Alcohol Sales and Liver-Related Deaths Increased During the Pandemic

The rate of people in Florida that died from alcohol-related liver disease increased between 2020 and 2022 compared to years prior. At that same time, alcohol sales were booming. This ran parallel to a nationwide trend during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

There are several reasons cited for the increase. “Patients early in recovery lost access to support and counseling services,” Dr. Andreas Zori, a gastroenterologist with the University of Florida Health told Health News Florida. “This was particularly harmful to patients in early recovery.”

Stress, social isolation, loss of jobs, and the tanking economy also likely played a significant factor in the increase in alcohol use. Florida was also one of the first states to open, leading to a surge of immigration and inflation, which led to more stress, speculates Elena Cyrus, a statistician epidemiologist at the University of Central Florida. “We didn’t have that protection of quarantine as long as other places did.”

COVID-19 affected vulnerable populations at a greater rate, something that is echoed by tangential issues, including problem drinking and subsequent health issues.

Studies have shown how alcohol use increased in the LGBTQ community during the pandemic. During lockdown, 1/3 of men who have sex with men reported an increase in binge drinking, and 32% of LGBTQ college students reported a general increase in their alcohol consumption after the outbreak. In addition to the shared problems the general population faced, members of the LGBTQ may have also experienced higher degrees of stress caused by social prejudice and rejection from their families during that time.

Women also were disproportionately affected by the pandemic in terms of increased alcohol consumption. Between May 28 and June 16, 2020, women had a 41% increase in heavy drinking days (4 drinks in a day for women, 5 drinks in a day for men) compared to a 14% increase overall.

More research is needed to see whether drinking rates affected people of varying socioeconomic backgrounds differently.

Other Health Problems Caused by Alcohol Use

In addition to liver problems, excessive drinking is associated with serious health problems such as:

• High blood pressure.
• Heart disease.
• Cancer.
• Injuries and violence.

Alcohol use disorder is a condition characterized by the compulsive use of alcohol despite clinically significant problems in one’s life. Quitting alcohol after developing an addiction sometimes requires professional help. For people that have developed a physiological dependency on alcohol, medical detox may be necessary for them to safely quit drinking. Other treatment approaches that help someone remain in long-term recovery include behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, peer support, and more.

Get Help for Alcohol Addiction

River Oaks alcohol rehab in Riverview, FL provides several levels of addiction treatment, including:

• Medical detox.
• Residential treatment.
• Partial hospitalization (day treatment)
• Intensive outpatient treatment.

Please call to speak to a compassionate admissions navigator about starting alcohol rehab at River Oaks. They can also answer questions about what to expect, using insurance coverage for addiction treatment, and other payment options. You can also verify your insurance coverage using the confidential .