A cold beer, a glass of wine: at times from a home office, contact restrictions, and cancelled events, the Germans are especially fond of alcohol seem to treat.
As a study by the Central Institute of Mental health (ZI) in Mannheim in cooperation with the Klinikum Nürnberg, increased alcohol consumption, around one third of all adults since the corona of a crisis.
35.5 percent of the more than 3000 Participants reported in an anonymous Online survey, during the Covid-19 pandemic in more or a lot more drank alcohol than before.
The survey is not representative, but it provides a first insight on consumer habits during the corona-related output constraints.
The Federal government had recently referred in an answer to a Minor Interpellation of the FDP parliamentary group on the study. The ZI in Mannheim is Baden, a public-Law Foundation of the country-Württemberg.
Meanwhile, reports of addiction counselling centres and self-help groups significantly more interested: “The frequency of the phone Calls and written requests, the so-called First-aid-Button, has increased significantly,” says Peter K. of alcoholics Anonymous.
“Risk factors for an increase of consumption, for example, the change in the working status, such as the home office, a high perceived level of stress and doubt that the crisis is well managed,” says Anne Koopmann from the ZI in Mannheim.
People with a high level of stress and lower social Status reported, therefore, more likely to drink in the crisis, more alcohol.
People in the system of the relevant Professions, could continue to work, drank the information provided to be opposed to rather less, or maintained their consumption.
Alcohol relieves Worry in the Corona-crisis
“The corona of a crisis is, for many people, an emotional crisis: Both health-related as well as financial Worries and Fears for many people is very present. Alcohol is a mechanism to experience a short-term relief of these Concerns,” said Koopmann.
This could also explain why the consumer was in people with a lower social Status are more pronounced. “Here the Concerns are on the increase and there are less and less Compensation.”
The Demands in alcoholics Anonymous Peter K. explained by the fact that the corona have made crisis already existing alcohol problems of many people is visible. “People who have previously hidden their drinking behavior – for example, on the way to work, at work, in the pub – were forced by Corona to drink at home,” he says.
There would have to unload the conflicts in families and partnerships. Many who call in to the alcoholics Anonymous, had become your Problem in the crisis.
At the beginning of the crisis, the world recommended health organisation, the consumption of alcohol during the Covid-19-pandemic largely restrict.
In the recommendation it says: “It is important to understand that alcohol poses risks to their health and safety and you should avoid during times of home Isolation or quarantine, the consumption of alcohol.”
This message seems to be only partially arrived, of which also many Posts of drink tools in the social media under the Hashtags #winemum” or #beerdads.
Risk of dependence increases by Corona
He stresses that the Multi-Drink increase over a longer period of time, the risk of dependency is significant, but not necessarily should lead. “This crisis is unique, and it is still unclear what the long-term impact.”
Studies in connection with previous pandemics showed the following: Several years after the pandemic, those subjects who were no longer been in quarantine fulfilled, a higher number of criteria for alcohol dependence.
“Now we are in the Situation of the counter,” says the Doctor. Each and every one could observe his drinking behavior exactly, this about with the help of a diary, documenting, and maybe a doctor or a guidance entrust authority.
“If I angewöhne me over several weeks and months a certain drinking pattern, I need to work actively against it, to return to this pattern to get away,” says Koopmann.
Peter K. know how hard it is. He says the Only thing that will help is openness, honesty and consistency. For members this means, often, conflicts to endure.
In addition, the policy should raise the awareness of the population with specific measures for the problems and the peculiarity of this Situation, says Koopmann.
Source
- Georgiadou, E. et al. (2020): alcohol and Smoking: COVID-19-pandemic as an ideal breeding ground for addictions, retrieved on 06.07.2020: https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/214451/Alkohol-und-Rauchen-Die-COVID-19-Pandemie-als-idealer-Naehrboden-fuer-Suechte
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)
*The post “Germany in Corona-to-noise?: Every third drink is since the crisis, more alcohol,” published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.