Could your Coronavirus/COVID19 Anxiety improve by drinking alcohol to cope with home containment? The public reviews about alcohol delivery services have shed new light on this popular Coronavirus/COIVID19 coping tools. It is not unusual to see public comments such as,“I needed liquor to deal with this latest health crisis.” The following describes health risks with drinking alcohol to cope with your Coronavirus/COVID19 Anxiety.
What are the guidelines for drinking alcohol?
The Dietary Guidelines for America recommend that alcoholic beverages be consumed sensibly and in moderation.These guidelines suggest that moderate alcohol consumption is one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Heavy or “high-risk” drinking for women is the consumption of more than three drinks on any day or more than seven drinks per week. For men, high-risk alcohol use is more than four drinks on any day and more than 14 drinks per week. Binge drinking is consumption, within two hours, of four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men.The standard definition of one drink is 12 fluid ounces of regular beer, five fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits.
Are there gender differences?
The impact of alcohol consumption is not equal among the sexes. Women may drink less than their male counterparts, but still suffer a more significant adverse effect on their bodies. Why? Women metabolize alcohol differently than men. Physically women are smaller in weight and height than most men.
When women drink, there is less fluid for dilution, and less enzyme production for alcohol breakdown by the liver. These differences in alcohol metabolism allow for alcohol levels to be higher in females than in their male counterparts. The bottom line is this: women who consume the same amount of alcohol as a male absorb more alcohol amount into their bodies, which may increase substantial health risks.
What are the health issues?
Suicide
The COVID19/ Coronaviruses pandemic has a significant potential to increase the incidence of suicide in those who are vulnerable. The ability to self-medicate unwanted feelings of anger and frustration by drinking alcohol is a socially acceptable practice. The mounting financial and health losses amid uncertainties appeals to increase drinking alcohol to self-medicate unwanted emotional responses. Numerous studies support increases in alcohol consumption as a risk factor for a surge in suicide attempts.
The National 2015 Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) included an analysis of suicide data the population. It identified suicide as the 10th cause of death in the United States overall and the second-highest cause of death among people aged 10 to 34. This survey identified the percentage of adults with severe thoughts of death were higher for those who last year were alcohol users; within the past month were binge drinkers and alcohol users identified as heavy alcohol users.
Medication Adverse Effects
Alcohol consumption can negatively impact the use of many common medications used for indigestion, high cholesterol, and arthritis. The National Institute of Health has complied a comprehensive list of common agents with alcohol drug interactions.
Domestic Violence
There has been an increase in domestic violence around the world related to the Coronavirus-COVID19 pandemic. The sale of alcohol in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, was banned. This was an effort to reduce the increase in violence against children related to drinking alcohol during their mandatory house confinement. It has been reported that Jinzhou, a city in a province in China experienced a doubling in domestic violence calls with the lockdown to contain the COVID-19/Coronavirus.
Overall, women, when compared to men, are at increased incidence of all interpersonal violence. (IVP) Studies support an association between IPV, alcohol abuse, trauma, and motivation for alcohol consumption. This study identified those with trauma histories whose alcohol consumption was more than four drinks a day were at increased (IVP) risk.
Cancer Risks
Routine medical care will resume after this Coronavirus/ COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. An increase in alcohol consumption during this period of social distancing may have future health consequences. There is a robust scientific consensus between a history of alcohol consumption and several types of cancer.
The National Toxicology Program of the US HHS identifies alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen. A prolong personal history of alcohol use combined with the amounts consumed over time can increase individual cancer risk. There is a well-accepted association between alcohol consumption and the risk of liver, head, neck, and esophageal cancers. Studies note that this cancer risk is increased with a combined history of smoking and alcohol consumption.
So what can you do right now?
First, be honest with yourself. What is your pattern of drinking? Please don’t justify your drinking alcohol because of your Coronavirus/COVID 19 Anxiety. Ask yourself a simple question about your drinking alcohol, then give yourself an honest answer. How much do you drink in a day versus in a week? What is your pattern of drinking alcohol? The answer could be “I don’t drink much but when I do I drink a lot.” Please do not justify the amount. Be honest; just look at your number and compare it to the above guidelines.
Where to seek help during Coronavirus/ COVID-19 online?
The following is a list for your information only during this is unusually difficult time. This list is not an endorsement of a particular service or treatment.
Families Anonymous VIrtual Meetings
Smart Recovery- Alternative to AA
The “intherooms” Online Recovery
Identify Drinking Alcohol Risks
If you recognize the alcohol consumption patterns identified above, get help! If you are ambivalent about drinking too much, see if you can abstain from drinking alcohol. If you consider your drinking alcohol is a problem, seek support online, Do the posted stories online sound familiar to you? Bottom line, there is always a reason to drink. Should drinking alcohol be your preferred coping tool to relieve your COVID19/ Coronavirus Anxiety?
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