The WHO (World Health Organization) had an opinion about drinking alcohol during the quarantine. In fact, the released a warning back in April to raise awareness about drinking too much in times of a pandemic. They stated that drinking a lot of alcohol during this pandemic can have negative effects on your physical and mental health.

Leaning on alcohol during these times has a great chance of making a person become dependent and maybe an alcoholic. You could start drinking because you like the taste or because it helps your mood, however, you might find yourself seeking this feeling more frequently. When you reach this stage you will stop looking for alternative ways to relax. The third stage, which comes after this one, is experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you do not drink alcohol. This will make it hard for you to stop drinking.

How much is enough?

It is recommended to stick to a moderate level of alcohol consumption during the quarantine. This means one glass for women and 2 glasses for men per day.

Some of the signs that you are drinking more than you should:

• If you ever find yourself unable to sleep without drinking alcohol, you should know that you are overdrinking.
• You are unable to drink less or stop drinking
• You find yourself needing more alcohol to get the same effects
• You do not stop drinking even when you feel anxious or depressed
• You spend a lot of time drinking
• Many people have noticed your drinking habits
• Drinking interferes with your daily routine
• You are experiencing withdrawal symptoms

Drinking can lead to mental health issues and anxieties, which could also be the main reason why you actually started drinking. However, while it might relax you at the beginning, your anxiety issues will worsen at the end.

Things you can do if you are drinking more than usual

• Start exercising: home workouts and yoga are a great way to distract you

• Meditate: use one of the available apps online to connect with your inner self and relax, instead of drinking for the same purpose

• Develop a hobby: doing something new is proved to keep your mind away from drinking, and it can help boost your morale when you start seeing self-improvements

• Talk to people you love: connecting with people who care about you is very important. Having a support system is important to keep anxiety away.

• Spend time with yourself: take some time during the day to be alone and reflect on important issues. Appreciate this time so you can learn to appreciate yourself more and stay away from drinking.