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Alcohol, weed, drugs and your health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Chicago Tribune - 12/17/2020

This has been quite a year, and it’s not surprising that people have found themselves drinking alcohol and using cannabis or drugs to cope with all that 2020 has thrown our way. And now, the holidays have arrived -- traditionally a time for some to overindulge.

Throughout the year, we’ve written stories about why people are turning to alcohol, weed and drugs during the pandemic, and offered resources to those who are in over their heads. If you’re considering cutting back in the new year, here are some things to think about and some places to look for help.

People are drinking more during COVID-19: ‘We’re all going through a traumatic event’

Dr. Subhash C. Pandey, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said it’s understandable that people are turning to alcohol this year, as we’re all going through a traumatic event. “It has been very well established that (traumatic events) promote alcohol abuse,” Pandey said. “And it’s established that people drink to relax or to self-medicate.”

Poll breaks down why people are turning to weed during the pandemic

A report says that as the pandemic evolves, a large percentage of users have been seeking therapeutic relief from cannabis. Rising levels of anxiety and sleep issues have resulted in an uptick in cannabis use as well as a stable rise in the use of cannabis delivery services.

Drug and alcohol use has spiked, prompting Chicago’s recovery community to find new ways to reach out

The pandemic has proved to be a difficult time for people with an addiction. With persisting unemployment rates and surging reports of anxiety and depression nationwide, alcohol consumption and opioid use have skyrocketed among users who have found themselves stuck inside day after day. Over the past few months, recovery groups and treatment centers throughout the Chicago area have learned to adapt their services to the shifting restrictions of the pandemic.

Addiction to opioids and tobacco increases risk for COVID-19, study finds

People with substance use disorder -- especially involving opioids or tobacco -- are at a significantly higher risk for contracting COVID-19. What’s more, they also are more likely to develop a serious case of the virus and die, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Deadliest year for fatal opioid overdoses in Cook County

Cook County will end 2020 with its deadliest year for opioid overdoses, according to data from the medical examiner’s office that underscores how a chronic public health crisis raged to record levels amid the coronavirus pandemic. The county’s confirmed opioid overdose deaths so far this year have already surpassed last year’s record-breaking tally, with 1,498 cases compared with 2019\u2032s 1,277.

Is your pandemic drinking out of control? Here’s what to do about it.

In the context of a quarantine, indulging in alcohol is an understandable human compulsion, said Dr. Danesh Alam, who specializes in addiction psychiatry at Northwestern Medicine.

“Human nature is where we see certain triggers increase addiction or other behaviors,” he said. “The current environment just creates an opportunity for us to resort to that (behavior) and become victims.”

Although people with a personal or family history of substance abuse are always at greater risk, Alam said that people need to be vigilant about their habits in the current social climate.

Can having a drink with dinner turn into problem drinking?

Is it possible to become an alcoholic just by having one or two drinks nightly, like wine with dinner? The Mayo Clinic weighs in with signs that your drinking could be an issue.

‘Moderate’ drinking guidelines are too loose, study says

A sweeping international study of alcohol consumption has found no overall health benefits from moderate drinking. The threshold for low-risk drinking, the researchers found, is about seven beers a week for men and women alike.

The ‘sober curious’ movement takes off in Chicago.

A growing group of “sober curious” Americans, many of them women influenced by health and wellness concerns, are experimenting with alcohol-free living. The sober curious often cut out alcohol entirely or drastically reduce consumption, but in contrast to those who enroll in traditional 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, they don’t typically identify as addicts or insist on total, lifelong abstinence.

Prescribed opioids but want to try medical marijuana instead? An Illinois program will let you.

The Illinois Department of Public Health rolled out its Opioid Alternative Pilot Program in January. It was expected to dramatically increase demand for medical marijuana.

Signed into law in August 2019, the program allowed people who are prescribed opioids to access medical marijuana. Previously, patients had to have one of about 40 qualifying conditions, such as cancer or AIDS, to be able to use the drug.

What a month of ditching alcohol taught me

Here’s what a monthlong challenge to give up alcohol taught one millennial woman whose life revolved around going to shows where booze typically flows until closing.

I quit drinking a year ago. Here’s what happened.

After some unsuccessful attempts to stop drinking, one woman went a whole year. Although she misses the instant relaxation that comes when alcohol hits the bloodstream, she doesn’t long for what came afterward. Here’s her story.

Getting treatment for problem drinking -- without giving up alcohol

Harm reduction or controlled drinking, in which problem drinkers reduce their alcohol intake but don’t necessarily embrace abstinence, remains rare and controversial. But a growing body of research indicates that harm reduction works.

ssreynolds@chicagotribune.com

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