In the past six months, the coronavirus pandemic has caused multiple indirect issues in nearly all affected countries, specifically during the lockdown period. One of the negative effects of the infection has been the higher consumption of alcoholic drinks by adults and even adolescents and teenagers.
The primary reason for the increase in sales and consumption of alcohol, in accordance with health experts, is the stress associated with the current health crisis. The vast majority of people are looking for ways to cope up with stress.
While some people have managed to incorporate healthy ways of managing high-stress levels during the pandemic including exercising, others have resorted to the use of drugs or drinking.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, health experts had warned about the imminent long-term impact of the virus on the mental health of the public. Various countries have recorded record high cases of mental disorders including anxiety and depressive episodes.
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Further issues such as economic uncertainty, prolonged social isolation, and fear of contracting the virus are likely to increase stress even more. This is why alcohol sale and the consumption of alcoholic drinks is also expected to stay high in the coming weeks.
However, the medical community has still urged all adults to be careful while managing stress and avoid drinking whenever possible. In addition to having long-term effects on the body, alcohol can be harmful in a number of other ways.
For instance, a recent case of a twenty-seven-year-old woman from Brighton who lost her life after drinking alcohol has been reported. The woman, Alice Burton Bradford, died after consuming alcohol at her house with an empty stomach.
In accordance with Alice’s friends and family, she was not a frequent drinker and rarely had any alcoholic drinks. However, the cause of her death has been confirmed to be alcohol, though it is not yet known how much Alice drank last weekend.
Regardless of how much quantity of alcohol Alice consumed, it should be noted that was overall a young healthy woman who was described by her relatives as being very much into health and fitness.
The exact cause of her death was a condition known as alcoholic ketoacidosis, which is a metabolic issue caused by drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. From the reports, it is clear that Alice had been drinking a lot and consuming a lot less food.
The same habit and lifestyles are adopted by thousands of adults at the moment in the past few months. The majority is sticking to processed and junk foods and drinking more than average to keep stress levels low.
However, this can do more harm than good. Therefore, there is a need for looking for healthier ways to manage stress, especially for those with existent health conditions.
Mental health experts also suggest staying connected with family and friends through social media and calls if meeting physically is impossible. Other options can also include walking, reading, or simply learning a new skill such as cooking.
