Coronavirus: Curb your enthusiasm for drinking as therapy

The overarching threat of living through a global pandemic is creating a cocktail of conditions ripe for alcohol misuse.

The heightened stress of social isolatio­n, anxiety about actual or potential job losses or business shutdowns, and the overarching threat of living through a global pandemic is creating a cocktail of conditions ripe for alcohol misuse — particularly when staying at home means supply is as close by as the fridge or kitchen cupboard.

With pubs, clubs and restaur­ants closed, takeaway alcohol outlets are seeing queues for supplies ahead of the phase 3 restrictions set to be imposed by federal and state governments.

Some states have already imposed purchase limits to restrict bulk buying.

“Australians do have a complex cultural relationship with alcohol that runs deep,” said Sam Biondi, executive officer of the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association.

“It is embedded in our celeb­rations, our commiserations, it’s part of social participation, we don’t like wowsers. Yet its misuse creates a range of harms.

“Look at China in recent times. There has been a reported huge increas­e in domestic violence.

“As people spend more time in social isolation here, in close contact­ with alcohol, I suspect the story of its broader impact will be written in the months ahead.’’

Mr Biondi called on people to closely monitor their and others’ mental health in the coming weeks and not to use alcohol to address­ what are understandable feelings of stress and anxiety.

“Exercise, garden, clean the house, maintain a normal routine and try to keep away from dark emotional places.

“And don’t use alcohol if you are there,” he said.

DrinkWise ambassador Andrew Rochford said the unexpected time at home created conditions conducive to alcohol misuse, and people should be mindful about how much they were consuming.

“Kids are always watching and learning, so parents must display positive role modelling as it does influence children’s attitudes to ­alcohol when they grow up,” Dr Rochford said.