Of 1000 parents surveyed across Australia, more than one in four had increased their alcohol intake, while almost one in six said they had been drinking every day.
Goulburn Valley Health Alcohol and Drug Service addiction medicine specialist Professor Edward Ogden said this surge came as no surprise.
“Alcohol in low doses reduces anxiety so it is not surprising some people are drinking more in this unprecedented stressful time,” he said.
One in four parents pinpointed home-schooling as the key catalyst for this increase.
“It is important to acknowledge that the stress is real: drugs and alcohol provide very temporary relief associated with significant risks,” Mr Ogden said.
“Most of us were unprepared for the demands of home schooling — mastering the curriculum, trying to introduce new routines and coping with the myriad distractions that are part of the online world.
“Keeping children on task while meeting normal household needs is difficult enough without dealing with the adult stresses.
“Many families are facing reduced income, uncertainties about future work and financial stresses.”
The survey also revealed parents of children aged 9 to 12 were drinking the most, with one in 10 reporting they were drinking "a lot more" in the wake of COVID-19.
Almost a quarter of the parents of this age group said they had consumed alcohol in front of their children daily or every other day during lockdown.
Mr Ogden warned parents their drinking attitudes could have a substantial effect on their children, especially those in that 9-12 age bracket.
“Preteens are at a particularly vulnerable stage in their development as they anticipate their teenage years,” he said.
“If parents are demonstrating that heavy drinking is ‘normal’, there is an increased risk that their children will embrace heavy drinking as early teenagers as they practise for adulthood.”
He encouraged parents to discuss drugs and alcohol with their children.
“Young people should know the facts so that they can make healthy choices as they get older.”
Mr Ogden also advised people to have a plan in place before they consumed alcohol — and to stick to it. He said this could include something as simple as leaving some wine in the bottle or some stubbies in the fridge when drinking.
“The rule should be ‘just because it is there, doesn’t mean you should drink it’," he said.
“A few drinks can impair judgement and some people will then find it hard to stop.”
Parents are being urged to use the recent loosening of restrictions as an opportunity to shed any harmful or negative drinking behaviours picked up during this exceptional period.
“Everyone needs to develop healthy ways to de-stress through eating well, exercise and maintaining social networks,” Mr Ogden said.
“If the stress appears overwhelming there are help services available.”
Call the Alcohol and Drug Foundation on 1300 858 584 for more information or support services.
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