Not sure about grabbing that beer? You’re not alone. Americans are reaching for alcohol at record lows, according to a new Gallup survey.
The survey, out Aug. 20, found the number of Americans who say they drink alcohol sits at 54% for the second consecutive year − and health concerns appear to be a major factor.
“Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults now believe drinking one or two alcoholic beverages a day is bad for one’s health,” the survey results noted. “The figure is essentially unchanged from last year’s record-high 53%.”
In 2001, only 27% considered moderate drinking bad for one’s health, according to Gallup.
I think COVID-19 lockdown changed the path. Some people drank way too much during lockdown and decided it had become a problem or lost the taste for it. Then there is the disruption of how we socialize created by the lockdown. Before 2020, “meeting up for drinks”, going to bars, and eating at restaurants where the default adult form of socializing. The lockdown forced us to find other ways to socialize, or just deprioritize socializin altogether. Once you break the inertia of a default behavior, it’s difficult to start it up again. IMHO.
I agree with most of what you said. For me however, Covid was when I learned how to mix cocktails. I figured out a very simple drink I like and now I have 2-3 mix drinks a week, almost never more than one drink per day though.
My secret ingredient is St. Germaine, thank you to The Expanse for introducing it to me!
Covid accelerated my drinking. Still haven’t come back down
My wife completely quit late 2023 because the lockdown and some following things pushed here deep into alcoholic level drinking. I quit as morale support. I think what lockdown did was highlight our tendency towards problematic drinking. You seem to be aware that yours might be an issue. Whether you do something about it or not is a different story, but you seem aware.
If you do decide to quit, I wish you the best of luck. My wife turned to constant excercise as a coping mechanism because just stopping and doing nothing else was not doable. Seriously, good luck.
Yeah I mean I drink a good amount but not sure if it’s a “problem”. It doesn’t impact my day to day or anything like that. But as you said, with the exercise bit, that’s when I find I do most of my drinking. Bored. Watching tv. Etc.
It didn’t affect my life either. I would have a drink or three (one beer, two whiskey, or vice versa) while playing video games or working on something in the evening. Or even just sitting outside in the nice weather.
But then I started seeing shadows jumping or flicks of light out of the corner of my eye, which apparently is a symptom of alcohol withdrawal. (I wouldn’t get the classic ones like shaky hands or racing heart the next day unless I actually went out drinking all night.)
As I mentioned in another comment, quitting didn’t really help me feel any better, like improve my sleep or my memory. But I guess I didn’t want to wait until it actually had a major impact on my life. So I put the can I’d just finished in the recycling and haven’t had one since.
I do the same as your first paragraph. I’ve never seen shadows and shit. That’s wild, I didn’t even know that was a thing! As far as I’m aware I don’t have any withdrawal symptoms so far 😅
At least you were able to recognize and overcome it.
I don’t even like it for getting buzzed. I just like the taste haha. I started buying NA corrona. Cure for the itch, without the alcohol.
Yeah apparently it’s your body trying to compensate for the depressant effects by producing extra stimulants. Same reason your heart races and your hands shake, but in your brain/eyes.
NA stuff tastes just the same in my opinion, which is good, but I enjoyed getting buzzed so I don’t drink NA stuff too often. Only if I’m out at a bar or whatever, and fortunately most places have NA stuff in stock now.
Also in addition to what you and others said, I wonder if realizing why liquor stores were essential businesses put some people off from drinking as much or at all.
Also, who has money for $15 beers. If going out means spending more than $50 it’s not worth it. And the dating scene is trash so most male singles I know are avoiding traditional meet up spots like the plague.
Restaurants are in panic mode. Without booze profits, most of them will go broke.
Restaurants, Strip Clubs, and Pawn shops are the first business to be impacted by a depression