COVID-19, Alcohol Use, and Coping
By: Dr. Denise Renye
I’ve seen several memes circulating about people drinking more alcohol, or worrying they’ll run out of wine. It’s not just anecdotal – the Washington Post reported off-premises sales of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. jumped 55 percent in the week ending March 21. Online alcohol sales skyrocketed by 243 percent, according to Vox.com. On top of that, Forbes found Americans are excessively eating, smoking pot, playing video games, and watching porn or other content, which makes sense because many people tend to turn to a substance or process to cope with stress.
The irony is those coping strategies may make dealing with COVID-19 even more difficult, especially using alcohol. The World Health Organization (WHO) found “alcohol may put people at increased risk for the coronavirus, weakening the body's immune system and leaving drinkers at risk for other risky behaviors that could increase the likelihood of contracting coronavirus” (Bote, 2020).
Not to mention something that starts off as a habit – drinking a glass of wine every night for instance – can quickly become an addiction (i.e., something you can’t biologically or psychologically stop doing or consuming even if you want to stop). What’s interesting is people who’ve battled with addiction and participate in 12-step programs say that as hard as life is right now, they feel more prepared to handle all of this uncertainty because recovery teaches them the tools for exactly these situations.
For those of you who don’t know, the first three steps of any 12-step program are 1.) Admitting powerlessness over a person, thing, or situation 2.) Coming to believe a power greater than yourself can restore you to sanity and 3.) Making a decision to turn your will and your life over to the care of that greater power. Sounds pretty relevant, right?
Famous addict in recovery Russell Brand said he recognizes the transience and inability of external circumstances to take care of him is in large part due to his work with addiction recovery work. The ability of external circumstances to take care of people is truer now than ever when not every hospital has enough ventilators, masks, or other personal protection equipment to give to everybody who needs them. On top of that, every government is responding to the coronavirus a little bit differently. Belarus’ president even went as far as telling citizens to drink vodka and sit in a sauna in response to the virus. Realizing the government cannot take care of a person is a scary prospect when that person is jobless or houseless or without medical care. (And perhaps even if a person isn’t in any of those situations.)
How much control do any of us have over our lives? That’s something we’re all learning, but those who believe in something greater than themselves have a leg up in this regard, in my opinion, because that’s what faith entails: letting go. Believe in “something greater” doesn’t have to be God or even a God-like figure; it could also be faith in one’s tribe/community or family. When there’s a sense of something “out there” that can be relied upon, people feel more at peace and believe they’ll be OK. That’s something 12-step groups talk about over and over again.
The other important piece regarding 12-step groups is the fellowship or community aspect. Now that people are no longer able to meet in person, meetings have transitioned online so the sense of community and connectedness remains. Having community right now is extremely important in order not to feel alone and isolated. On top of that, having a place where you can be real, share your authentic feelings, and not worry about being put down or belittled is crucial in times of crisis.
I’m not saying everyone should run out and join a 12-step group (although now that everything is online, it’s easier than ever!), but what I’m observing are the helpful elements of 12-step groups, namely letting go of control, being authentic, and connecting with community. I can’t create a community for you, but I can certainly support you to let go of control and create a container for you to be your most authentic self. That’s what my work is about, inviting you to come back home to yourself. If you need to talk, reach out to me. I’m here.
To get more information about working one on one or to find out information about options regarding addiction, click here.
References
Bote, Joshua. “Drinking alcohol may heighten risk of getting coronavirus, WHO suggests.” USA Today. Online. April 16, 2020.
Brand, Russell. “Will Corona Change our Lives Forever?” Facebook. March 26, 2020.
Chesler, Caren. “As pandemic and stay-at-home orders spread, so does alcohol consumption.” Washington Post. Online. April 2, 2020.
Jennings, Rebecca. “This is how America drinks now.” Vox.com. Online. April 15, 2020.
Kelly, Jack. “Americans Are Excessively Eating, Drinking, Smoking Pot, Playing Video Games And Watching Porn While Quarantined.” Forbes.com. Online. April 6, 2020.