Hodd

Not wishing to be political, but the supermarket shelves are stacked high with huge boxes of beers. The alcohol companies are making a killing from this, in both meanings of the term. How bizarre then that certain items such as hand cleanser are rationed, but customers can buy as much alcohol as they like.

The first lockdown went on for months, and we can all see that alcohol consumption is increasing by the amounts of it stocked in supermarkets. Anyone who drank heavily and regularly during lockdown won’t be able to just stop. They’ll have become dependent.

Not a great deal I can do about it. I’ll write to my MP (something I’ve only done once before) and ask if a policy can be put in place to help reduce the excessive drinking caused by boredom and other issues in lockdown.

This coronavirus will mutate into less harmful viruses and colds like the Spanish Flu did, but the knock on effects such as alcoholism will linger on.

Dee74

Hi Hodd

I'm of the opinion that I was the problem, not alcohol - but we're never had a pandemic like this in living memory so we don't really know what the long term effects will be for drinkers.

Some news sources here suggest drinking rates are actually falling in some demographics, others suggest the opposite...but if we'd closed the bottle shops here under lockdown I'm pretty sure there would have been insurrection in the streets.

I don't think there's anything we can do about it, but let us know if you get a reply from your mp.

D

Hodd

I might have to do a backtrack after reading your reply, Dee

It seems the evidence in the UK suggests the same, i.e. alcohol consumption has fallen during lockdown!

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/20...ring-lockdown/

I’m really really glad I’m wrong on this one. Maybe it’s just the area I live in or the fact the bars are/were shut and even when they’re open they’re hardly a pleasant place to be with the signing in, mask wearing, etc. Another good piece of news I saw is that low/no alcohol drink sales have increased. I know these polarise posters here, but I reckon this is a way forward for the younger generation. We’re not going to change the fact that countries such as the UK, USA and Aus have a culture of drinking, If ordering a no alcohol drink becomes an natural as ordering a beer, that’s promising.

Back to my perceived problem of excessive drinking during lockdown, I guess I thought many people would be like the drinker me and see it as an opportunity to indulge without having to wake up early the next day. It’s a very pleasant surprise that the figure shows this isn’t the case.

BeABetterMan

Don't be so sure you're wrong. How to interpret study data is an interest of mine. I took a brief glance at the study you posted and one thing stuck out to me. Imagine if you will, that the pubs have been closed, so almost all of the drinking is being done in people's homes. Most people are alone or nearly alone. So what this tells me is that a lot of people are home drinking alone. And the alcohol sales are still massive, so A LOT of people are home drinking alone or the same number of people are home drinking A LOT. I think your first instinct/intuition i probably correct, and most people would accept that lockdowns have not been good for abnormal drinkers / alcoholics and people's mental health in general.

This is not an opinion on whether lockdowns are effective or appropriate or any of that, just on the impact of lockdowns on alcohol consumption.

D122y

Not sure what a lock down will do except destroy the economy. There are better ways of slowing the spread so hospitals can save more lives.

The whole drinking thing is spot on. Folks that lack our education about addiction are like lambs to the slaughter.

I am pretty sure the govt understands addiction better than they let on. They understand covid better as well.

I guess I am a conspiracy guy.

It all starts with the man in the mirror. All I can do is try to make my world a better place.

Save one starfish out of a million washed up on the beach, doesn't dent the death, but it matters to that starfish. In the case of a starfish, it doesn't even know he has been saved.

Someone here saved me when they talked about kindling. I know that and that changed my world.

That is part of why I keep posting.

Thanks.

BeABetterMan

You are NOT wrong.

C0ntr0ls

"Save one starfish out of a million washed up on the beach, doesn't dent the death, but it matters to that starfish. In the case of a starfish, it doesn't even know he has been saved."

Never heard this before but I like it. Thank you.

PeaceManic

I'm not having a go, but how are there better ways than lockdowns? It's just science, fewer interactions, fewer infections.

It has to be a nightmare for any government, as economic slow down is indirectly just as deadly.

Be123

They are interesting stats Hodd (you could never be a politician btw, changing your mind so graciously when confronted with evidence to the contrary 😂😂😂 )

I agree with others that this is a complicated picture. There was another set of stats shared last week that showed 10% of Americans drank over 70 drinks a week, whilst 60% drank next to nothing. The drinks market is dominated by people who drink the most (obviously) and like Hodd's initial post, I fear for those people. Thank goodness I gave up before lock down because I could have put some serious cider away in those months!!

Ive also seen quite a few people drinking less, and for me it gave me a 'circuit break'. I was so lucky my decision to quit coincided with lock down where I could avoid the pub (which was shut) and focus purely on myself and my family

My biggest concern is that a winter lockdown will affect people's mental health a lot differently to the summer one - when we had a really good summer weather-wise. Being shut in, long dark days, booze, comfort eating - it's a bad combo

PS - the reason we celebrate Xmas on 25th December is because when we were a pagan country we had a midwinter feast (even if you are a Christian you will accept there is no proof Jesus was born in December!!). I think we need something to look forward to in the countries that are dark and cold for months on end, and so although it's a bit symbolic - and true that not everyone celebrates Xmas - I think opening up as much as possible for a week over Xmas is vital for people's mental health and the public's psychology

Hodd

It’s tricky finding sensible figures. I think the British BBC is told by the UK government to add a good dollop of scaremongering into its Covid stories. The Lancet is a British journal for doctors and is often fairly straightforward to read and jargon free. It’s asked exactly the same question about alcohol in lockdown and published this article:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/l...251-X/fulltext

A few highlights:

1555 active drinkers in the UK were asked. 21% increased alcohol consumption during the lockdown, while 35% reduced their alcohol intake.

Another survey asked 182 “patients” (this is people like us, guys). 24% were drinking more. 19% were drinking less. 69 of the 282 were abstinent (average 19.5 months) prior to lockdown, and of these, 17% had relapsed and were drinking heavily (average 49 units a week, which equates to about 3 to 4 large beers a day).

So, people who were teetotal or light drinkers are presumably not changing their behaviour in lockdown. The number of relapsers is a worry, especially as the sober time had been 19.5 months, which was good going. The least surprising part for any of us is that the relapsers didn’t just have that “one or two” drinks. They all return to heavy and dangerous levels of drinking.

Be careful, folks.

brighterday1234

An alcoholic is always the problem and not the alcohol per se. Once I was recovered (AA definition) from alcoholism I could be surrounded by alcohol and it wouldn’t bother me. But for those not at that point then the heavy marketing of a potentially deadly drug such as alcohol in the U.K. is a disgrace.

It stands to reason that cheap alcohol which is literally in your face in any U.K. supermarket as you walk in is bound to promote an increase in Consumption (which is what it’s designed to do). There should be calorie labels on every bottle/can at the very least.

However for an alcoholic the buck always stops with them in my experience. Once the spiritual malady is no more then the desire for alcohol or indeed any other mind-altering drug is gone and a serenity about life takes over. It’s a wonderful thing and why I’m a very grateful alcoholic.

Hodd

I’d consider myself recovered too although I’m not immune to a relapse happening. Those 17% in the survey probably considered themselves cured, but now they’re struggling sadly and are probably lying in bed with a hangover feeling very low.

Smoking gets a terrible rap in the UK. A packet of 20 cigarettes now averages £10.20 and features graphic images of lung tumours and such illnesses. Then the smoker has to stand alone outside in a far flung corner to smoke. Heavy drinking is just as deadly as smoking but gets none of the negative press.

The 14 unit limit isn’t clear. There are reasons (cancer rates go up dramatically with increased drinking), but these aren’t spelled out anywhere. I suspect the government welcomes the tax income from alcohol sales, but at what cost? UK TV used to have commercials about the dangers of smoking. I think the same should be done for drinking. Many drinkers don’t know their dependent or they think liver disease will never happen to them. If they saw a liver patient, they might think twice. There are periodic news reports of the perils of heavy drinking, and these did have an effect on me.

D122y

Hi!

D122y

I love the term "having a go" sir. I get to work with the RAF sometimes. They are all extremely bright and professional.

Anyway, I am not a details person, but basically rather than total lock down, make it a 50% lock down. Half the people can go out half the time.

That way the economy doesn't totally get blasted and the hospitals can keep up with the sick.

At first we did not know much about covid, but now we know more. Generally, it hospitalizes folks with weakened immune systems. If a person never gets sick, they probably can beat down covid without hospitalization/rx drugs. Just OTC stuff.

There are way better ways than my 50% idea, but you get the idea.

Thanks.

Mizz

I can only speak from what I have seen in my part of the world. Alcohol sales are through the roof. We are having record breaking sales at my own place of employment. In the beginning of COVID it seemed a little out of this world how much alcohol, toilet paper, rubbing alcohol, aloe vera gel and Clorox was selling. After a time, signs were put out that said "Currently unavailable due to COVID." We never ran out of alcohol. Case after case coming in and going out. I still see this happening. Not so much with the toilet paper and the other stuff. Just the alcohol.

I'm not sure how the drinking will be once this is all over? The habit of drinking daily can and will create a future problem for those who are drinking to relieve stress, boredom etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see the traffic increase around here.

So thankful I got off that train.

AlbaSober

There is no UK lockdown. The UK is a collection of nations and health control is devolved.

I fully support no booze at supermarkets whilst pubs can't open.

Mizz

Just wanted to update on my little post here yesterday:

I checked my work email after I talked about record breaking sales and there was an email about alcohol sales. MAJOR MAJOR sales this past weekend. People are GOING FOR IT! I have a feeling it will be the same for today and most definitely tomorrow.

I am going to be clear eyed and energetic while the world around me is in a haze of a hangover!

Hodd

As far as I know, none of us here live in North Korea

If a western country totally stopped selling alcohol altogether, that would be a dangerous precedent. It’d be alcohol one week and telling you what job you have to do the next. People should have the freedom to drink if they want, but I wish there was more education about the health effects

Zencat

Living in a latino minority neighborhood there is more access to alcohol due to all the liquor stores and other places to buy alcohol. Every few blocks there is a store selling alcohol. With easy availability and enormous stress due to covid-19 I'm confident booz consumption is up in my hood

anxiousrock

I find it so odd that you can just buy alcohol at a supermarket like that....makes it too easy and you are so right.... people likely became dependent during lockdown and will continue to drink. So sad . I'm so glad i was able to fight the urge most of the time.