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Go Easy On The Quarantinis: How To Keep Your Alcohol Intake In Check During Lockdown

See the latest stories on the coronavirus outbreak.

You’re stuck at home, you’re stressed, and you’ve got a cupboard full of booze. It’s tempting to drink more than usual during the coronavirus lockdown – there’s a communal sense that we “deserve it” for getting through this tough time, plus it’s harder for your boss to detect a hangover on Skype.

But the World Health Organisation has labelled drinking alcohol an “unhelpful” coping strategy for dealing with the stress of isolation and social distancing – a sentiment echoed by the charity Drinkaware.

“Alcohol is best avoided when you’re anxious,” Drinkaware’s CEO, Elaine Hindal, tells HuffPost UK. ”It’s actually a depressant, and it can interfere with processes in the brain that are important for good mental health, as well as contribute to symptoms of severe depression.”

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Alcohol also impairs judgement, so drinking more than you usually would may lead to accidents and therefore place an extra burden on health services during this stretched time.

“For example, with drinking one too many while cooking, it’s common to need hospital treatment after burning your arm badly on the oven,” says Hindal. “Every year, thousands of avoidable accidents and injuries are attributable to alcohol.”

Drinking heavily may also contribute towards you becoming particularly vulnerable to infections such as coronavirus, Hindal adds. “That’s because alcohol can suppress a range of immune responses, and this is particularly the case for people who drink very heavily and regularly,” she says.

“Your body’s natural defences against infections may be compromised by excessive alcohol use and this could make you more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections.”

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