Why alcoholism among women is on the rise

A new study finds alcohol use among women increased during the pandemic.

VARIETY OF SOCIETAL ISSUES&INCLUDING ALCOHOLISM.

AND ALLNEW AT SIX - WE'RE TAKING ANIN- DEPTH LOOK AT THE RISINGRATES OF ALCOHOL USE IN WOMEN.ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY&DURING THE PANDEMIC -- WOMENHAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OFDAYS THEY HEAVILY DRINK...BYFORTY- ONE PERCENT.

7EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY IS TAKING A LOOK ATWHAT'S DRIVING THE PROBLEM ANDTHE WARNING SIGNS TO KEEP INMIND FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVEDONE.BY NOW YOU'VE PROBABLY SEENSOMETHING LIKE THISMMEMMEMEPOKING FUN AT DRINKING DURINGTHE PANDEMIC.

"NOT TO BRAG&BUT 2020 ME CAN DRINK COLLEGEME UNDER THE TABLE.

" OR "IT'SCALLED QUARANTINE COFFEE.

IT'SJUST LIKE NORMAL COFFEE BUT ITHAS MARGARITA IN IT AND ALSONO COFFEE." BUT BEHIND THEJOKING IS A GROWING PROBLEM&.A RISE IN ALCOHOL USE AMONGWOMEN&.

NAT :02 THE TRENDNATIONALLY ALWAYS MIRRORS THECOMMUNITY LOCALLY.

BRANDYVANDERMARK- MURRAY IS SENIORVICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONSFOR HORIZON HEALTHBEHAVIORAL HEALTH AGENCY THATOFFERS IN AND OUT PATIENTTREATMENT ACROSS ERIE&NIAGARANDND GND GENND GENESND GENESSEND GENESSEECOUNTIES&.

SOT :09 ALI: WHATABOUT THE PANDEMIC IS CAUSINGWOMEN TO TURN TO ALCOHOL INYOUR OPINION?

BRANDY: THESTRESS, THE ISOLATION, THELACK OF HEALTHY COPING SKILLS.SOT :04 I DON'T KNOW ANYINDIVIDUAL WHO CAN'T IDENTIFYTHAT THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEENREALLY CHALLENGING FOR THEM.VANDERMARK- MURRAY SAYS MANYALSO LOST DAILY STRUCTURES OFWORKIFIFEIFE BAIFE BALAIFE BALANCIFE BALANCE.IFE BALANCE.

AIFE BALANCE.

ANDIFE BALANCE.

AND WIFE BALANCE.

AND WITIFE BALANCE.

AND WITHOIFE BALANCE.

AND WITHOUTSTRUCTUREBECAME EASIER, MOREACCESSIBLE, AND MORESECRETIVE.

NEW YORK STATE EVENIMPLEMENTED AN ALCOHOL TO GOPROGRAM DURING THE PANDEMIC&IN BUFFALOLIKELY PRIMED LONG BEFORE THEPANDEMIC&THE QUEEN CITY HASAMONG THE HIGHEST DENSITY OFBARS PER CAPITA COMPARED TOOTHER U-S CITIES.

MOST RECENTDATA FROM A 2019 SMART ASSETSURVEY SHOWS BUFFALO HAS 22BARS PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.SOT :12 BRANDY: WHAT IT DOESIS IT NORMALIZES THE BEHAVIOR.SO, YOU'RE A YOUNG ADULT.YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHINGTO DO AND IF YOU HAVE MINIMALNON ALCOHOLIC ACTIVITIES INYOUR COMMUNITY, THE DEFAULT ISLET'S GO OUT FOR SOME DRINKS.THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO WASRECENTLY AWARDED A 1.7 MILLIONDOLLAR GRANT FROM THE NATIONALINSTITUTE FOR ALCOHOL ABUSEAND ALCOHOLISM&.TH E GOAL OFTHE RESEARCHEFFECTIVE WAYS TO PREVENT ANDTREAT ALCOHOLISM.

SOT :23 ALI:WHY IS THIS KIND OF RESEARCHNECESSARY AND IMPORTANT?KENNETH: WELL, ALCOHOL IS THEFIFTH LEADING RISK FACTOR INDEATHS WORLD WIDE.

IT'SRESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS INTHE U.S. THAN THE OPIOIDCRISIS.

SO, UNDERSTANDING THISDISORDER AND BEING ABLE TOTREAT IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANTPUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

ACCORDINGTO HEALTH EXPERTSEREREERE ARERE AREERE ARE AFEW SIGNS YOU MIGHT HAVE ASUBSTANCE USE PROBLEM: IS YOURFIRST THOUGHT AFTER WORK TOHAVE A DRINK?

ARE YOU DRINKINGALONE VERSUS DURING A SOCIALEVENT?

AND HERE ARE SOME SIGNSYOUR LOVED ONE MIGHT HAVE ASUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMNOTICE CHANGES IN THEIRBEHAVIORARE THEY EXPERIENCING SLEEPPROBLEMS, EXPERTS SAY IT'SIMPORTANT TODIALOGUE SURROUND YOURSELFWITH POSITIVE INFLUENCESCONSIDER A NO OBLIGATIONALCOHOL USE ASSESSMENT THROUGHHORIZON (831-1800) SOT :10IT'S NOT REALLY DRINKING FORSOCIALIZATION OR FRIENDSHIP,IT'S ABOUT COPING.

AND, WHENANYONE IS DRINKING TO COPE,THAT SOMETIMES BECOMESPROBLEMATIC.

WE HAVE THECONTACT INFORMATION FORHORIZON HEALTH RIGHT NOW ATWKBW DOT COM.

IN BUFFALO, ALITOUHEY, 7EWN.ON TOP OF THE RESOURCESAVAILABLE -- YOU CAN ALSO HETO WKBW DOT COM TO FIN