Understanding How Alcohol Use and Covid-19 Relate

As the Covid-19 pandemic  swept the entire world and invaded towns, cities and rural regions of the United States, alcohol sales and consumption also skyrocketed throughout the nation.  With stay-at-home orders, job loss, and social distancing, stress is common.  Alcohol has long been a socially acceptable way to relax and wind down, and now more than ever people are searching for stress relief.

On April 1, 2020, Newsweek reported a 55% increase in overall alcohol sales in the United States in one week.  Compared with data from the same time a year ago, hard liquor sales increased by 75%, beer sales were up 66% and wine sales were up 42%. Part of the sales increases could have been an attempt by consumers to stockpile a supply as stay-at-home orders were enacted.

First, let’s do away with some general myths about the benefits of alcohol for limiting the pandemic.  According to a recent article from the World Health Organization:

• Consuming alcohol does NOT destroy the Covid-19 virus.
• Alcohol, at a concentration level of at least 60%, works as a disinfectant on your skin only (think hand sanitizer) but has NO such effect within your system when ingested.
• Drinking strong alcohol will NOT kill the virus in inhaled air, nor will it disinfect your throat or mouth.
• Alcohol does NOT stimulate immunity or resistance to the virus.

Although it is too recent for research specific to alcohol and Covid-19, what is known about alcohol use with other viruses is that unhealthy consumption of alcohol can disrupt the body’s immune response.  A healthy immune system is important when fighting any illness.  Overindulging in alcohol can predispose people to infections by depressing their immune system, making it more difficult for their body to fight infections.  If this holds true with Covid-19, then excessive alcohol use can create a weakened immune system that is more susceptible to infection from Covid-19.

Covid-19 also places people in recovery at a higher risk for relapse as the pandemic adds new stressors and disrupts daily routines.   Those in recovery face new challenges as usual support strategies such as in-person meetings are replaced by virtual or phone meetings taking away some of the much-needed person-to-person camaraderie that those recovering from alcohol and other addictions need.

Gulf Breeze Recovery wants to promote health and welfare for everyone and to be ready and available to offer assistance to those suffering from addiction or struggling to maintain sobriety. We remain open and available with immediate testing and safe health practices in place to keep those we serve as well as our devoted staff safe and healthy.

As you look for the program that best meets your needs, be sure to check us out.  Gulf Breeze Recovery has a history of helping people achieve freedom from addiction.  Not only offering all levels of care including medical detoxification if needed, residential, intensive outpatient and outpatient care, they also have follow-up services when a program is successfully completed.  The overall goal for every participant is helping them to find and maintain long-term sobriety.

Gulf Breeze Recovery strives to offer the best and most comprehensive alcohol and substance abuse treatment options in the country, with plans of treatment tailored to fit your individual needs.  Our professional and medical staff is available to meet all your needs for high-quality substance abuse treatment.

If you or someone you care about, has an ongoing history of alcohol or substance use and/or relapse, contact Gulf Breeze Recovery or call: 833.551.2356 to speak to an addiction expert to learn more about their residential program, out-patient program, and intensive out-patient program, and which of these can best fit your individual needs.  These programs have helped many people overcome their addiction and embrace a new happy, healthy, substance-free lifestyle.

We help people not just to survive, but to THRIVE!

Additional sources:

Source-1: “Alcohol and Covid-19” Source-2: “Alcohol consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic”