

Source: enterphoto

Where does the root of drinking stem from?

This is a question that leads to many answers. One thing research tells us, is that women with alcohol use disorders may use drinking as a way to cope with unresolved trauma. Emotional trauma and psychological trauma result from extremely stressful events. Left unresolved, trauma can leave women with feelings of isolation and overwhelming anxieties. These feelings can have long-lasting effects which can be severe and carry into adulthood. There are a number of types of trauma, though this post will just touch on a few [1].

Source: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/trauma

Women who are exposed to interpersonal traumatic events have a greater chance of alcohol-related consequences. Similarly, those who meet the conditions for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more likely to engage in heavy episodes of drinking. Studies show that women may use alcohol to cope with psychological distress and negative affect. These women have expressed symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder [2]. Though women may use them to cope with feelings of distress, it is important to note that alcohol consumption or the use of other substances can increase the symptoms of depression and anxiety and actually worsen trauma symptoms [1].

Other sources of trauma that may increase alcohol use include, physical and emotional neglect, physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse and childhood trauma. More often than men, women tend to self-medicate or self-soothe with alcohol as a way to alleviate or escape memories and thoughts that are upsetting [3].

Will the COVID-19 Pandemic lead to more unresolved trauma and more drinking?

Source: Photo (c) kieferpix – Getty Images

Certainly we will have to wait for the data to come in before we can assess the actual results of how the pandemic has hurt those with alcohol use disorders. But with what we know about traumatic events we can make some predictions and recommendations. We know alcohol use among women is increasing. We also know that the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our economy and in some ways led us into a recession. Women are facing numerous burdens. During a time of uncertainty, women may be worried about employment or unemployment, housing, family safety and security, childcare, bills, food, finances, and a number of other stressors. With no one to talk to about how they are feeling, women who drink are at an increased risk of coping in unhealthy ways thus increasing their stress, anxiety, depression [4].

How do we help women cope without the alcohol?

Source: https://www.expatclic.com/expatlang/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Support2.jpg

It is important to acknowledge the burden and level of stress women are facing. While this pandemic may not be traumatic for some, others have experienced life-changing stressors, and we are still in the midst of it. It is important to share and talk about our experiences candidly. That may be with trusted family and friends, or with licensed professionals. During this time, many organizations are offering free and low cost virtual treatment options, there are online support groups and more. It is just a matter of a google search [4,5].

Without checking in with ourselves and the women in our lives, we may not resolve our traumas and begin the healing process. This can be done without alcohol. After all, when the intoxication from several glasses of wine wears off, the trauma is still there. It is time to find a permanent solution!

References

1. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/coping-with-emotional-and-psychological-trauma.htm
2. Kaysen, D., Dillworth, T. M., Simpson, T., Waldrop, A., Larimer, M. E., & Resick, P. A. (2007). Domestic violence and alcohol use: Trauma-related symptoms and motives for drinking. Addictive behaviors, 32(6), 1272-1283.
3. Frohe, T., Leeman, R. F., Cheong, J., Belton, D. A., & Patock-Peckham, J. A. (2020). Novel Associations Among Trauma, Mindfulness, and Impaired Control Over Alcohol Use. Mindfulness, 11(3), 606-614.
4. https://www.alcohol.org/resources/coronavirus-and-alcoholism/
5. https://www.alcohol.org/rehab-centers/free/

My blog post follows the approach of our book, Drink by author Ann Dowsett-Johhnston. That is to say that I intend it to be a combination of personal reflection and themes that I distilled from an analysis of recent news articles – specifically ones published about alcohol this year in the New York Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. During the first two months of 2020, Covid was regarded as a Chinese problem – not something for US residents to worry about. Despite that belief, it quickly became personal for me – although not in a way that implies contagion and illness.

First of all, I had spent 3 weeks traveling in China during mid-to-late November 2019, as a result of a grant I received from the Chinese government to cover my travel funding to start some research projects and give talks at a few Chinese universities. I had been studying Chinese language off-and-on for nearly 15 years and also doing research with Chinese colleagues and teaching as a Visiting Professor in China for a decade, mostly in Wuhan – that’s right, the epicenter of the Covid virus. I began teaching in 2009 at a university in Wuhan (Huazhong University of Science & Technology), and 2019 represented my fifth visit to Wuhan. In fact, Wuhan was one of five cities that I visited during my nearly 3-week trip, and it was there I spent Thanksgiving a few months ago. Based on the initial accounts of when the Covid virus appeared, the virus had not yet started when I was there in late November. But newer data suggests otherwise – that the Covid virus was likely already present in Wuhan at the time but not yet an epidemic. 

The second reason that it became personal was that, in early March 2020, I heard about the first deaths of US residents – what they labeled as “community transmission” – at a long-term care facility linked to Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, a suburb of Seattle, just across narrow Lake Washington from Seattle. I had lived in Kirkland during my high school years over 45 years ago, and Evergreen Hospital was our local, hospital newly-built at the time. These initial deaths were the first ones without any obvious link to travelers from China – so, indeed community transmission. So, Covid situation had some personal links already.

During mid-March, I traveled to south Florida for my “Spring Break” from Georgia Tech. While I was mostly in Miami Beach (southeast corner of Florida), it was at the other corner, southwest Florida, where my story continues.  I spent a few days with my brother, who lives on the border of North Naples and Bonita Beach starting on St. Patrick’s Day. By that date (March 17^th), the TV news was already full of Covid reports. Many school districts and universities throughout the country had announced their closings. Even as Georgia Tech started its spring break, it seemed fairly certain that we would not be returning to campus anytime soon. Even in the balmy paradise of sun and beaches in south Florida, the virus was being taken seriously. Local bars had closed the night before (March 16^th). In Florida, all closures were on a county-by-county basis. Unlike some states, which made closure decisions by the Governor, at the state level, things were done regionally, by county, in Florida. I rationalized that such localism made sense in certain states – especially ones that are mostly rural, but which have a few big cities or, in this case, huge concentrations of tourists along the coasts, but which are less-densely populated inland and elsewhere.

From my perspective that, week in southwest Florida, it meant there would be no more alcohol served in Lee County bars from then on; however, at that time, restaurants, gyms, beaches, and swimming pools were still open. As we all know, everything would abruptly change in a few days.

On that St. Patrick’s evening, my brother first announced that his wife’s family from Albany (New York) would be joining us for dinner, but then said that he canceled dinner reservations because the restaurants were too crowded. It would be safer for us to have take-out pizza at home. A smart move! But after dinner, we walked to a nearby bar (“Docs Beach House”) for a drink and a view of sunset. Docs was packed – after all, it was St. Patrick’s Day! The outdoor tables on the narrow sand beach were full of people, but we managed to secure a table for our group of six people.

Given the beautiful sunset and the festivity of St. Patrick’s Day, many people were taking photos of sunset.  One well-dressed middle-aged couple with teenaged kids, who were celebrating their anniversary, asked us to take a photo of them with the sunset. My brother’s wife readily accepted their cellphone in order to take their photo and then passed the camera back to them. Something about the whole situation felt wrong! While our group of six people was at least six feet away from other picnic tables and their occupants, the beach scene was really festive – not what we have since come to expect as appriate “social distancing.”  And why was this bar with all its revelers even open – after all, the bars in this county had been closed since the day before – right?  Oh yeah, this place was a restaurant, too, even if that just meant that it served food in another building 40 feet away.  That meant that we were able to order bar drinks on sit at outdoor tables on the beach.  As we walked back to my brother’s house, we commented on the smaller-than-usual number of cars parked in front another waterside restaurant, Coconut Jack’s.  I wouldn’t want to sit at one of those restaurant tables if another patron was contaminated. It seemed that the conflicting signals were all around.

A bar could operate and serve drinks to milling customers, as long as they had a restaurant on the same property. Business was down, but restaurants were still open. Upon returning to my brother’s house, the other family members left, and I announced that I was going out for a drive to buy – what else – some alcohol.  I found a nearby liquor store in Bonita Beach and, as I was leaving, I asked the cashier (who was likely the owner) “How busy have you been today?” He responded that sales were way up that day – just one day after the bar ban went into effect. Already, this was evidence that, if bars were closed, then people were taking care to purchase their alcohol in other ways.  And that was just Day 1 of the new regime.

My next few days in southwest Florida were interesting with regard to recognizing the county-specificity of the closures. My brother’s condo was on the border of Bonita Beach (Lee County) and North Naples (Collier County), which both ended up closing their beaches, but on sequential days. This meant that I was able to bike to one beach, Barefoot Beach in North Naples – basically across the street – to be present for its last day of operation on Wednesday, March 18^th  and then do the same the following day at a Lee County beach. The only difference was that, on Thursday, my brother and I drove to a much longer (2 miles long), crowded beach in Ft. Myers Beach. We did a really long walk up-and-back along the white sand. As we returned to our claimed spot at 4 p.m., we noticed a jeep packed with (what seemd to be) Army SWAT team soldiers driving down the beach. We were within just 3 hours of a historic closing of this huge, 2-mile Ft. Myers Beach. We discussed what we saw and both assumed that the “soldiers” (who were really just local police who liked to dress up) were getting into position at the end of the beach in time for the 7 pm closure.

I drove back to Miami Beach the next day to find that similar county-ordered closings had occurred there as well. By Saturday, not only bars, but also beaches, restaurants, libraries, and museums were all closed.  Not only were there now far fewer things to do in Miami Beach now, but all my routine sources of wi-fi for my laptop were now discontinued.  I could survive a few final days of spring break with no beaches or restaurants, but no wi-fi for my laptop? That’s a much more serious problem!

In my first days after returning  back to Atlanta the fourth week of March, I began seeing news articles saying that both alcohol sales and also marijuana sales were way up (www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-weed-marijuana.html?searchResultPosition=23), and the sources I read stated that women were the biggest growth market. As I read such articles about increased substance purchases by women, I wondered whether the data were just anecdotal or whether anyone was officially tracking these changes in sales patterns. One sentence from the article I read March 24^th said “Women and young people (Generation Z) accounted for much of the sales growth, according to Headset” – which is a cannabis market research company.

Now that two months have passed and I am writing this blog about women and alcohol during times of Covid, I fondly recall those early stories – which doesn’t necessarily mean that I can find them again via online searches. While I enjoy reading two newspapers on a daily basis (the New York Times and the AJC), that doesn’t necessarily mean that I can even locate the exact same articles online, even after I know I read them in the print edition. (I believe the AJC has a notoriously awful search feature). So, rather than quote those early articles about women’s increasing use of alcohol and other substances to help them with “sheltering in place,” I decided to search for articles in both outlets containing the word “alcohol” – and then do an informal analysis of what fraction of articles specifically focus on women or on Covid. I soon learned that, just because these articles were published during the time of Covid, and our new sheltering in place regime, that does not necessarily mean that all articles about alcohol address Covid concerns.

I first searched the New York Times – finding 11 articles about alcohol since January 1^st.  Of course, I did not expect those published during January or February to focus on Covid, since the virus was still considered a Chinese-only problem at that time. What amazed me about the 11 article I found were variations in the length of the articles. The two longest articles by far – in terms of number of words – were ones about celebrities:  Ben Affleck and Jessica Simpson, both of whom have struggled with alcohol addiction. I found the Ben Affleck one a better read, in part, because it previews an upcoming film in which Ben plays an alcoholic coach ( www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/movies/ben-affleck.html?searchResultPosition=13). It also describes Ben’s struggles with alcoholism, as well as similar struggles by his brother Casey (also an actor), his father, and various other family members. So, the genetic factor is clearly present in Ben’s life – a theme that also appears in Ann Dosett’s Johnston’s book. The companion article about Jessica Simpson was nearly as long, but less interesting, in my opinion (www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/style/jessica-simpson-memoir-alcohol-addiction.html?searchResultPosition=15). I like it when celebrities “come clean” about their struggles with addiction; however, it does help if they have real talent, however, and not just MTV celebrity. Then again, I admit there is huge value in celebrities – even Jessica Simpson – discussing their struggle with alcohol addiction, as it provides positive encouragement for their fans and other readers to seek help.

After reading those two celebrity profiles, I found a unique  Times piece that’s a series of graphics by artist Joe Maccarone, with some reflections about the challenges of being in recovery during Covid isolation (www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/opinion/sunday/op-art-recovery-in-isolation.html?searchResultPosition=5).

I analyzed the remainder of the articles for their degree of focus on women and the same with regard to Covid. Of the remaining 8 articles about alcohol published in the New York Times this year, just one dealt with both women and Covid.  This article by Corinne Purtill (titled: “Quarantini Anyone? When Everyday Drinking Becomes a Problem”) (www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/us/30IHW-drinking-women-coronavirus-quarantine-habit.html?searchResultPosition=2), discusses the challnenge of women drinking during the Covid situation and describes a recent book by Kristi Coulter with the title, Nothing Good Can Come From This. The latter 2018 books deals with the author’s experience with alcohol addiction.

Of the others, 4 dealt with alcohol amidst the Covid epidemic (but not mentioning women specifically); 2 dealt with women and alcohol (but not Covid), and one dealt with neither. All were fascinating reads!  One focused on drinking and violence in Russia during the epidemic (www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/world/europe/russia-coronavirus-alcoholism.html?searchResultPosition=4), while several others dealt with people who are in alcohol recovery trying to go it alone in the absence of AA meetings – with titles like “Staying Sober During a Lockdown” (www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/nyregion/coronavirus-alcoholics-anonymous-online.html?searchResultPosition=6) and “With Meetings Banned, Millions Struggle to Stay Sober on Their Own” (www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/health/coronavirus-alcoholics-drugs-online.html?searchResultPosition=8). I guess that Joe Maccarone’s art graphics, above, also belonged to that category.

The ones dealing with women and alcohol, but not Covid, were all fascinating. One from January, analyzed recent medical studies on the dangers of alcohol to women – echoing what we have read in Ann Dowsett Johnston’s book, Drink (www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/health/alcohol-deaths-women.html?searchResultPosition=17) and (www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/sunday-review/alcohol-drinking-problem.html?searchResultPosition=14).

The one article that dealt with neither Covid nor women, summarized a recent article that meta-analyzed 27 studies showing that A.A.’s approach to treating alcohol dependency is more effective than other treatments (www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/upshot/alcoholics-anonymous-new-evidence.html?searchResultPosition=11).

Probably the strangest article in the whole bunch was one about the challenges of drinking bottles of wine alone – when they are intended to be shared.  With the catchy title of “Wine Is for Sharing: What Does That Mean in Self-Quarantine?,” at first, I thought the author was discouraging readers from drinking an entire bottle on their own, but I was wrong. The author took no such position either way. In my humble opinion, I thought that this article failed to make a clear point (www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/dining/drinks/drinking-alone.html?searchResultPosition=9). This article is an opinion piece, but even so, I was surprised that the New York Times published it.  In another course, I had recently been required to write a New York Times-style opinion piece type article, and after reading thr paper’s rules for writing such pieces, combined with how choosy they were about deciding which ones to publish, I was surprised they published this one, because the writer seemed to lack a clear point. Perhaps that is explained by the question mark after the title: “Wine Is for Sharing: What Does That Mean in Self-Quarantine?”

I performed similar searches on the topic of alcohol in the Atlanta Journal Constitutition.  I am surprised at the paucity of articles about women and alcohol in the AJC, especially because I know that the paper has carried many stories about the stress of working from home, challenges of involuntarily home-schooling children, and how people are trying to survive the new regime. None of the articles I found about alcohol in the AJC deal with women.  There were, however, many articles examining how alcohol sales had increased in Georgia (www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/georgians-stock-alcohol-residents-stay-home-face-virus/CunpBv3qb9xJIqrSmFTCJK/), and also the consumer pressure on restaurants doing take-out and delivery to include alcohol with food, which apparently required a change in laws (www.ajc.com/news/local/demand-for-alcohol-delivery-georgia-highlighted-coronavirus/D4IJePNLDUVCzQsOxHe93K).

Two articles warned readers of the dangers of drinking alcohol during the Covid crisis (www.ajc.com/news/health-med-fit-science/why-who-says-you-should-avoid-alcohol-during-pandemic/ZF533ab97paoRYO30Lo4PM/) and also (www.ajc.com/news/local/alcohol-consumption-may-increase-odds-getting-covid-says-who/PfesOxuCShOtjb3nyiizhI/), but another one alerted readers to “Drink Trends to Watch for in 2020” – OK, so that last one was published in late January, many weeks before we started to take Covid seriously (https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-restaurants/industry-experts-weigh-the-drink-trends-watch-2020/xdFo2TB4qXJ7JCu6Wm3q5L/). While there were no articles about women and alcohol, there was a fascinating piece about a successful restaurateur, Steve Palmer, creator of a many Atlanta restaurants, who shared his struggles with alcoholism. He described alchol dependence as “the dirty secret” of the restaurant industry (www.ajc.com/entertainment/dining/restaurateur-steve-palmer-shares-struggle-with-sobriety-new-memoir/3AaXLS8iNMkUIqHHMFgx2I/).

I found several articles each about an alcohol distillery in Lillburn (Georgia) switching its production over to make hand sanitizer, as well as about a small town called Cleveland in the north Georgia mountains that people are calling “Nappalachia” – apparently a reference to its wines and restaurants. The article about the distillery producing hand sanitizer was preceding by a month with an article saying that the US federal laws porhibit such repurposing (i.e., it is illegal to take ethanol originally intended for drinking to instead use it as an ingredient to produce hand sanitizer) – which sounds crazy – so it’s good that they finally relented and changed the law (www.ajc.com/news/local/gwinnett-distillery-making-hand-sanitizer-for-neighbors-police/mrdmKdjJreAYEcuhIKfPnL/).

In comparing what I found in the New York Times to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, I was urprised that none of the articles I found in the AJC focused on issues about women’s drinking – given all the attention paid to this topic in the Times in recent months.  Among the latter, I count one fall 2019 article about the severity of women’s alcoholism, which I did not mention, above, because it appeared in the Times 10 weeks before the start of 2020. That article, titled, “How Drinking Less Solved a Lot of Problems,” discussed the problem of women’s alcohol abuse and how it has increased in recent years, similar to the data presented in Drink (www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/well/eat/drinking-alcohol-women-psychology-health.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article).

It would be interesting to revisit that liquor store in Bonita Beach (Florida) where I shopped and queried the cashier/owner on March 17^th to find out how business has grown – and from whom – since nine weeks ago.

We all know that being stressed can lead to stress drinking. We also all know that being bored can lead to bored drinking. Now, we have come to know that being in quarantine, can lead to quarantine drinking, with a mixture of both boredom and stress. What a combination!  According to the WHO, there were many myths floating around when the coronavirus pandemic began of which stated things such as “Consuming alcohol destroys the virus that causes COVID-19.”, and “Drinking strong alcohol kills the virus in the inhaled air.”, and “Alcohol stimulates immunity and resistance to the virus.” All of these assumptions are by far not true, however, these have led to an increase in drinking habits due to people believing these myths, as well as mixing it with boredom, stress, panic and uncertainty about the pandemic. Studies have also shown that alcohol and coronavirus are not such a good mix after all and should definitely be kept separate.[2,4]

With the number of locations in the world that have been put under lock-down, with uncertain periods of quarantine, alcohol has been a choice of a lack of other activities to keep us busy. Alcohol is not necessarily a part of our daily diets and should not be a priority on our shopping lists. It is important to be able to understand that alcohol poses risks to our health and safety, especially as women, and so as a general public alcohol should therefore be avoided during long periods of isolation. Alcohol should not be made a part of people’s daily regimen to consume alcohol. It is 5 o’clock somewhere, but after long days of being stuck in the house, try to make a smoothie or other healthy drinking options for a yummy substitute, as well as being able to consume some nutrients for the day. 

According to alcohol distributors there was a reported 50% increase in the sales of alcohol in one week in March compared to the same week last year in 2019.[3] Another surprising fact is that there has been an overwhelmingly 300% increase in alcohol for month of March compared to previous months.[3] This is potentially dangerous when considering that since we have been in an indeterminable lock-down for weeks, in a nation where most people do not have such downtime, even when on vacation, this could cause drinking problems, especially in women who turn that one glass of wine into two, to three, to four, and then multiply that amount times multiple days of the week. With anxiety and stress about the pandemic and job loss all around us, it can be natural for people to want to pour a drink and curb their feelings about what is going on. With alcohol in the mix, it can have an affect on people’s decision making, and even mess with one’s health of which is key to surviving this surge of coronavirus. Adding alcohol consumption during this time can surely exacerbate health vulnerabilities, risk-taking behavior, mental issues, and violence, of which there seems to be a surge of currently as well.[4]

Throughout this pandemic and being in quarantine, women have been dividing their days between coffee hours, taking care of kids, exercising, and alcohol hours. There have even been zoom “happy hours with the girls”, as well as partaking in happy hours that can be at almost any hour, and while there is a higher threshold of alcohol intake for men, women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently, so consuming a certain amount of alcohol would affect a women at a different rate, and her blood alcohol content would most definitely reflect that.[1] This can be dangerous in times like these in that drinking a couple of drinks could relieve the stress and anxiety that we are under, but with women, it could become a real eye opener to how we can go through life and use alcohol to avoid and solve our problems.

When this pandemic is over, what kind of new drinking habits that may have been picked up in quarantine will ensue, and how will we be able to overcome that battle?

This article that told several personal accounts of women who are going through this pandemic and how they have (or have not) incorporated alcohol into their daily routine.

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/05/9806936/drinking-more-alcohol-coronavirus

References:

1. Purtill, C. (2020, April 30). Quarantini Anyone? When Everyday Drinking Becomes a Problem. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/us/30IHW-drinking-women-coronavirus-quarantine-habit.html
2. Reeves, M. (2020, April 6). Hold the “Quarantinis”: Alcohol and Novel Coronavirus Might Not Mix. Retrieved from https://www.globalhealthnow.org/2020-03/hold-quarantinis-alcohol-and-novel-coronavirus-might-not-mix
3. Stress Drinking: Alcohol Consumption Increases During COVID-19. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_p0xim6x3
4. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/437608/Alcohol-and-COVID-19-what-you-need-to-know.pdf

The Coronavirus recession has caused serious repercussions for economies across the world. In the U.S., this crisis has increased the unemployment rate. Although the economic crisis can cause several public health problems, issues related to alcohol consumption and misuse are among the most likely to occur (9). Although currently, there is not known a clear association between financial crisis and alcohol consumption, there is a theoretical rationale commonly referred to as the tension-reduction hypothesis (9). This hypothesis shows that people tend to increase their alcohol consumption after stressful experiences because alcohol is used as a means of relieving adverse emotions resulting from exposure to anxiety (9).

 Source: https://www.istockphoto.com/video/homeless-alcoholic-woman-drinking-wine-and-coughing-gm466720332-60679306

Therefore, in these stressful times of financial crisis, it is essential to study the impact on mental health to prevent alcohol use disorders in society. For this reason, and in order to raise awareness, the World Health Organization has mentioned continuously on different platforms regarding the effects of the pandemic, especially in the areas of mental health and substance abuse, as they can have severe long-term impacts.(1).

To assess the effects of the Coronavirus crisis on individuals, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) conducted a survey during the initial stage of the pandemic. In this survey, 72% of people said that the Coronavirus outbreak had altered their lives. It is interesting to see that women and parents are the groups that have seen the most interruptions in their lives, with percentages of around 74% and 73%, respectively  (3).

Source: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/report/kff-health-tracking-poll-early-april-2020/

Furthermore, the study shows that 45% of adults mentioned that the crisis had altered their mental health, and 19% of them indicated that the crisis had a significant impact on their mental health. According to the study, Hispanic, African American, and female adults have the highest percentages (3).

Source: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/report/kff-health-tracking-poll-early-april-2020/

The KFF survey also reveals that 57% of women with young children are more likely to report negative impacts on their mental health than 32% of their male counterparts (2). Besides, the KFF study mentions that 54% of those who have lost income or a job reported negative mental health impacts from anxiety about the coronavirus, compared to 40% of those without financial problems (2).

It is important to note that the pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the economic insecurity of women, as historically and currently, women have received much lower wages than men. In fact, the KFF study also shows that a much more significant proportion of women worry about unemployment and loss of income due to work interruption caused by the virus outbreak compared to men. This anxiety and worry in people may be deeply linked to other poll results showing that women are more economically affected than men, with 40% and 39%, respectively. These financial problems that women currently suffer can be essential factors for the exponentiation of mental issues and alcohol abuse, considering that women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than men (8).

Source : https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/report/kff-health-tracking-poll-early-april-2020/

Some reports have mentioned that alcohol sales have increased by nearly 30% more than normal levels during the pandemic (4). This increase in alcohol consumption goes hand in hand with the rise in the unemployment rate.

It is surprising to note that although people have less money to spend on alcohol due to lower wages or unemployment, they are likely to drink more to relieve the stress they feel.
Unfortunately, in times of crisis, the alcohol industry takes advantage of people vulnerable to financial and mental health problems by selling larger, cheaper drinks for people to consume large amounts of alcohol.

The IZEA Worldwide, Inc. report takes a closer look at the effects of quarantine on alcohol consumption for social media users. This report mentions and corroborates an increasing number of drinkers during the pandemic. It also shows that women have increased their wine consumption to a degree equal to the percentage of men (4).

Source:https://www.geekwire.com/2020/impact-covid-19-consumer-spending-booze-buying-video-games-travel-lodging-sink/

Source: https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/62e0b0b6-93bf-4eda-b801-e295409c50f1

These statistical findings show that the pandemic probably has long and short-term implications for alcohol consumption and mental health. If these trends continue, we may soon see a high prevalence of mental health and alcohol consumption problems, perpetuated by a post-pandemic economic recession.

 The government must provide more access to treatments for mental health disorders and alcohol consumption to avoid long-term problems, especially in times of economic crisis. Currently, it is necessary to focus more on strategies and programs to prevent and adequately treat alcohol addiction, mainly in minority groups and women who are the most economically and psychologically affected groups in this pandemic. It is important to recognize that prevention of mental health disorders and alcohol consumption will lead to savings in the cost of treatments.

Therefore, the creation in a post-pandemic era of new approaches to treatment and prevention programs in the area of ​​mental disorders and alcohol consumption is crucial, as this will eventually lead to increased employment, productivity, and social and personal well-being.

References:

1.-https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/14-05-2020-substantial-investment-needed-to-avert-mental-health-crisis

2.- https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/report/kff-health-tracking-poll-early-april-2020/

3.- https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/

4.- https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/62e0b0b6-93bf-4eda-b801-e295409c50f1

6.- https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/1975319/mod_resource/content/1/realist%20systematic%20review_Sophie%20project.pdf

7.- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/j.2051-5545.2012.tb00114.x

8.- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725

9.-https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/1975319/mod_resource/content/1/realist%20systematic%20review_Sophie%20project.pdf

The COVID-19 pandemic has induced more stress and anxiety than precedented. Honestly, I do not know of anyone who has not been affected mentally throughout this pandemic. There is worry, loneliness, and panic going through many people’s minds throughout the entire world. Unfortunately, others are suffering through grief as well.

The lack of responsibilities, increased time availability, plus the combination of stress all seem to make a perfect invitation for adults to drink more, and Americans have accepted the invitation well.

During the third week of March in 2020, alcohol sales were 55% higher than any week during 2019 in the United States, as gathered by data from Nielsen Holdings, an information and data firm, and reported by the Healio Primary Care System. Additionally, social distancing allowed online alcohol retailers to bask in orders – alcohol online retail business rose 243% by the end of March, once again reported by Nielsen. This is a concern when it comes to women drinking, considering that women typically have higher alcohol blood content compared to men who drink the same type of drinks and an equal amount of drinks, have the same height and weight. Additionally, women tend to drink more often for negative reinforcement, to reduce stress and relax.

Refinery29 interviewed 13 different women about their drinking habits during the pandemic. From reading all 13 responses, I found this one to be the most impactful:

“It is safe to say that alcohol consumption at our house is up, WAY up. And, if I’m really being honest, I’m not even sure why I’m drinking. I’ve never been one of those people who comes home after a long, hard day at work and pours themselves a glass to take the edge off. So why now? I will admit, sometimes playing the roles of employee, mom, wife, teacher, housekeeper, cook, and whatever else life seems to ask of us these days, drinking a glass of wine does seem to make things feel better. Maybe it allows this super type-A lady to relax and breathe. If I think about it, it’s one of the most ‘normal’ things we can do, given everything else that’s going on. It reminds me of better times — times with friends, times with family, and times when we weren’t worried about anything but having fun.” — Rebecca

10 out of the 13 women interviewed said they increased alcohol consumption during some point of the quarantine. For those 10 women, some common motivators for drinking seem to be to reduce stress, boredom, and for the feeling of socialization. Common stressors for many of the women seem to be the lack of separation of job and home responsibilities. They feel that they cannot juggle being employees, mothers, teachers for their children, and housekeepers all at once.

It was concerning how only 1 of the women was cognizant of how alcohol can exacerbate stress and anxiety. Additionally, many women had an inclination that they were drinking too much but excused it because of the pandemic. I know that 13 women are not representative of the entire female population of the United States. Still, I do believe that many women follow similar mentalities as the 13 interviewed.

Another striking discovery during my COVID-19 research was a warning released by the World Health Organization, where it was suggested that countries restrict alcohol access.  Additionally, the WHO. generated an information brochure about the dangers of alcohol consumption and addressed myths and rumors about alcohol as a preventative agent for infection with SARS-COV-2. Instead, the WHO emphasized on how alcohol can suppress the immune system.

One thing is clear: there is not enough information out there to know the reality of alcohol consumption and how it is affecting women. However, there is enough inclination to suggest that if a prolonged quarantine period occurs, the pandemic will exacerbate the narrowing gap of the amount of alcohol consumption between men and women.

For now, enjoy your quarantinis responsibly, and thank you for reading!

Imagine yourself as a working-class mom, being couped up into a house with 3 other children and a partner. It’s been a long day of working on a computer, laboring over a screen, scheduling meetings, and making video calls. Now, you have to make dinner for the family after being hunched over a computer and trying to keep your children distracted so that you can work.

Or imagine the opposite. You’ve been working all day with no one to talk to because you’re living in a one-bedroom apartment by yourself with a pet to keep you company.

What is the definition of alcohol abuse?

Either scenario, you have the strong urge to sit down, and make yourself a glass of wine to wind down or a fruity drink to liven your mood. It’s easy to fall into a habit that chews a bit more off than what we expect. Moderate drinking per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines moderate drinking where a, a woman can drink up to four drinks a week; for men, it’s five. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines eight drinks or more per week for women as “high risk” or “heavy” drinking.

So what leads women to get to that point? Easy. Women are more prone to stress than the male counterpart, which leads to greater stress in women with the social stigmas associated with being a woman. Those who are mothers will experience greater amounts of stress to be the perfect mother, being able to juggle work, house chores, and the new added responsibility of ensuring students are keeping up with the new home-school work.

What leads to alcohol abuse?

In 2019, reports of binge drinking among women were 12% reporting to have binged-drink 3 times a month, with an average of 5 drinks per binge. At least 2.5% of women have reported being dependent on alcohol in the same year. These numbers are expected to increase as long as stay-at-home orders continue for the year 2020.

Alcohol can be seen as an easy sedative that allows the body to feel relaxed and not to have to worry about being wound up with these responsibilities. The problem with alcohol consumption is that it can also impair your judgment, which can lead to an increased risk of conflict and domestic violence. It also leads to heightened symptoms of panic, anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders.

What to do if you think you are dependent?

So you’ve arrived at the end of the blog post and you think you been misusing alcohol? The best thing to do is to stop, say doctors. But, please seek help, especially if you are dependent on alcohol. 

Strategies for reducing alcohol use or to stop, are to think about the new environment we’re in. Allow yourself to readjust to this new environment. Also, try to reduce the amount you are drinking. Being able to reduce how much you drink shows that you aren’t dependent on alcohol. If you can’t, please seek out professional help that can guide you on how to make the adjustment. But, the worst thing to do is wait until it gets so bad that you can’t see an end.

References

1. “Stress Drinking: Alcohol Consumption Increases During COVID-19.” University of Utah Health, 23 Apr. 2020, healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_p0xim6x3.
2. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/437608/Alcohol-and-COVID-19-what-you-need-to-know.pdf?ua=1
3. “Women and Stress.” Cleveland Clinic, 13 Feb. 2019, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/5545-women-and-stress.
4. “Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Women’s Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Dec. 2019, www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/womens-health.htm.
5. Purtill, Corinne. “Quarantini Anyone? When Everyday Drinking Becomes a Problem.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 Apr. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/us/30IHW-drinking-women-coronavirus-quarantine-habit.html.
6. “Drinking Too Much Alcohol Can Harm Your Health. Learn the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Dec. 2019, www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm.

Alcohol sales rose to 55% in March[4] and 441% in April[1]. A lot of these sales have even shifted to online delivery with many purchases consisting of 1.75 mL of liquor and a box of wine [5]. What drives people to drink during this pandemic? Is it work stress? Financial stress? Fear? Depression? Anxiety? Boredom?

Source: https://stateways.com/2020/04/06/what-alcohol-consumers-are-buying-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

Whatever the case may be, it is important that women, especially, are aware of the health risks associated with alcohol. Alcohol resides in the water of the body. Though, women have less water in their bodies than men. So if they drink alcohol, they will have a higher blood alcohol concentration than a man of the same weight [6]. High blood alcohol concentration over time can result in other major health problems like a weakened immune system, liver damage, and heart disease [6]. These are all factors that can increase a person’s risk of contracting COVID-19 [2].

So what actions should you take, you may ask?

The CDC listed general ways to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19. This includes continuing your medication, having at least a 2 week supply of medications, talking to your healthcare provider about your vaccinations, and more [3]. They also listed actions for each condition or risk factor that could increase a person’s risk of getting COVID-19. The list includes conditions like asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, and more [3]. Though, reducing alcohol consumption would be the best first step for those with consistently high blood alcohol concentration levels. It’s prevention that targets the root of the issue. 

How are you utilizing this time at home? Are you drinking with a spouse or family member? Watching TV? Indulging in a glass of wine? Spending time on social media? Staying at home gives us more time to read about different topics and gain awareness about things that heavily affects us as women. Keep note of how you are spending most of your time. Things like watching tv, engaging in social media, and drinking are things that could cause more harm than good. Educate yourself and replace these bad habits with something positive. Keep in mind that alcohol misuse can result in major negative outcomes. During times like this, taking necessary precautions does not only help people reduce their risk of getting COVID-19, but it can also help individuals overcome this condition. So women let’s educate ourselves, get to know our bodies, and refrain from bad habits. No matter how hard life gets, stay positive and put yourself first!

References:

1. O’Malley, N. (2020, April 30). Report: Alcohol delivery app Drizly up 485% as pandemic sales surge. Retrieved from https://www.masslive.com/massforward/2020/04/alcohol-sales-surged-during-coronavirus-quarantine-as-much-as-441-in-april-report.html
2. Osbourne, N., & Monico, N. (2020, April 28). Coronavirus (COVID-19) & Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.alcohol.org/resources/coronavirus-and-alcoholism/
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020, May 14). People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-at-higher-risk.html
4. Polakovic, G. (2020, April 15). Pandemic drives alcohol sales – and raises concerns about substance abuse. Retrieved from https://news.usc.edu/168549/covid-19-alcohol-sales-abuse-stress-relapse-usc-experts/
5. Swartz, K. (2020, April 6). What Alcohol Consumers are Buying During the COVID-19 Crisis.   Retrieved from https://stateways.com/2020/04/06/what-alcohol-consumers-are-buying-during-the-covid-19-crisis/
6. Women and Alcohol. (2020, February 24). Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/women-and-alcohol

Alcohol use disorders are usually characterized by heavy alcohol use and loss of control over alcohol intake. People with an alcohol use disorder are at greater risk of COVID-19 not only because of the impact of alcohol on their health but also because they are more likely to experience homelessness or incarceration than other members of the population. Supportively, excessive chronic alcohol consumption reduces the body’s immunity and exposes the body to disease like COVID-19.

Drunk with filth

Following the ‘shelter in place order’ across the United States, one wonders the impact with regards to alcohol consumption. Reports have suggested an increased use among teenagers and adults as social media users are more likely to increase their alcohol use, finds new consumer research. Alcoholic beverage sales rose by 55% in late March, when many states and public health officials urged residents to stay at home, compared to sales in 2019. While the increase in sales could represent stockpiling for the sheltered weeks ahead, it also signals the potential for alcohol abuse. This is evidenced by 552 U.S. internet users ages 21 and above who self-identified as alcohol consumers and participated in a consumption online study. These were the major findings:

1. Up to 47% of respondents say that their beer consumption had increased, followed by wine at 37%, and liquor at 30%.
2. 33% of males reported that they are consuming more beer since COVID-19 lockdown vs. 19% of females.
3. With regards to age distribution, 44% of consumers aged 21-29years say they are consuming more wine than usual.

In reality, we can attest that the consumption of alcohol is undeniable as evidenced by the story of a grandmother who requested more beer on social media and a beer company supplied her with some packs free of charge. Lol!!!

Can I get some!!!

I got my heart desire

This suggests that the alcohol companies are also a major key to the puzzle of increased consumption as they are utilizing cheap goodwill publicity like that of the grandmother to manipulate the inert conscience of the public, via the social media platform. This in the end will boost alcohol sales in the long term. Another strategy used by companies to boost sales following the pandemic is through offerings of online happy hours, as this will ensure that people remain on social media platform longer than usual.

Enjoying lunch break!

It is not surprising at these rising trends in alcohol consumption following COVID19 because almost the entire population are indoors and will lead to over reliance on social media outlets. In modern day society, this has turned out to be the new normal as everyday to day activity is heavily influenced by social media usage. There have been reports on the role of social media on alcohol consumption:

• About 54% of TikTok users reported consuming more beer as compared to 8% of those who don’t use any form of Social Media. Similarly, Instagram users are 4.3 times more likely to have increased consumption of liquor, 43% of Twitch users say they have participated in an online “Happy Hour” since being impacted by Coronavirus, as opposed to 1.4% of those who don’t use any form of Social Media.

New office hours water dispenser

In terms of gender, women are not left out of the equation as a recent study by the American Addiction Center revealed that about 36 % of men and 26 % of women said they’re drinking on the clock especially while working from home. This could be summarized as 1 in 3 Americans drinking alcohol while working from home during the current COVID-19 lockdown as reported by alcohol.org. It is therefore essential, under the current conditions, that people who need help because of their alcohol use get all the support they need. Conclusively, policy and advocacy online groups should consider utilizing the social media platform to re-educate the public on this silent menace.

Honey let go cook together