Alcohol Abuse Listed as Major Reason for Breakups During Pandemic

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Heartbreaking new statistics show that one in four breakups during the pandemic in Louisiana have been due to alcohol abuse. If you've ever heard the phrase, 'You don't know what goes on behind closed doors,' these stats are a prime example.

According to a study by American Addiction Centers, almost 20% of their respondents admit to keeping some of their drinking a secret from their partner during lockdown. That's a scary number, especially when you take into account that is the national number overall and that Louisiana residents are known, stereotypically at least, to drink more than average.

Some of the other key findings from the American Addiction Centers study are:

5% admit they have been drunk during lockdown while their partner stayed sober.
One in ten would keep it a secret from their partner if they had a drink first thing in the morning.
22% of people in relationships admit they have lied to their partner about how much they had been drinking.
A quarter of couples admit they argue when they have been drinking.

Clearly, we've experienced unprecedented times this year and a lot of people have turned to alcohol as a form of escape. I remember hearing several stories over the summer that alcohol sales had skyrocketed due to COVID-19. Combine the stress of the pandemic with increased close proximity with your significant other, financial uncertainty, etc... and you have a recipe for disaster. When American Addiction Centers broke down the numbers further, Louisiana had the highest amount (50%) of relationships that ended during lockdown due to drinking.

While I'm not a big drinker myself, I'll admit to consuming more alcohol than normal during the pandemic. I think some of it was due to boredom, but it was mainly due to stress in my case. I know it was the same for many of my peers. With that being said, alcohol abuse is serious and help is available. Click here for resources available for alcohol addiction services in Louisiana.

[American Addiction Centers]