Drinking Has Surged During The Pandemic

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Where did I put my weekend? –

June 21, 2020 – Dr. Sarah Johnson, medical director of Landmark Recovery, an addiction treatment program based in Louisville, Ky., with locations in the Midwest says that, virtual events aside, the lockdowns nearly put an end to social drinking.

“It’s not as much going out and incorporating alcohol into a dinner or time spent with family or friends,” Johnson says. “Lots of people are sitting home drinking alone now, and historically, that’s been viewed as more of a high-risk drinking behavior.”

There are some objective measures of problematic drinking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines heavy drinking as 15 or more drinks a week for a man or eight or more for a woman.

But Johnson says that more important clues come from changes in behavior.

She explains that, for some people, a bit of extra drinking now and then isn’t a big deal. If you can still meet all your life obligations, make your Zoom meetings, care for your children, she says, then it may be fine.