A HALSTEAD rehab clinic has revealed a higher percentage of alcoholics were admitted during the four month peak of the coronavirus pandemic than ever before.

The UK Addiction Treatment Group run the Sanctuary Lodge rehabilitation clinic in Halstead.

They’ve revealed that, between April 1 2020 and August 1 2020, a staggering 80 per cent of all admissions into the Halstead clinic were for alcohol addiction.

The clinic admitted 143 clients with 114 there for alcoholism.

However, in the same four month period in 2019 it was just 64 per cent for admitted for alcohol addiction with 134 clients out of 209.

The rehab clinic say this demonstrates a shift in people’s relationship with alcohol during the coronavirus.

Head of Treatment, Nuno Albuquerque said: “For some, a way of coping with the pandemic would have been to turn to alcohol, or to drink more alcohol than they did previously in order to feel calm about the unfolding and devastating situation happening across the world.

“But it’s important to remember that alcohol is a depressant and regular, heavy drinking interferes with chemicals in the brain that are key for good mental health.

“Feeling relaxed after a drink is short-lived, whereas over time, alcohol can have an impact on your mental health and can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety and worse still, it actually makes stressful situations like the Covid-crisis harder to deal with.”

The private care company says it’s been reported more people in the UK are drinking more alcohol during the Covid crisis.

They say this also has led to higher alcohol-related fatalities and being isolated in lockdown can contribute to people developing unhealthy relationships with alcohol.

Mr Albuquerque added: “The last few months have forced people into isolation and to contemplate what is important to them.

“For some, drinking heavily was a way of suppressing feelings of worry, loneliness and fear, but for others, it was a time to reflect and to ask themselves if continuing to drink was the right thing for them.

“Thankfully, those people decided that enough was enough, and we’re seeing more and more people than ever before across Essex take that first brave step in investing in their health in order to protect their future, and asking for help with their alcohol addiction.”

For more information, visit sanctuarylodge.com/alcohol-addiction/v52/