Many people think it’s okay to have two or three beers or a few glasses of wine when they come home from work or while watching a ballgame on the weekend. But experts disagree. Alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder (AUD) cause suffering, disease, and loss of life. Sometimes consuming a few drinks transforms into an alcohol dependency.

Recent surveys indicate that 29.5 million people ages 12 years and older ihad an AUD in the past year in the United States. “Drinking guidelines are being re-evaluated," reports Professor Teresa Rummans, board certified in internal medicine and psychiatry, and Professor of Psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Jacksonville, Florida, "Alcohol is found to contribute to more illnesses, especially cancer, (gastrointestinal and even breast cancer) than was known before, but the exact relationship is still not known.”

COVID 19 Triggered More Drinking

Alcohol consumption increased dramatically during the pandemic, making apparent the need to rethink alcohol consumption, prevention, guidelines, early intervention, and treatment for AUD.

Nielsen pollsters reported in March 2020 that alcohol sales in the U.S. increased by 55% compared to the previous year. Online alcohol sales increased 234% from April 2019 to 2020. Alcohol delivery services like Drizly saw a 485% increase in sales. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) also noted significant changes in drinking patterns spurred by the pandemic.

A RAND survey reported that during the pandemic, frequency of alcohol consumption among men increased by 14%. Women experienced a 17% increase. Additionally, heavy drinking among women (four or more drinks within a couple of hours) increased by 41%. Experts attribute the increases to greater stress, anxiety, social isolation, fear, boredom, and disruptions to daily routines caused by the pandemic. Younger adults and those with higher incomes reported bigger alcohol consumption increases compared to other groups.

The pandemic has ended, but elevated drinking levels persist for many........

© Psychology Today