EU Alcohol Awareness Week 2021
EU Alcohol Awareness Week 15 -19 November 2021 gives us an opportunity to look at our relationship with alcohol, understand the risks and the effects alcohol is having on our body and mind.
As we continue to live with the realities of COVID, concerning trends are emerging about the use of alcohol.The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted much of people’s drinking from pubs and restaurants to their own homes, with many reporting an increase in both the amount and frequency of their alcohol use. Increased alcohol use during this time is associated with poorer mental health, suggesting that people are using alcohol to cope with feelings of anxiety, loneliness and isolation. Alcohol deaths have reached a record high during the COVID-19 pandemic with deaths caused by alcohol in England and Wales increasing by 16.4% from January to September 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019 (Holmes & Angus, 2021).
Source: HSE.ie, November 11th 2021. Accessed on November 16th 2021
