With the newfound need to maintain social distancing guidelines, many pubs and restaurants have shut their doors across the country and around the world. However, reports have suggested that liquor consumption has increased threefold, as have sales for drinks in stores. Retailers have reported a surge in alcohol demand by fifty percent in the past few months when compared to last year.
With the beginning of each new year, people take new oaths and resolutions. Many people vow to reduce their consumption of alcohol because of its adverse health effects. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, people have started hoarding liquor, among other things, for fear of another lockdown.
With all of these changes, people have also started relying on home delivery for products. Staying at home means not being able to socialize as much as was possible before the pandemic. This can cause stress for those who rely on socialization in their day-to-day lives.
Excessive alcohol consumption can take a toll on anyone’s health. Your health is what you are accountable for during lockdown. It is important to acknowledge that stress drinking can result in alcoholism, a disease characterized by an addiction to, and dependence on, liquor.
Here are a few unfavorable side-effects that come from excessive alcohol consumption.
Ram Duriseti says that alcohol can negatively impact immunity
Alcohol can have harmful effects on one’s health. Even moderate consumption can affect your immune system. Alcohol can prove detrimental to the immune system. During the pandemic, it is vital for everyone to do their part – to stay home, and to take care of themselves. Too much alcohol can destroy blood cells in respiratory organs, leading to respiratory diseases like pneumonia. Falling prey to alcoholism is dangerous during a global pandemic.
Alcohol takes a toll on your mental wellness
Since social distancing keeps people from visiting friends and family, heightened stress has been a common occurrence. Try to adopt habits that reduce stress. Take care of your mental and physical well-being without consuming alcohol as a coping mechanism. Alcohol Use Disorder, also known as AUD, is a mental illness that can cause people to drink more during such unprecedented times.
The following are some strategies that can help you tackle stress during the pandemic without relying on alcohol to relax:
- Try to reach out to friends and family using online applications for organizing virtual gatherings.
- Try cooking healthy meals. Take advantage of restaurants being closed and become your own chef!
- Keep yourself hydrated. Since you are at home all day, drink water as opposed to coffee or juice.
- With fitness centers being closed, you can try regular workouts and yoga classes at home.
- With all this extra time, you may be able to sleep longer while also squeezing in some afternoon naps. Make sure to avoid screen time before bed.
- Avoid the panic by staying away from social media. Take time for yourself. Make use of the pandemic by being with yourself – indulge in relaxation.
Eating a balanced diet, exercising, and getting adequate sleep will help you maintain a routine while keeping your body in shape, says Ram Duriseti. Make sure you do not fall back on drinking as you encounter stress during all of this heightened uncertainty.