Stop the ‘mommy wine culture.’
COVID pandemic impacted alcohol consumption in Atlantic Canada
The pandemic has shone a spotlight on issues that exist with our alcohol culture, amplifying many of them, said Allison Garber.
The Bedford woman is a recovering alcoholic who used alcohol as a means to self-medicating her mental illnesses.
Statistics show since the beginning of the pandemic, people across Canada have increased their booze consumption, said Lee-anne Richardson from Dartmouth.
Richardson is also a recovering alcoholic who talks about her alcohol recovery journey and offers tips and hope through her Youtube channel, Addicted to Happy. Richardson, and also runs Sober City, a website where she shares advice, inspiration and resources on what to do in Nova Scotia for the newly sober and the sober-curious.
Locally, alcohol sales increased during COVID.
According to the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. annual report for 2019-20, there was a 52 per cent growth in all local beverage alcohol sales. Sales for 2020 surpassed all projections, returning $9.9 million more to shareholders than the previous fiscal year.
It’s not just people who already exhibit risky drinking behaviours who are drinking more over this past year, said Richardson.
Since COVID, there has been a major uptake in alcoholism and alcohol consumption in general, adds Ellen Taylor of Summerside, P.E.I.
Taylor runs Taylored to Heal on both Facebook and Instagram, where she aims to help others struggling or looking for support by sharing her personal story with eating disorders and drug and alcohol addictions.
“During COVID, people are stressed financially, people’s children have been home, there is a lack of routines, big sums of money have been given for COVID, and stress in general of the unknown is at a high,” said Taylor, noting these factors have all contributed to more drinking from everyone.
“Boredom, stress, isolation are the major reasons keeping people drinking and drinking more,” adds Richardson. “In times of stress, people often turn to the easiest fix, and that’s usually alcohol since our culture is so obsessed with it.”
ISOLATION CHALLENGE
Bert Bennett has been providing counselling through the Atlantic Family Institute in Corner Brook, N.L., for more than 38 years. He has seen significant issues with respect to coping and adjustment during COVID, specifically relating to fear, uncertainty, stress on families, family dynamics and role definition.
Particularly, people are challenged with technology and are in isolated work environments from working at home, said Bennett.
Additionally, Garber said the pandemic removed the self-imposed rules people had placed around drinking.
“People were working from home, they weren’t driving, they weren’t seeing others — so there wasn’t a real sense of urgency around adhering to rules such as waiting until after work to drink, or not drinking alone,” she said, noting that these dramatic shifts in routines led many to struggle with maintaining their sobriety.
Many alcoholics have relapsed during COVID, Taylor said. Those she has spoken with have told her, “Well, I fell off the wagon, so when things open back up, then I’ll go for help.”
During COVID, access to in-person meetings and support was another barrier to sobriety. Taylor helped start an online recovery group with three meetings a day when COVID first started. People joined from all over Canada, as well as those whose regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings were cancelled.
With the knowledge that drinking increased during COVID, many could not understand why the liquor stores were still open and deemed essential.
Richardson understands that outrage and said it makes sense that most people would feel that way, as most people only drink to have fun or socialize. But they are forgetting about the people who drink to stop shaking, to keep from hitting harder drugs, or literally stay alive, she said.
“The reality is that individuals who are experiencing substance abuse are at significant risk for dangerous withdrawal symptoms, which can be fatal,” reminds Garber.
SOCIETAL VIEWS
The larger issue, said Taylor, is how drinking has become so socially acceptable on the East Coast. People think because it’s legal and popular, it’s fine.
It’s normal for people to give liquor store gift cards as presents, to bring beer to the beach, wine to a baby shower, or take clients or co-workers out for drinks, said Richardson.
“We equate happiness, good times and destressing with alcohol and this mindset is making us sick both mentally and physically,” she said.
Society now frequently makes light of alcohol as a cure-all for our problems, said Garber. It’s evidenced in the music we listen to, the TV shows we watch and the memes we come across on social media.
This impact is even greater on women, said Garber, citing the “mommy wine culture” or “women who wine to unwind.”
This mindset positions alcohol as a staple for parenthood or a necessity for moms, said Garber. It also allows women to hide their addiction in plain sight.
“That drinking copious amounts of wine each night is a form of self-care, no one blinks twice if you share that you overdid it with wine because you had a tough day. Replace wine with any other drug and the reaction would be quite different,” said Garber.
Years ago, Garber, too, shared those “mommy needs wine” memes without thinking twice about it. The intent is not malicious, she said, but the underlying message is there.
INCREASED ALCOHOLISM
Richardson believes there will be an increase in alcoholism coming out of COVID, but said it depends on how one defines it, as there is no standard definition.
To her, alcoholism is when drinking turns into something that negatively impacts every aspect of their life, rather than enhances it.
“It’s not just how much someone drinks, it’s why they drink, and what happens in their life when they drink,” she said.
Bennett said at his practice, he has not seen a significant increase in those identifying with alcohol-related issues.
Because alcohol and addiction issues are generally cumulative over time, Bennett said it’s really too early to fully realize the impact the pandemic has had on people in terms of coping and addictions.
“I anticipate that we will see long-term adjustments with continuous and delayed reactions to the trauma of the pandemic, which may not be fully realized until months and years later,” said Bennett.
MOVING ON
One of the first steps is to start the conversation, but Taylor admits this can be difficult.
“We don’t often call people out on their behaviour anymore, choosing instead to more keep the peace. Many don’t want to look at their own drinking, so they stay silent,” she said.
Garber is hopeful and optimistic, though. She’s seeing significant conversations taking place about risks associated with alcohol — both regarding physical and mental health.
“Normalize the conversation. Be vocal when you quit drinking or take a month off,” adds Taylor.
And we need to continue educating people, she said, starting with telling children and teens that alcohol is just as bad as other drugs — and that it can be deadly.
Garber also wants to see more conversation about how women interact with alcohol. She’d like to see women given the information they need to make informed decisions about alcohol consumption, including the linkages with breast cancer and the negative impact it can have on mental health.
“Imagine the lives saved if an image with the text ‘Two drinks per day for women is associated with almost double the risk of breast cancer’ (was) shared as widely across social media as a, ‘Save water, drink wine’ meme,” said Garber.
Garber said we also need to look at public policy POST-COVID around issues of accessibility to alcohol, including home delivery. The policies need to prioritize public health, balancing the right for consumers to purchase alcohol with the growing evidence regarding the health impacts of alcohol consumption.
“We also need to invest more in resources and supports to help those who are suffering from addiction,” said Garber, ensuring everyone across the board has the same opportunities to recover.
“Navigating supports shouldn’t be so impossible and getting help shouldn’t mean losing income or not being able to pay rent. It is all intertwined.”
Garber is clear that she’s not a prohibitionist. The majority of her friends and family all enjoy alcohol in moderation.
“What I hope to achieve by sharing my story is that I contribute to the development of a culture where we provide people, especially women, with evidence-based information about the impacts of alcohol — including cancer risks — and stop comparing drinking to self-care,” she said.
PROBLEM SUSPECTED
According to Richardson, if someone thinks they may have a dependence on alcohol, they should speak with their doctor first.
“Remember, if your doctor only asks you how much you drink, that’s only one-third of the story. The reasons you drink and what happens in your life when you drink are just as important,” she said. “I would also suggest paying attention to your thoughts and behaviours around drinking. What triggers you to want to crack open a bottle? How do you feel after your first drink?”
She encourages people to reach out for help, whether it’s through mental health and addictions services, online support groups, rehabilitation centres, treatment centres or programs like AA or SMART Recovery.