Fifth of Flemings get boozier during lockdown

Figures from the Flemish Centre of Expertise for Alcohol and Other Drugs, the VAD, show that a fifth of all Flemings have been consuming higher amounts of alcohol and it’s particularly the highly educated who have been partaking in this doubtful activity.

However, in a survey conducted among 1,000 Flemings a quarter indicated that they were drinking less: sobriety wins!

“We normally associate drinking with going down the pub or socialising with friends and relatives.  On the other hand a lot of alcohol is consumed by people alone at home.  For some people a glass of alcohol is a way of deadening negative feelings” says Katleen Peleman of the VAD.

Worst offenders are people with a diploma of advanced education: 28% of the highly educated have been drinking more. Among Flemings, whose scholarly learning went no further than secondary school, only 17% are drinking more.

“On the whole, the highly educated drink more, so they may be more inclined to reach for a glass when the pressure is on” says Katleen Peleman.

Age too plays a role: in the 35-54 age category 27% said they were drinking more to a lot more during the lockdown.  Among 18-34-year-olds the figure is 19%.  17% of over 55’s said they were drinking more.

Those drinking more are more likely to struggle with negative emotions like stress, loneliness, boredom and family problems.

“This can be a cause for concern and herald future problem-drinking” says Katleen Peleman.

There’s heartening news too: a quarter of Flemings drank less.  Over a third consciously kept their eye on alcohol consumption.

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