- Alcohol poisoning
- Blackouts
- Developing of a drinking disorder (alcoholism)

Columbia University

- Description of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
- Higher risk groups for increased alcohol consumption
- Reports/Concerns of Elevated Alcohol Drinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Risks of increased alcohol use
- Suggestions to counteract substance use issues

Alcohol Substance Use Issues Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rodriguez, L. M., Litt, D. M., & Stewart, S. H. (2020). Drinking to cope with the pandemic: The unique associations of COVID-19-related perceived threat and psychological distress to drinking behaviors in American men and women. Addictive behaviors, 106532.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320671/

Drinking to cope with the pandemic: The unique associations of COVID-19 related perceived threat and psychological distress to drinking behaviors in American men and women

There have been several publications that have reported/warned of elevated alcohol drinking as a result of social isolation/generalized stress during the COVID-19 lockdown period(s). This node is intended to collect significant reports in this area.
- Survey Analysis: Alcohol Drinking Among the General German Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown
- Survey Analysis: Alcohol Drinking Among Quarantined Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic 
- Survey analysis: Drinking to cope with the pandemic: The unique associations of COVID-19 related perceived threat and psychological distress to drinking behaviors in American men and women
- Review/Report: Concerns of the Effects of Isolation on Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) and Alcohol-Associated Liver Diseases (ALDs)

Reports/Concerns of Elevated Alcohol Drinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by repeating cycling through preoccupation/anticipation, binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect stages (Ref. #1). AUD is considered by the DSM-5 to be a spectrum-like disorder that ranges in severity from mild, moderate, to severe. In contrast to the previous iteration of the DSM (the DSM-IV), no distinction is made between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence (Ref. #2). With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is concern that abstinent individuals will relapse back into the AUD cycle due to the stress caused by the pandemic itself and the social isolation that ensued as a result of lockdown periods.

Description of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

- Women are at higher risk than men, it has been observed that women are drinking more to close the gap with men, but are react physically stronger to a smaller quantity of alcohol
- People with kids are more likely to drink more, probably because the added stresses of kids increases distress

Higher risk groups for elevated alcohol consumption in response to increased to psychological distress

Risks of increased alcohol use in response to increased psychological distress

- Monitor drinking quantity for women
- Monitor drinking and heavy/drinking for all those psychologically impacted by the pandemic and its restrictions

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