Alcoholism is on the rise in the United States, and quite frankly, it’s not all that surprising.
Since the pandemic in 2020, drinking has become quite normal. This isn’t just having a glass of wine with dinner, either. Stress-related drinking saw an increase and continues to be a concern four years later.
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A study published Monday by the Annals of Internal Medicine took a look at the deadliest product in the country to see what’s behind the boom. The research focused on two-year gaps from 2018 to 2020 and through 2022 to determine if alcohol abuse was (and is) rising. There were 26,808 respondents from all walks of life who participated in 2022.
In it, heavy alcohol use is categorized as more than five drinks in one sitting or 15 per week for men and eight for women. The findings determined that the growth from 2018 through 2020 followed suit into 2022, suggesting that alcoholism is still growing in the wake of the pandemic.
In 2023 alone there were approximately 95,000 alcohol-related deaths in the US. In 2019, that number was less than 79,000.
“Our results highlight an alarming public health issue that may require a combination of policy changes,” the study concluded. “Increased screening efforts for harmful drinking with systematic integration and rapid linkage to behavioral health treatments by health care professionals, in tandem with community-based interventions for at-risk populations, should be considered to mitigate the public health consequences of the pandemic-related increase in alcohol use.”
The reason I suggested earlier none of this is all too surprising is that alcohol use is so widely accepted now. From TikTok and social media glamorizing the substance to the ease and accessibility of the category – along with the marketing. There are drinks designed for everyone. Like coffee? Try the popular Espresso Martini. Not a beer fan? Have one of the 227 seltzer brands that exist.
I know I’m guilty of indulging more now than I did before 2019. I think a lot of that has to do with the habits developed during lockdown and the lack of social gatherings for nearly an entire year. It’s an unfortunate truth that is becoming a reality for far too many people.
