Alcoholism, Addictions and Suicide During the Pandemic

Alcoholism, Addictions and Suicide During the Pandemic

COVI-19 pandemic has directly or indirectly affected everyone across the globe and will continue to have long-lasting impacts on public health and people's well-being. Additionally, alcoholism was already a public health concern in the United States before the pandemic. Since the wave of coronavirus pandemic struck the world, many people have resulted into drinking to try and cope with stress, sleep disturbances, and some due to boredom, increasing the risk for alcohol use disorder, among other adverse effects.

According to Shrestha AP et al. (2020), data from a national survey of United States binge drinking among adults increased by about 23% during the pandemic period. Also, weekly sales of alcohol have gone up by as much as 450% and have sustained for months (Luca et al., 2020). A nationally representative survey shows a considerable rise in consumption by various populations of interest, including African Americans, women, and youths. There is a growing concern that even if it may be considered a short-term increase in consumption of alcohol, there is a probability that it may manifest as long-term trends of alcoholism at a societal level.

According to Wang et al. (2020), increased drinking among various groups of people may have caused addiction to alcohol, reducing the chances of them ever recovering from alcoholism. Additionally, it is estimated that increased alcohol consumption in the last year of a pandemic will result in approximately 8,000 additional mortality rates from alcohol-related diseases. According to Wang et al. (2020), as of June 2020, approximately 15% of Americans were reported to have started registering increased substance use to cope with stress and emotions triggered by the pandemic. Moreover, overdoses have also spiked since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak.

The pandemic brings about ongoing stress and uncertainty, leading to an increased demand for specialists dealing with mental health services. Nonetheless, anxiety and depression are not the only challenges people face today; instead, misuse of various substances such as opioids and stimulants has increased steadily (Luca et al., 2020). Overdoses cases have spiked since the corona pandemic struck in 2020, registering a 19% rise in the United States compared to cases of overdose recorded the previous year (Kandula & Wake, 2022). Moreover, the trend has continued to rise throughout 2020 and 2021, whereby more than 40 states in the United States have seen an increase in opioid-related mortality rates and ongoing concerns for people suffering from substance abuse disorders.

According to Kandula & Wake (2022), since the onset of the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of patients engaging in suicidal activities or who have portrayed suicidal and self-harm behaviors, which reflects a prevalence of mental health problems as communities around the world continue dealing with implications of the disease. Efforts to spread the coronavirus pandemic should be increased, and awareness is raised on dealing with mental illnesses, recognizing warning signs of an individual who could be suicidal, and providing support to those who require it (Kandula & Wake, 2022). Many people have lost their jobs, homes, and loved ones, among other important aspects of their lives, which has subjected thousands to mental ill-health and suicidal thoughts (Wang et al., 2020). Even before the emergence of the novel coronavirus, suicide rates in the United States have been high. However, during the second pandemic wave, suicide rates have exceeded the predicted figures. 

References

Kandula, U. R., & Wake, A. D. (2022). Magnitude and Factors Affecting Parental Stress and Effective Stress Management Strategies Among Family Members During COVID-19. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 15, 83.

Luca, L., Ciubara, A. B., Fulga, I., Burlea, S. L., Terpan, M., & Ciubara, A. (2020). Social Implications for Psychiatric Pathology of Depressive and Anxiety Disorders, Alcohol Addiction and Psychotic Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania. Analysis of two Relevant Psychiatry Hospitals. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 69.

Shrestha AP, Bhushal N, Shrestha A, Tamrakar D, Adhikari P, Shrestha P, et al. First Reported Death of a Postpartum Woman Due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Nepal: A Lesson Learnt. Kathmandu Univ Med J. 2020;COVID-19 Special Issue 70(2):117–9. pmid:33605254.

Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, Tan Y, Xu L, Ho CS, et al. Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Mar 6;17(5):1729. pmid:32155789; PMCID: PMC7084952.