Alcohol-Related Deaths Covid

Alcohol-Related Deaths Covid19 |Reasons & Fact Sheet|

Alcohol-Related Deaths Covid – COVID-19 did not come alone in the United States. It also brought several other problems, including a sharp rise in alcohol-related deaths.

The Interest for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States recently released a report mentioning that there has been a spike of 26% in the deaths associated with alcohol from 2019 to 2020.

Back in 2019, around 39,000 Americans lost their lives due to alcohol, and the death toll rose to 49,000 in 2020. At first glance, 49,000 might not look like a big number as compared to debts caused by COVID-19 alone, but a 26% rise in these cases is not a good thing for the country.

Another thing that was pointed out by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention was the 25% hike in the drinking habit of the general population in the country. Many of these people were trying to cope with the stressful conditions and the rising fear of COVID-19. 

Before we move ahead, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting facts about the deaths related to alcohol during COVID-19.

First of all, the death rate rose sharply in the age group of 55 to 64. The United States recorded 60 deaths for every 100,000 people in this category for men and 21 deaths per 100,000 women.

Another interesting thing regarding this data point is that alcohol deaths went from 15.2 in 2019 to 19.2 in 2020. That means that around 15 people lost their life due to alcohol 100,000 in 2019, while 19.2 people lost their lives out of 100,000 in 2020. 

It is also not the first study mentioning a sharp rise in deaths associated with alcohol consumption during COVID-19. Several independent reporters, including famous media houses, have already mentioned multiple times in their reports that the US is recording the highest number of deaths due to alcohol.

Even the general public was accepting the fact that they are drinking more than ever before during several surveys around the nation.

Another important thing you should remember here is that the women category experienced around 41% increase in heavy drinking as compared to 27% in men.  

Alcohol-Related Deaths Covid
Alcohol-Related Deaths Covid

Major Reasons Behind High Alcohol Consumption.

Analysis of anything is not completed unless we have found the root cause. Today we are also going to do a similar thing and find all the cozies associated with alcohol-related deaths during COVID-19.

Stressful Situation

One of the biggest reasons behind the high levels of alcohol consumption was mental stress. Back in 2020, when COVID first started spreading in the United States, several media houses started reporting that it was the end of the world.

Many debates were happening over the Internet and several social media platforms that we might not survive this virus as there is no treatment. The whole situation caused a huge shake for the general public, and many of them started living their life as they wanted to.

People were drinking alcohol and doing all sorts of things, although it was worsening their mental and physical health. 

Back in 2021, Harris’s poll for some pharmaceutical companies did a survey where 30% of adult Americans mentioned that they were drinking high levels of alcohol during the first few waves of COVID-19 despite all the physical and mental health challenges.

Job Uncertainty

Another thing that started haunting Americans as soon as the virus started spreading in the country was job uncertainty. We did not see many layoffs like it is happening these days in companies like meta, Twitter, or Amazon.

People were getting worried about their job security as everything was getting locked down. We even saw a sharp rise in unemployment data in the United States, which was pretty much expected after these many restrictions.

COVID did impact our lives, but we did not see massive layoffs, and the nation survived like every other problem we faced in the last few decades.

Dangers of Massive Drinking

Before we completely wrap this session up, let’s take a quick look at all the dangers you might experience after drinking heavily. First of all, we highly recommend everyone note any alcohol or limit it as low as possible.

One of the biggest problems with alcohol consumption is you never know when you are going to become an alcoholic. A lot of people can drink 5 to 7 drinks in a single sitting, and they won’t consider themselves alcoholic.

  • One of the biggest risks of high levels of alcohol consumption is cancer. Alcohol is known to cause several types of cancer, and it is one of the biggest causes of breast cancer in women.
  • Not consuming alcohol does not guarantee that you won’t get cancer, but alcohol consumption can increase your chances by many folds and also open up the possibilities of several other cancers. 
  • The risk of domestic violence and child abuse is always going to be there after consuming alcohol. Most alcoholic people lose their senses, and they can become violent whenever their wishes do not get fulfilled. 
  • Even the data points released by the CDC suggest that alcohol consumption is directly associated with child abuse and domestic violence.
  • At the same time, alcohol consumption can also invite several other diseases, including high blood pressure, acid reflexes, liver disease, and liver injury.
  • People who have witnessed goals should also stay away from alcohol consumption as it is known to cause several diseases.
  • Last but not least, alcohol consumption is also known to and hence mental conditions over start fresh depression and anxiety.
  • People who are struggling with any mental condition should try to avoid alcohol as much as possible or consult it with their healthcare provider.

We do not recommend anyone to consume any amount of alcohol as you never know when you can become an alcoholic. Several studies have already proved that alcohol is known to cause mental conditions, including depression and anxiety, in people who have never been diagnosed with those mental conditions.

How to quit Alcohol Consumption?

If you are also among those people who increase their alcohol intake during the first few waves of COVID-19 and now you want to stop it, then you are at the right place, as we are going to discuss that also. 

Understand Your Situation

The first thing you should do is figure out how much you are drinking and how it is impacting your life. You might be one of those people who think they are drinking too much alcohol while, in reality, they are not consuming more than two drinks a day.

Find Trigger Points

The second thing you should do is figure out all the alcohol triggers. Yes, every alcoholic person in the world has something that can trigger alcohol consumption. It could be related to your job, relationship, physical condition, mental condition, or any other challenge.

Make sure you are not thinking about those things all the time and seek any help you require, including psychological therapies.

Focus on Healthy Habits

The third thing you should do is focus on your health and healthy habits. Several reports have mentioned that people who started taking good care of their health eventually lost touch with alcohol. We highly recommend everyone opt for an exercise schedule along with a diet.

Community Support

Another effective thing you can do is seek community support. There are several organizations made by Alcoholics where they discuss multiple times a week to help each other. These communities go as alcohol anonymous, and you can also use them without revealing your true identity.

Even several reports and surveys have concluded that these communities are way more helpful than anyone can imagine. Thousands of Americans stop consuming alcohol after 16 to 20 weeks of joining. You might not even have to pay anything to join these communities.

Seek Medical Help

Lastly, you can always seek medical help for anything you need during the detox phase. There will be a time when you stop consuming alcohol, and you will experience several symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, including fatigue, insomnia, shakes, sweating, mood changes, anxiety, and headache.

You will require high willpower during the alcohol withdrawal phase to fight all these symptoms. If you are not strong enough when it comes to willpower, you can always seek medical help, and a healthcare professional will help you in your detox phase.

How many alcohol-related deaths were recorded during COVID?

The United States recorded around 49,000 deaths related to alcohol consumption in 2020. Back in 2019, we recorded around 39,000 deaths, and the sudden spike in these alcohol-related deaths is a worrisome number.

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