Citation

Syed NK, Griffiths MD. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2020; 130: 289-291.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.08.021

PMID

32866677

Abstract

By the first week of August 2020, the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) had spread to over 275 countries, regions or territories, with over 19 million confirmed cases, and over 700,000 confirmed deaths worldwide (Worldometer, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people from all walks of life and all ages (Mamun and Griffiths, 2020a). Anxiety as well as emotional anguish is known to be associated with widespread outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 (Montemurro, 2020). In 2003, during the SARS epidemic, social isolation and disengagement amongst the older adult population were reported to be among the probable reasons for an increase in their suicides (Cheung et al., 2008). Strict spatial distancing measures, social isolation, and enforced quarantine can have a negative impact on an individual's mental health. Such seclusion as well as societal disconnect associated with public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, clearly have the potential to impact several indices related to the psychological wellbeing of the general public (Satici et al., 2020).

In India, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in cases of individuals suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Sudden and strict movement restrictions along with the closure of shops and bars selling alcohol due to the lockdown meant that alcohol could not be bought. The unavailability of alcohol caused extreme despair among those individuals with alcohol use disorder and pushed a minority of them towards suicide. According to national media reports, there was an apparent (and unprecedented) increase in the number of suicide attempts and suicides in India because of alcohol withdrawal symptoms...

Language: en

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic; Alcohol withdrawal symptoms; COVID-19 suicides; Media reports; Unavailability of alcohol