Alcohol-related emergencies on the rise as doctors shed light on connection to stress

TAMPA, Fla. - April is Alcohol Awareness Month and Stress Awareness Month. The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and doctors said it's the perfect time to shed light on how these two things can collide.

Alcohol-related emergency visits have increased nearly 50% in the last 10 years, and Florida has a higher than average alcohol-related death rate. At the same time, one Tampa Bay area doctor said the mental health crisis has also never been worse.

"There are a lot of people that go home from work and have a glass of wine, and it's part of their unwinding process," said Dr. Amber Stephens, a Bay Area doctor. "And it either has become habitual or it may even be a little bit of an escapism activity. And the question is why is that necessary? Is it because there's just a lot of stress? Is it because there's some underlying anxiety and depression?"

She said, although a drink might seem relaxing, its effects on the brain are the opposite.

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"The effects of alcohol on – I would even go so far as to not even say just brain chemistry, but a lot of processes in the body in general – can take quite a while to recover," said Stephens. "The body does not like toxins, and at its essence, alcohol is a toxin and your body has to process it and detox it."

Doctors and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay agree it’s good to find other ways to relieve stress, like exercise, eating well and good sleep, and being more cognizant of alcohol consumption.

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