Millions of people all around the world struggle with alcohol abuse. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has made things even worse. More people are struggling with depression, anger, and feeling overwhelmed than before the pandemic. These feelings are causing people to abuse alcohol. If you are in this position and don’t know where to turn or what to do, please reach out to Harmony Health Group right away. You can get into an alcohol addiction treatment program, so you can get the help you need to get your life back to how you want and deserve it to be.
Risks of Alcohol Abuse
The pandemic is hitting most people pretty hard. Some people are isolating more than they normally would – loneliness alone can cause someone to abuse alcohol. In addition, the stress from things not being “normal” is causing others to drink alcohol more than they would have before the pandemic.
With this being said, it is important to know that abusing alcohol has many risks such as:
- Increased risk of liver disease
- High blood pressure
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Mental and physical health problems
- Suicidal ideations
- Alcohol dependence
- Cardiovascular disease
- Permanent memory loss
The list here today is just a start of how damaging alcohol abuse can be on one’s body and brain.
If you have high-stress levels, depression or other negative emotions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have been abusing alcohol to cope, let our team help you to handle things in healthier ways.
Tips for Getting and Staying Sober
Once someone becomes dependent on alcohol, it isn’t easy to stop drinking. The toll that alcohol takes on the body and the withdrawal symptoms that are often present when someone quits drinking can be severe.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t get and stay sober. There are many tips that can help you to do that and our team wants to help you to do this. We want to help you live a substance-free life and find healthy ways to cope with how you are feeling. Some of the tips for getting and staying sober include:
- Getting into a professional detox program
- Going to an addiction treatment program
- Avoiding locations that primarily serve alcohol
- Not going to parties where alcohol will be available
- Getting quality sleep to reduce the stress on your body and mind
- Exercise daily
- Use meditation videos to help you be more mindful and relaxed
- Make fun, non-alcoholic drinks such as fruit smoothies
- Go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
- Find support groups for those who don’t drink
- Hang out with people who support you being sober
- Find a sponsor and accountability partner
- Use apps that offer motivational quotes and sobriety counters
You do not have to quit drinking on your own. In fact, it is highly recommended that you get into a professional treatment program where you can learn healthy coping skills, relapse prevention tips and get therapy services to deal with how you feel about the pandemic.
Signs of Alcohol Use Disorder
Are you unsure if you have an alcohol use disorder? Maybe you have been drinking a lot more than you used to since the Covid-19 pandemic started but you think it is just a phase that you will get past when the pandemic ends.
There are a couple of things that you need to know about this. Number one is that nobody knows when this pandemic is going to end. Do you want to keep losing out on joyful, happy days because you are drinking or hungover? Number two is that continuing to abuse alcohol is going to damage your body. Some of the damage may be irreversible. You can stop things before they get that far.
There are some signs that you may have an alcohol use disorder such as:
- Spending a lot of time talking about or taking part in alcoholic events or parties
- Drinking a lot more than you used to
- Thinking that you need to drink so you can relax or unwind
- Using alcohol as a way to hide from how you are feeling
- Prioritizing drinking over responsibilities or substance-free activities you enjoy
- Putting yourself in dangerous situations such as drinking and driving or having unsafe sex while you are intoxicated
- Needing to drink more alcohol than before to get buzzed or drunk
- Having blackouts due to drinking too much alcohol
- Getting into legal or financial trouble due to your alcohol use
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, or irritability when you stop drinking
Have you been experiencing any of these symptoms? If so, you likely have a substance use disorder. You are not alone. You can start attending an alcohol addiction treatment program, so you can take back control of your life.
Stop Alcohol Abuse During the Pandemic
As noted above, there are many people who have started abusing alcohol during the pandemic. There are many others that already were abusing alcohol but have fallen further into the addiction. The problem is that some people think it is just a phase and they will stop drinking or regain control over their drinking when the pandemic is over. Don’t risk everything to see if that will happen and don’t allow alcohol to keep damaging your life.
You can stop alcohol abuse during the pandemic. Contact us today here at Harmony Health Group to get into an alcohol addiction treatment program.