New Study Reveals Why Alcohol Use Increased During the Pandemic

Shifting alcohol availability, accessibility, and coping strategies drove higher consumption

Emeryville, CA – A new study, “My drinking was way worse during the pandemic”: A qualitative analysis of contextual and individual factors impacting alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic, published today in PLOS One and uncovers key social and environmental factors that drove a significant rise in alcohol consumption during COVID-19. Researchers from the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute, found that increased alcohol availability and accessibility, and drinking as a coping mechanism, played a major role in shaping drinking behaviors during the pandemic.

The qualitative study, based on in-depth interviews with 26 participants from the National Alcohol Survey, explored how pandemic-related changes influenced drinking habits. Interviews were conducted between April and July 2022, with participants reflecting on their alcohol use over the previous year.

Key Findings

• Fewer barriers to drinking: With remote work, fewer social obligations, and the closure of nightlife venues, drinking at home was easier and more socially acceptable. Some participants reported drinking during the workday, while others noted that the absence of daily responsibilities, such as commuting or driving their children to school, removed barriers that previously limited their alcohol use.
• Increased availability and access: Temporary policies allowing alcohol delivery and to-go drinks made purchasing alcohol easier, while the confinement of work and social life to the home meant alcohol was always within reach, making drinking more likely.
• Drinking as a coping mechanism: Many participants reported using alcohol to cope with stress, isolation, boredom, and anxiety during lockdown, feelings driven by job loss, financial uncertainty, lack of in-person social interaction, and the monotony of being confined at home.
• Drinking to create positive experiences: With fewer opportunities for rewarding activities such as going to the gym, dining out, or socializing, many participants turned to alcohol as a substitute for pleasure and relaxation.
• Drinking as social reconnection: Even as restrictions eased, some participants continued drinking to celebrate regained social interactions and reconnect with family and friends. Activities that previously wouldn’t have been a reason to drink, such as routine gatherings or simply returning to normal life, became occasions for celebration and alcohol use.

Why It Matters

While the study identifies key social and contextual factors that contributed to increased alcohol use during the pandemic, questions remain about its potential long-term health impacts and whether some individuals have continued drinking at elevated levels post-pandemic. Understanding these patterns can inform alcohol policies, public health messaging, and responses to future crises.

Read the full study: Surace, A., Munroe, C. Martinez, P (2025). “My drinking was way worse during the pandemic”: A qualitative analysis of contextual and individual factors impacting alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic

For media inquiries, contact Diane Schmidt: dschmidt@arg.org.

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Support for this paper was provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) under award numbers T32AA007240 (PI Kerr), R01AA029921 (PI Martinez). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIAAA or the National Institutes of Health.

About the Alcohol Research Group

For over sixty years, the Alcohol Research Group (ARG) has been actively engaged in critically needed alcohol- and other drug-related public health research. We study drinking and other drug use and how these and other factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, socioeconomic disparities, and environmental differences affect health. ARG is also home to the NIAAA-funded National Alcohol Research Center and training program. Please visit arg.org.

ARG is a program of the Public Health Institute, an independent nonprofit organization, dedicated to promoting health, well-being and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. Please visit phi.org.

Originally published by Alcohol Research Group