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Increased alcohol use during the pandemic

a row of three wine glasses containing white and red wines

Increased alcohol use during the pandemic
October 12, 2020

According to an article in the journal JAMA Network Open, American adults report they are drinking 14% more often during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the research didn't determine why drinking frequency has increased, health experts worry that people are turning to alcohol to cope with the stress, anxiety, and isolation caused by the pandemic.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Victor Karpyak, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and addiction researcher, discusses alcohol use and the warning signs that drinking may be a problem.