With the outbreak of the Corona Virus pandemic, we can say that there was another endemic simultaneously outbroke in India that is the endemic of “myths”. There was a plethora of myths that outbroke with the pandemic, prominent one that captured our attention was “drinking alcohol, protects people from the corona virus”.
Really ?? Can alcohol consumption reduce the chances
of corona virus infection??
Come lets check out the facts :
This myth of alcohol curing corona virus started as
a result of insisting on use of sanitizers with 60 to 95% of alcohol content in
it. It is possible for high concentrations of alcohol, such as 60- 95%, to kill
some forms of bacteria and viruses. However alcohol kills viruses on the skin. Drinking alcohol including beverages with high percentages of
alcohol - offers no protection from the virus.
“The concentration of alcohol in the blood after one
standard drink is in the range of 0.01- 0.03% (a blood alcohol level of
0.01-0.03 gm%), which is a tiny fraction of the concentration needed to produce
an antiseptic action. Indeed, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.40% can be
fatal.”
These are the general facts you should know about the consumption of alcohol and health:
l Alcohol
has effects, both short-term and long-term, on almost every single organ of your body. Overall, the evidence
suggests that there is no “safe limit” – in fact, the risk of damage to your
health increases with each drink of alcohol consumed.
l Alcohol
use, especially heavy use, weakens the immune system and thus reduces the
ability to cope with infectious diseases.
l Alcohol,
even in very small quantities, is known to cause certain types of cancer.
l Alcohol
alters your thoughts, judgement, decision-making and behaviour.
l Alcohol,
even in small amounts, is a risk to the unborn child at any time during
pregnancy.
l Alcohol
increases the risk, frequency and severity of perpetration of interpersonal
violence such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, youth violence,
elder abuse, and violence against children.
l Alcohol
increases the risk of death and injury from road traffic injuries, drowning and
falls.
l Heavy
use of alcohol increases the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS), one of the most severe complications of COVID-19.
Alcohol Effects on Mental Health
l During the COVID-19
pandemic, people may experience higher levels of stress, depression, and
anxiety. This may cause some people to consume more alcohol than they usually
would.
l In order to function as
usual, the brain needs to maintain the balance of neurotransmitters. Alcohol
can disrupt this balance.
l Excessive alcohol use can
lead to or worsen existing mental health problems.For example, according to
a 2015 review, alcohol can induce depression.
l Alcohol use can also worsen anxiety symptoms over time. Around 20% of people with a social anxiety disorder experience alcohol use disorder.
Coping methods
Although
some people turn to alcohol, there are many other ways of coping with feelings
of depression and anxiety.
l Some people may find
psychotherapy beneficial. Psychotherapies use different methods to help a
person understand and change their patterns of thinking and behavior.
l There are also a variety of medications available for depression and anxiety. For example, antidepressants can treat the symptoms of depression in some people. These usually take 2–4 weeks to begin working.
l Doctors may prescribe
other types of medications to treat anxiety. For example, beta-blockers can
help control the physical responses to anxiety,
such as increased heart rate.
l Making other lifestyle changes might also help. For example, getting regular exercise and practicing stress reduction techniques can help reduce symptoms. It is also important to prevent feelings of isolation by reaching out to friends and family when possible.
So finally :
DRINKING
ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCES CONTAINING ALCOHOL DOES NOT CURE OR PROTECT YOU AGAINST
COVID-19. INSTEAD IT DETERIORATES YOUR MENTALA ND PHYSICAL HEALTH.
Before
believing in any news please do cross check it with reliable source of
information.
Stay Home, Stay Safe. Take Care.
Reference:
1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/alcohol-and-covid-19#summary
Ms. Ananya S M
I Year M Sc Clinical Psychology
Kateel Ashok Pai Memorial Institute, Shivamogga
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