Ep 61 'Increase Alcohol Consumption in Lockdown' /Dr. Erin Lalor, CEO of Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Channel: Rachael Monteleone
Date: 2021-05-08

It is common that when people find themselves in stressful situations they tend to increase alcohol consumption as a coping mechanism. COVID-19 has been no exception.

Recently the Alcohol and Drug Foundation launched a community health initiative ‘You haven’t been drinking alone’ to better understand the effects of alcohol consumption on Australian households during COVID-19 lockdown.

To talk to us about their findings we welcome Dr. Erin Lalor, CEO of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

Dr. Erin Lalor has over 20 years of leadership experience in the health sector, and was most recently the CEO of the National Stroke Foundation and a Director of the World Stroke Organisation. With a Bachelor of Applied Science and a PhD she sits on a number of advisory committees in relation to public health, clinical improvements and evidence based approaches to healthcare delivery.

We ask Dr Lalor questions including:

Please tell us about the ‘You Haven’t Been Drinking Alone’ community health initiative and what prompted you to launch it?
What did the Alcohol and Drug Foundation notice about parents drinking behaviours during lockdown?
What would you say to a parent who may feel this is shaming them?
Why is drinking not an effective coping mechanism during the COVID-19 era?
What impact does it have on children if they witness their parents drinking alcohol?
In your opinion, would you say it’s critically important that children do not learn to view alcohol as a coping mechanism or to think drinking alcohol is a healthy lifestyle choice?
Do these behaviour patterns have any long term affects on a child going into adulthood?
What if parents find that they have been drinking more and are now struggling to cut back?
Do you think that we may have a significant public health issue on our hands, with more people using alcohol to self-medicate?
What are some of the more positive and effective ways we can cope during the pandemic that can help our children to stay mentally healthy?
 

For the the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s article please visit: https://kiddipedia.com.au/covid-19-lockdown-increase-alcohol-consumption/

For more information please visit: https://adf.org.au/
https://hellosundaymorning.org/