Keith Prance from the mental health and addiction group Rehab Recovery, writes below about the mental health impacts of the current Cost of Living Crisis:
It is indisputable that mental health issues are on the rise in the UK – particularly drug addiction, including alcoholism. In 2020, there were 8,974 alcohol-specific deaths, which is an 18.6% increase from 2019 (1).
The fact that alcoholism was already rising before the cost-of-living crisis hit in late 2021 is very concerning – it tells us that there were already many people struggling with addiction, and now they have to balance this with financial challenges (4). The worry is that financial concerns could cause people to go from moderate drinking to severe drinking.
This is not just a vague prediction – it is proven that some older adults are more likely to engage in heavy drinking when they are experiencing financial difficulty (2). This puts them at risk of becoming dependent on alcohol, or even developing an addiction that is very difficult to recover from.
Some people may even turn to alcohol as a new coping mechanism for their financial turmoil, with zero history of addiction in their family. With three in four adults claiming to be very or somewhat worried about the ongoing crisis, this could lead to a devastating boom in addiction.
Read our infographic to find out which groups are the most worried about this cost-of-living crisis. It is these groups who are the most vulnerable; without adequate support, their mental health is likely to deteriorate as there is no sign of the crisis going away any time soon.
If you know someone who is particularly anxious at this time, point them in the direction of mental health resources such as Shout, which is an anonymous texting service for people who need support (3). For practical financial advice, visit the Citizen’s Advice website to see if you are eligible for any benefits or grants (5).
References
[1] Alcoholic liver deaths increased by 21% during year of the pandemic https://www.gov.uk/government/news/alcoholic-liver-deaths-increased-by-21-during-year-of-the-pandemic
[2] Are Changes in Financial Strain Associated With Changes in Alcohol Use and Smoking Among Older Adults? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3211962/
[3] Get help https://giveusashout.org/get-help/
[4] See the article about alcohol rehab in London for more information.
[5] Get help with the cost of living https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/get-help-with-the-cost-of-living/
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