LI Neighborhoods In Top 25 Boozy Instagram Posts In COVID: Study

LONG ISLAND, NY — Two years ago, the word "quarantini" became a part of the popular vernacular due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a recent study says some New Yorkers might have taken that a little too far during the time the virus had most of everyone's lives on pause.

Twelve Long Island neighborhoods scored in the top 25 of New York neighborhoods with booze-related Instagram posts during the pandemic, according to an Intoxicated Instagrammers study by Rehabs.com, a national rehab directory by American Addiction Centers Inc.

Huntington took the No. 3 spot; there were 388 Instagram posts related to alcohol or being drunk, representing 7.76 percent of all posts of its 32,866 residents.

That was followed by Uniondale at No. 4; there were 384 Instagram posts related to alcohol or being drunk, representing 7.68 percent of all posts of its 32,007 residents.

North Massapequa took the No. 10 spot. The neighborhood had 363 Instagram posts that were related to drinking or being drunk, which represented 7.26 percent of all posts of its 18,505 residents.

East Patchogue took the No. 11 spot, with 359 Instagram posts related to alcohol or being drunk, something that represented 7.18 percent of all posts of its 22,172 residents.

Hempstead followed that with No. 13 with 354 posts, Dix Hills at No. 14 with 350 posts, and Baldwin at No. 15 with 347 posts.

Franklin Square took No. 17 with 338 posts, followed by Ronkonkoma at No. 19 with 332 posts, and Bay Shore at No. 21 with 317 posts. East Meadow took No. 23 with 310 posts, followed by Medford at No. 24 with 304 posts to round off the top 25.

Long Island's neighbors in New York City took the No. 7 spot in the state, while Saratoga Springs took the No. 1 spot, and Freeport placed last in the study.

The study's time frame was set from March 2020 and the first 5,000 posts from that date, a spokeswoman for Rehabs.com said.

The study was carried out to gauge how lockdowns and social distancing affected people's consumption of alcohol in each town and city because often, "a high amount of alcohol-related social media posts suggests a problematic relationship with alcohol," she wrote in an email.

While alcoholism is "clinically ambiguous and out of use" Rehabs.com officials want to make the public aware of some signs that are indicative of problematic relationships with alcohol. They include:

• 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 over time 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.