Editorial: Alcohol use increase is pandemic side effect

Stress can push people to do things that aren’t good for them.

They can eat too much. Watch too much TV. They can gamble. Or they can abuse drugs or alcohol.

The coronavirus pandemic is exactly the kind of stressor that can make people look for a source of comfort or a release valve for pressure — especially as it drags toward its third year. This far into dealing with covid-19, there is more data from which to draw information.

Among the deluge of numbers of infections and vaccinations and deaths, there are other figures that point to impacts of the pandemic. One of them is about drinking. More of it has been happening since the disease and its precautionary restrictions took hold in 2020.

A RAND Corporation study shows frequency of alcohol consumption has grown by 14% among adults over 30. It’s not just a theoretical number that may not be as detrimental as it sounds. Gateway Rehab is seeing more people seeking treatment for alcohol abuse. Specifically, the 1,740 people who came forward for help with alcohol through October 2021 were 11.7% higher than pre-pandemic numbers.

The RAND study shows women’s drinking is particularly higher. That could mark the intersection of different stressors. In addition to the uncertainty of lockdowns and potential exposures, women have been hit hard by economic pressures. A report from Resume Builder showed about half of low-income women who lost jobs during the pandemic are still unemployed. They could have reasons like long-haul covid symptoms or choosing to stay home with children because of unavailable daycare — all of which could be stressful.

The state can see the proof of this, but it’s also something that benefits the bottom line. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board information released in September showed the 2020-2021 fiscal year sales increased 13.7% — remarkably similar to the growth in consumption. That translates to $56.1 million in additional net income.

As the omicron variant of covid-19 and the close contacts of holiday gatherings conspire to increase numbers yet again, the stress isn’t going anywhere.

Instead, there needs to be an understanding that surviving the pandemic and surviving the virus are two different things. Wearing masks and getting vaccines are important steps to making it through, but so are positive, healthy ways of finding comfort and dealing with stress.