Survey: More parents drinking during COVID-19 pandemic

New research suggests that COVID-related stress is leading people to some unhealthy habits.

ALL NEW AT 5-30 ...ARE AMERICANSDRINKING THEIR WAYTHROUGH THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC?GOOD EVENING ...NEW RESEARCH NOWSHOWS THATALCOHOLCONSUMPTION INAMERICA... ISINCREASING OVERALL.AND THE DATA GOESEVEN MORE IN-DEPTH...IT SHOWS BEINGFEMALE, BLACK ORHAVING CHILDREN INTHE HOUSEHOLD WASASSOCIATED WITHSIGNIFICANTINCREASES INDRINKING.THE RESEARCH --SHOWING COVID-INDUCED STRESS MAYBE DRIVING SOMEPEOPLE INTO NEWAND UNHEALTHYHABITS.HERE'S TAYLOR EPPSWITH MORE.THIS PANDEMIC ISTAKING ATREMENDOUS TOLLON PARENTS..CRYSTAL "IT'S BEEN AMENTAL STRUGGLEFOR ME RIGHT OFF THEBAT."LASHEA "I HAVE TO BE AWIFE, A MOTHER, APRINCIPAL, A LUNCHAID, I HAVE TO BE ADISCIPLINARIAN, AWARDEN."AND ACCORDING TONEW RESEARCH,MORE PARENTS ARETURNING TO ALCOHOLTO COPE.LUTHER "GIVEN THEPANDEMIC, THESTRESS AND THOSEKINDS OF THINGSTHERE'S THISINCLINATION TO SELFTREAT.

ALCOHOL ISPROBABLY THE MOSTAVAILABLE OF THELEGAL DRUGS IF YOUWILL."A SURVEY DONE BYR-T-I INTERNATIONALFINDS THERE'S BEEN A27 PERCENT INCREASEIN BINGE DRINKING INTHE PAST MONTH.ESPECIALLY AMONGWOMEN, BLACKPEOPLE AND PARENTSNATIONALLY.JEREMY HITT AT THEHORIZON VILLAGETERRACE HOUSE SAYSTHEY'RE SEEING THEIMPACTS LOCALLY.JEREMY "IT'S QUICKACCESS.

THEY WEREDEEMED ESSENTIALBUSINESSES.

IT'SNORMALIZED IN THESEKINDS OF SCENARIOS."HE SAYS EVEN WHENPEOPLE SEEKTREATMENT, IT'S ON ASHORT TERM BASIS.LUTHER "WHENTURNING TO ALCOHOL,IT'S SO EASY TO STARTOUT AND THEN THERE'SANOTHER DRINK ANDTHEN YOU ARE NOLONGER JUST RELAXEDAND AWARE, BUTRATHER REALLYDEPRESSED ANDIMPAIRED."BUT THERE AREOTHER WAYS TO COPERIGHT HERE IN OURCOMMUNITY.LASHEA "SPEAK EASYIS THE HEART OF THECOMMUNITY.

IT'S APLACE WE GO TORELAX."LUTHER "OURS IS ANENVIRONMENT THATDOES NOT HAVEALCOHOL.

SO WECOMPLETELY MITIGATETHE CONCERN ABOUTALCOHOL ANDIMPAIRMENT."CRYSTAL "IT'SIMPORTANT TO MEBECAUSE WE DON'THAVE A PLACE LIKETHIS THAT PEOPLE CANGO TO THAT ARESOBER.

WE DO GREATACTIVITIES, WE DOTRIVIA NIGHT, WE DOKARAOKE."FOR HUSS..IT'S AFAMILY..A FAMILYTHAT'S GOTTEN HERTHROUGH HERDARKEST TIMES.CRYSTAL "I'M GLAD IMADE THAT DECISIONTO BE SEPARATED ANDPART OF MYCHILDREN'S LIFE.

YOUARE NOT ALONE, YOUARE NOT ALONE."IN BUFFALO, TAYLOREPPS, 7EWN.