Alcohol-Related Deaths Surged During The Pandemic

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people lost their lives. However, not all of these deaths were due to the coronavirus itself. According to a new study, the pandemic also brought a dramatic rise in alcohol-related deaths. 

Alcohol-Related Deaths In 2020

After examining death certificate data, researchers with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported that 99,017 people died from alcohol-related causes in 2020. 

That’s a 25 percent increase from the alcohol-related death toll in 2019 (78,927). Between 1999 and 2019, the toll’s average yearly increase was just 3.6 percent. 

The 2020 alcohol-related death rate also surpassed the year’s increase in all-cause mortality (16.6%). It increased for all races, ethnicities, and genders, though the total number of alcohol-related deaths was much higher for men than for women. 

Unique Findings

There were also some unique findings in certain age groups. 

Among people under 65, the number of alcohol-related deaths was higher than the number of COVID-19 deaths. In addition, people between ages 25 and 44 experienced the biggest increase in alcohol-related deaths (nearly 40% more than the previous year). 

The researchers also found that between 2019 and 2020, total alcohol sales in the United States rose by 2.9 percent. That’s the highest annual increase since 1968.

Types Of Alcohol-Related Deaths

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of alcohol-related deaths occur when long-term alcohol misuse causes life-threatening health problems such as:

• alcohol-related liver disease
• heart disease
• various types of cancer, including breast cancer, liver cancer, and mouth cancer

Other alcohol-related deaths occur due to alcohol poisoning (also called alcohol overdose). The most common cause of alcohol poisoning is binge drinking (having five or more drinks in about two hours if you’re a man and having four or more drinks in about two hours if you’re a woman). 

In addition, because alcohol impairs your judgment and coordination, it increases your risk of life-threatening accidents such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, and drownings. It can also make you more likely to attempt suicide.

What Caused The Surge In Alcohol-Related Deaths?

The pandemic seems to have boosted alcohol-related deaths for four main reasons: stress, boredom, isolation, and lack of access to addiction treatment.

Stress

The pandemic created a number of stressors, including:

• disrupted routines
• lack of social interaction
• job loss and financial problems
• deaths of loved ones
• uncertainty about the future

To cope with these stressors, many people turned to alcohol.

Boredom 

During lockdown, people found themselves stuck at home with nothing to do. This type of boredom can lead to alcohol abuse and addiction, especially for people with a history of heavy drinking.

Isolation

When isolated, many people drink more heavily than they would in public. That’s because they can have as much alcohol as they want without fear of judgment. In addition, alcohol typically costs less at stores than at bars or restaurants. 

Isolation also increases a person’s risk of depression, which is a common underlying cause of alcohol abuse. Since alcohol is a depressant, it only makes depression worse in the long run. 

Lack Of Access To Addiction Treatment

Alcohol addiction (also called alcohol use disorder) is a serious disease that makes you feel unable to stop drinking. Common symptoms include:

• mood swings
• loss of motivation
• loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• tolerance (needing increasingly larger or more frequent drinks to feel the desired effects)
• physical dependence (experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and trouble sleeping, when you don’t drink)

Like other diseases, alcohol addiction requires professional treatment. After professional treatment ends, a person with alcohol addiction must take steps to maintain their recovery. 

For example, they can attend mental health counseling, go to support groups, and seek additional or modified treatment if they relapse (start drinking alcohol again). 

During lockdown, most people could no longer access these in-person recovery services. This led many people to relapse. It also explains other drug-related surges during the pandemic, such as the record-high number of opioid overdose deaths. 

If you or someone you love struggles with alcohol consumption, please contact an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. Our board-certified healthcare providers offer medical detox, mental health counseling, and a variety of other addiction treatment services.