Edison Posted A Lot About Alcohol During The Pandemic: Report

EDISON, NJ — The coronavirus lockdown kept New Jerseyans home for two years, and many turned to alcohol to beat the stress. Some did so more than others, including people in Edison.

The national rehab directory commissioned a study, ranking New Jersey's 100 largest cities and towns by their number of alcohol-related Instagram posts since March 2020 — when the Garden State began COVID-19 lockdown. Edison was ranked 54th in the state, according to a new report from rehabs.com.

Edison, with a population of over 100,000 residents, saw 199 Instagram posts related to alcohol or being drunk. This represents 3.98 percent of all posts in the Township during that period.

Bernards Township came in first, with 7.84 percent of Instagram posts about drinking. West Windsor placed last at 0.38 percent.

But pandemic drinking wasn't all fun and games. When Gov. Phil Murphy ordered most businesses to close in March 2020, he declared liquor stores "essential" and kept them open. Several addiction experts pointed to a public-health reason, with worries about hospitals filling as the state dealt with its initial COVID-19 outbreak, according to northjersey.com.

Rehabs.com has shared signs that indicate a problematic relationship with alcohol:

• Difficulty controlling one's level of alcohol consumption.
• Wanting to decrease or stop drinking alcohol but being unable to do so.
• Developing a higher tolerance for alcohol and needing more overtime to reach the desired effects.
• Experiencing alcohol cravings when not drinking as well as withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking and nausea.
• Facing personal problems at home, work, or school due to alcohol use.

Where did other New Jersey cities and towns rank in terms of "intoxicated Instagrammers?" See the full rankings here from rehabs.com.

If you or someone you know suffers from alcohol addiction, seek help and support at: www.samhsa.gov Another good resource is the Rethinking Drinking website by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

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