DURBAN - The sale of alcohol will be permitted in the country from June 1, and according to
OneDayOnly.co.za
, South Africans are wasting no time in placing their booze orders online for delivery when the country enters level three of lockdown.
reported a 55% increase in sales
of alcoholic beverages in the US. That bump was to be expected for a crisis of Covid-19’s magnitude, says the research firm. Drinking commonly increases after natural disasters.
released a warning
that the lockdown could create unhealthy drinking routines. In order to minimise health risks relating to alcohol, here are some simple ways to help you reduce the amount you are drinking during the lockdown.
A good first step is to start keeping track of what you are drinking. Keeping a record that can help you assess where you are now, and how much you would like to reduce your drinking by.
To make this as simple as possible, you can download an alcohol tracking app to keep track of your drinks.
Clinical psychologist Dr Claudia Herbert says it’s no surprise that being in lockdown has changed so many people’s relationships with alcohol.
“Whatever, the individual circumstances, from a psychological perspective, this is a time that poses a lot of strain and challenges for many people and many may experience the effects of this lockdown as totally overwhelming and even traumatic. And one of the effects of lockdown has been that almost all previous sources of entertainment and distraction have stopped abruptly,” she said.
According to Jacob Briars, global head of advocacy and education of alcohol brand Bacardi, 'mindful drinking' has never been more relevant.
“It’s recommended that you have at least three drink-free days each week to keep the health risks from drinking low. Working from home has created new routines for many of us. But without travelling to the office, it can be hard to maintain the boundaries between work and home. So it’s important to create a healthy routine to help us transition from day to night without alcohol,” he said.
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