Daily Herald opinion: We seem to be recovering from our COVID-19 hangover
This editorial is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
Imagine that one day your entire world is disrupted. Your comfortable habits upended, your friends taken away from you. Your job altered or lost.
In some cases, a loved one is taken from you.
You don't have to imagine it. You've lived through it.
COVID-19 has killed 7 million people around the world, more than 1.12 million of them in the U.S.
The Census Bureau tells us 127 million Americans reported having contracted COVID, 28% of whom are suffering long-term effects.
A report last week from researchers at Northwestern Medicine found that among long-COVID sufferers tested, 85% reported decreased quality of life, 51% suffered cognitive impairment, 45% had altered lung function, 83% had abnormal chest scans, and 12% had elevated heart rates.
Long COVID is now the third leading neurological disorder in the United States.
It's no wonder that so many of us who didn't succumb to the disease would spend the pandemic self-medicating to combat the sense of isolation, financial disruptions, fear of infection, grief and other stressors.
The Washington Post last week published a story that examined a surge in alcohol consumption during the pandemic - and a big upturn in alcohol-related deaths.
George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, told the Post the traumas of the pandemic added to the stresses that already had been spurring people to drink more in recent years. "The pandemic just made it worse," he said.
It wasn't just harmful habits we were developing. The number of deaths caused by alcohol rose more than 45% from 2018 to 2021, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Illinois' numbers for increased consumption are up slightly, but alcohol deaths were up by about half - still lower than in many states.
But just as those of us have eased up on our Peanut M & M consumption and are no longer catching up regularly with our favorite pizza delivery drivers, we're beginning to rethink our relationship with booze.
New research suggests that no amount of alcohol is good for you. If you do drink, it's simply better to do so in moderation.
What is encouraging is the surge in availability of nonalcoholic and lower-alcohol beverages in restaurants and the retail market as well as the growth of "bars" that feature an alcohol-free environment.
We're still not getting together as much as we did pre-pandemic, but restaurants and bars have always been places where we enjoy each other's company. Having options for those of us who want to participate in the camaraderie but not the buzz is a welcome move toward inclusion.
If you're struggling with alcohol, call the National Rehab Hotline at (866) 210-1303 or log onto aa.com.