Coronavirus: do we drink too much alcohol during confinement?

" It's okay? You do not cough? No, but I have a hangover… ”. This is an answer that you may have received from one of your loved ones, whose news you were taking, since the start of confinement. Alcohol and confinement seem to be a good combination, while the French are asked to stay at home for ten days now.

Excesses are such that some, especially on social networks, have fun. But others are openly worried about it.

"We drink every day, I will not do my shopping without going through the wine merchant, it is not the Covid-19 that awaits me but cirrhosis" alarmed on the phone Marie, bubbly thirty-something living in the center from Paris. "All my friends are in this state, we chain the aperitifs webcams while we did not go out every evening to the bistro" continues this mother of two. "We don't know what to do in the evening, after working, tidying up the house, cooking, and also taking care of the children, we need social interaction, and alcohol becomes almost natural" confides the Parisian.

I just realized last night and this morning that since the start of confinement I have become less and less inclined to alcohol when I drink in facetime with my friends ... duuuuuur pic.twitter.com/9HGylZQoES

Virgile, an 18-year-old young student in Clermont-Ferrand goes further. He sees in alcohol a “purchase of first necessity, it is what allows us to support this confinement of shit” he lets out a bit provocative. A point of view shared by many young people such as Laly, 23, cashier in Mont-de-Marsan, who does not see herself confined for several weeks "without alcohol for an aperitif".

"It is fear, anxiety" that drives consumption

Health professionals are vigilant during this period. “We are not necessarily going to develop an addiction, but the group effect of aperitifs by video for example can create a habit and a propensity to consume every day. However, a person who did not drink before is not going to do it, "says Selma Archier, addictologist in an association in Montreuil.

“In reality, it is fear, anxiety, the fact of not seeing an end to this confinement that increases stress and therefore can create a need for alcohol and overconsumption. In this context, people who are alone are even more at risk, to manage these negative emotions that can push them to drink, “analyzes the specialist psychologist. "Besides, for addictive people, there is a high risk of increased consumption," says the social worker.

No real sales vouchers yet

"We went from six meetings by videoconference per week, to thirty that range from 8 am to 11 pm at night," confirms Laurent, member of Alcoholics Anonymous. “For recent abstainers, it may be more complicated, but the very principle of our group is mutual aid, communication and support. The confinement does not worry us more than that, we know what to do to stay in touch ”.

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As for large retailers, it is still too early to observe a real phenomenon on sales since last Monday. “We have an increase in turnover in alcohol and beer in the“ drives ”but a loss in the hypermarkets. For supermarkets, we are at + 15% of alcohol sales in the cellar department, "notes however the Auchan group joined by Le Parisien.

Sale ban in Polynesia

Proof that the subject is taken seriously, this Tuesday, the prefect of Aisne has implemented a decree prohibiting the sale of alcohol on its territory after having been alerted by the police forces on the particular risks in terms of violence marriages and public order. Before back pedaling.

"It concerned only a short period (7 days) and aimed to address the issue of domestic violence, which can be exacerbated in a confinement situation," said the prefect's services on Wednesday. "Nevertheless, following discussions, in particular with addictologists, on certain possible negative consequences of a generalized measure, even a very temporary one, the prefect decided to postpone this provision pending a broader assessment of the possible measures in this area ”.

This Wednesday, French Polynesia also took the bottle last weekend and banned the sale of alcohol, for a "more serene" containment. What did not prevent certain “bruises” from being held.

Contacted on the question of a strategy on a national scale, the Ministry of the Interior did not respond to our requests.

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