New numbers from the CDC show alcohol-related deaths have been soaring. The deaths jumped 26% overall in 2020, and by more than 40% for middle-aged women. Henry Ford psychiatrist Dr. Ron Samarian believes more people are turning to alcohol due to anxiety about their health, the world and the economy.
“The reason it’s hard to give up on anxiety is the fear if you let your guard down, you’re really going to get wacked,” says Samarian. “It’s not just telling people to stop being anxious. It’s trying to understand why it’s hard not to stop being anxious. The fear is that if you’re not anxious, you’re going to get caught off guard and things are going to be worse, when in fact it’s not.”
Rather than alcohol which is a temporary fix, he recommends writing down all your worries and putting them aside as well as asking yourself how often your worst fears have actually come true.
