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People with anxiety and depression are more likely to report an increase in drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic than those without mental health issues, according to a new study released by the New York University School of Global Public Health. While drinking grew most among younger people, older adults with anxiety and depression also saw a sharper increase in their risk for harmful alcohol use.

“This increase in drinking, particularly among people with anxiety and depression, is consistent with concerns that the pandemic may be triggering an epidemic of problematic alcohol use,” says Ariadna Capasso, the report’s lead author. People often drink to cope with stress and traumatic events. A 2002 study found that a quarter of New Yorkers increased their alcohol consumption after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. COVID-19 has created many stressors, including isolation and disruption of routines, economic hardship, illness, and fear of contagion, and studies suggest that people are drinking more during the pandemic.

People with existing mental health conditions are particularly susceptible. To understand the pandemic’s impact on this population, researchers administered a survey to 5,850 adults from all 50 states.

The researchers asked participants about their alcohol use during the pandemic, gathered demographic information, and measured symptoms of depression and anxiety based on self-report. Of the respondents who say that they drink, 29% reported increasing alcohol use during the pandemic, while 19.8% reported drinking less, and 51.2% reported no change. People with depression were 64% more likely to increase their alcohol intake, while those with anxiety were 41% more likely to do so.

The researchers recommend increasing mental health and substance use services during COVID-19 via telehealth to overcome barriers to accessing care, where in-person services are unavailable, as well as actively reaching out to people with mental health issues who may be likely to engage in unhealthy drinking in response to stress.

Concludes senior researcher Ralph Diclemente, chair of social and behavioral sciences at the NYU School of Global Public Health, “Lessons we’ve learned from previous disasters show us that intervening early to prevent unhealthy substance use is critical and could help lessen the pandemic’s impact on mental health.”

Helen Susan Edelman Livesmart Project Director Livesmart@classroomenrichment.org Facebook.com/crlivesmart