I had a brief, socially distanced conversation with a friend the other day that I can’t stop thinking about. The conversation was great, blessed socialization, until the end. Her closing comment, delivered in her best one-liner voice, was, “Well, since you don’t drink, I’m drinking enough for the both of us these days…” Haha.
The world is filled with backwards thinking, mixed messages and conflicting advice in the age of COVID-19. High on the list of “dangerous messages” is the way that society finds humor in the rising rates of substance abuse during this pandemic. The drinking memes. The commercials peddling a cure in a bottle. Liquid gold. That’s rich.
Sure, we’re stuck at home filling multiple roles with little respite. Sure, this is stressful and anxiety-producing and just plain difficult. But to promote, praise and find humor in the fact that many people are relying on alcohol or other substances to “cope” with this situation is anything but funny.
According the the World Health Organization, there is no amount of alcohol that is safe to consume. “The evidence shows that the ideal situation for health is to not drink at all. Alcohol is closely related to around 60 different diagnoses and for almost all there is a close dose–response relationship, so the more you drink, the higher your risk of disease.” This statement goes on to say that alcohol causes cancer and high blood pressure, not to mention the harmful effects that bleed out onto family members, communities and societies as a whole.
With the prevalence of COVID-19 just about everywhere, it is wise to take precautions and take care of ourselves. We need fully functioning immune systems to fight this virus. If you are young and otherwise healthy, or older and otherwise healthy, COVID-19 is a virus you can endure and recover from. But for people with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems, it’s a different story.
It is well documented that consuming alcohol excessively (more than 1 drink a day for women and two for men) suppresses the immune system.
Clinicians have long observed an association between excessive alcohol consumption and adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia. In recent decades, this association has been expanded to a greater likelihood of acute respiratory stress syndromes (ARDS), sepsis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and certain cancers; a higher incidence of postoperative complications; and slower and less complete recovery from infection and physical trauma, including poor wound healing.
National Institute for Health
Slower and less complete recovery from infection. Susceptibility to pneumonia. Many people who develop complications from COVID-19 develop pneumonia, which ends up being fatal. Especially, if you are already susceptible from underlying health conditions.
Not to mention the toll that drinking takes on your mental health. When I remember what my mindset was like during my drinking days, I know that there is no way that I could be actively drinking during this pandemic and make it out alive. The increased depression, anxiety, shame and self-loathing that accompanies alcohol would end up being the final straw. Why invite that kind of extra mental suffering during this dark and difficult time?
I don’t think I’m stating anything new here. I just want anyone who reads this and is questioning their drinking to consider the extra hazards of alcohol use while COVID-19 is rampant.
It may feel impossible to stop, but there is help and support around, if you seek it out. This WordPress community of sober bloggers would welcome with open arms, anyone who has the desire to ditch the drink.
Please reach out. A step away from drinking is a step toward yourself. Your best future self. You are worthy of the truth. You deserve a full and healthy life. Even these days.
This is so true. So many impacts, it’s just not worth it. Life is better without it.
Great post and sometimes we need to hear the stark truth 😊😊