Not having to be the head honcho at Planned Parenthood has really freed up Dr. Leana Wen’s time to occasionally think about things other than killing unborn babies. And with the COVID pandemic, she’s had a lot to think about.
And she’s figured out some stuff.
Like, did you know that the pandemic has had negative effects on a lot of people’s mental health? And that some of those negative effects have led to some of those people drinking excessive amounts of alcohol? Brace yourselves:
My @postopinions column is about pandemic drinking.
More people 16-64 years old died from alcohol-related deaths in 2020 than from #covid19. Alcohol-related skyrocketed 25% from 2019 to 2020, and will likely be worse in 2021.
Why & what to do? 🧵https://t.co/K46Vx66Dmp
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
Leana Wen went to medical school, you know!
Aaron White @NIAAAnews attributes the increased drinking to the “double whammy” of added stress & reduced coping options, such as socializing. “My concern is that the unhealthy habits people picked up during the pandemic may stick with them long after the pandemic ends."
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
Dr. Laura Bierut @WUSTLmed explains the disproportionate impact on women: “Covid has been particularly hard on women, with women dropping out of the workforce at greater numbers… & family responsibilities falling predominantly on women.” There is also blurring of home/work.
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
How can people recognize excessive drinking?
Some tools to help:
At-risk drinking (> 7/week for women and >14 for men, with no more than 3/day for women and 4/day for men)https://t.co/RJtWM7fzzf
Alcohol-use disorder (medical condition):https://t.co/HnAUAQbdzX
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
Dr. Leena Mittal @BrighamWomens encourages people to ask: “If there is a toll on how you’re functioning at home, at work, in marital or parent-child relationships, that’s a warning sign, as is increases in the amount you’re drinking…."
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
There are many ways to seek help.
Speaking with your primary care physician is always a good first step; they can help you assess your risk and refer you to specialized care.
NIAAA has an online navigator that helps connect people to treatment. https://t.co/HdaDpj894N
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
Those who might not meet formal criteria for alcohol use disorder but want to reduce their drinking can explore recovery and sobriety. That includes joining groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, and seeking individual peer support and coaching.
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
Even acknowledging the possibility of at-risk drinking is a good start. Aaron White from NIAAA: “If you’re not ready to change your habits now, be mindful that what you are doing may not be sustainable, and at some point in the future, you have to make adjustments.”
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— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
The good news is that it's not too late to make a change.
As Americans return to more aspects of the pre-pandemic normal, this is the time to look to replacing harmful habits with ones that are healthier for our physical and mental well-being.
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) April 21, 2022
We have absolutely no issues whatsoever with the fact that Leana Wen is shining a spotlight on pandemic-era alcoholism. It is indeed a major problem and it definitely merits discussion.
No, the issue we have is that “pandemic drinking” and mental health problems were things we and many others tried to warn about when lockdowns began, only to be dismissed and shouted down by purported followers of science including, yes, Dr. Leana Wen.
We took away a bunch of people’s support structures and access to healthy coping measures and shamed them if they sought them out, barred them from in-person (or any) treatment, school, jobs, sports, gyms.🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/I1JjbAiXw2
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) April 21, 2022
Everything that MK says here, only I would have added "Gee, I wonder why…"
These people. I can't even… https://t.co/Q7iwdp5uGm
— Andrew_Langer (@Andrew_Langer) April 21, 2022
Former pro-lockdown hack is suddenly opening her eyes to the fact that the Democrat solution to #COVID was always worse than the problem.
These people should be prosecuted, ever last one of them. https://t.co/qtbOakTQlj
— Kohltrain 🇺🇸 (@kohljm) April 21, 2022
It turns out that the lockdowns which Leana pushed will probably do more damage than the virus itself. https://t.co/D2UE8mooz9
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) April 21, 2022
Important for everyone to know. You people demanding lock downs and constant social distancing caused this. This blood is on YOUR hands.
— Bupolo (@Bupolo_) April 21, 2022
