When shells explode and the ground shakes underfoot, life is suddenly divided into “before” and “after”. War destroys everything: homes, families, hopes for the future. It forces people to live in constant fear and anxiety, to look for ways to cope with pain and losses. And people often try to drown this pain with alcohol. Does he become a new companion in the daily struggle for survival? What makes people reach for the bottle in the most difficult moments of their lives? In this article, we will explore how the war is changing the attitude of Ukrainians towards alcohol and what this means for the future of a society that is going through a conflict.
An attempt to escape from reality
When life turns into a series of trials and losses, alcohol becomes available and a quick but temporary means to forget. For those who have lost their homes, jobs, and loved ones, their psychological resources are quickly exhausted, and attempts to find support often do not bring results. In conditions of limited access to medical and psychological services, alcohol becomes a kind of “medicine” for stress, fear and hopelessness.
During the war, the attitude towards alcohol consumption also changes. What was once unacceptable or considered a sign of weakness is now seen as a way to relieve tension or even a means of socialization. People start drinking together more often to support each other, share their experiences or just forget about the surrounding horror even for a moment.
For data research of the World Health Organization, alcohol became a “comrade” for 77.4% of respondents. The palm of the championship is held by men – 80.1%. But, unfortunately, women also do not graze the hindquarters – 75.2%. And this is an alarm bell, because, according to statistics, female alcoholism is much more difficult and a woman falls into addiction much faster than a man.
According to the data, drinkers are mostly young and middle-aged:
- 18-29 years old – 86.3%;
- 30-44 years – 80.6%;
- 45-59 years old – 80.7%;
- over 60 years old – 66.5%.
Most often, Ukrainians with a high socio-economic status will buy alcohol, but the frequency of alcohol consumption still remains among people with a low income and social status. Survey data indicated that most Ukrainians drink alcohol at home or while visiting. There were 71.3% and 47.2% of such persons, respectively. The fewest cases of alcohol use were found in cafes, bars, restaurants and on the street (only 14.1% and 9.5%). Ukrainians singled out wine (56.1%), beer (50.5%) and spirits (49.6%) as their favorite drinks.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the share of Ukrainians who reduced their alcohol consumption began to increase (21.5%). This was due to the lack of access to alcoholic beverages and the inability to withdraw cash. 6.8% of respondents, in general, completely refused it. But in the end, the percentage of respondents who began to drink more since the beginning of the war increased by 5.5%, and 2.9% returned to drinking after a long abstinence. 42% of Ukrainians have not changed their drinking habits.
As we can see, many Ukrainians still continue to abuse alcohol, trying to drown their fears, tension and fatigue from the war in a bottle. Due to constant stress and excitement, people’s nervous system began to wear out, an obsessive desire to relax and distract from their daily problems began to arise. People decided to get all these sensations at once by abusing alcoholic beverages. Of course, the severe consequences in the form of diseases, moral devastation and social condemnation did not make themselves wait long.
“I have a sufficient number of acquaintances who treated alcohol completely formally. Currently, more than 70% of these people drink alcohol not once every two weeks, but every other day, every two, but systematically”, – psychiatrist Vladyslav Sova points to an invincible threat.
Experts note that most of the population, due to the constant threat of being injured or killed, now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety-depressive and neurotic disorders, and these lead, in turn, to increased anxiety, tension, low mood and sleep problems.
Of course, the problem of alcohol abuse is not new. And before the start of the war, there was a fairly high percentage of people who liked to drink a glass and also find companions for this purpose.
“A glass of wine is okay. And if one or two glasses of wine every day, then this can already be called alcohol abuse with possible further negative consequences.”, – warns Vladyslav Sova.
The doctor emphasizes that alcohol can activate and calm the human nervous system, but its continued use and increased doses of alcohol lead to intoxication of the body, mental disorders and alcohol addiction.
The social consequences of alcohol consumption are also no less destructive. The growth of alcoholism leads to the degradation of society, an increase in the level of violence, loss of labor resources, and further weakening of the economy. The war has already imposed a heavy burden on society, and the spread of alcohol addiction can only worsen the situation.
Alcohol for the military
Problems with alcohol among military personnel are an extremely painful issue, but it cannot be silenced. The temptation to relieve stress with alcohol is great, but alcohol in the hands of a military person can be just as dangerous as a weapon. Today, Ukraine does not have a single regulatory act that would directly prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages to military personnel. Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1457 of December 29, 2021 provides the possibility of banning the sale of alcohol under martial law, but does not impose direct prohibitions. Instead, it leaves the decision to the military command and local military administrations, which can set their own rules regarding the sale of alcohol in certain areas. The problem is that these regulations can vary from region to region, creating ambiguity and confusion among both vendors and the military.
Some regions have already introduced a ban on the sale of alcohol to the military, using the Law of Ukraine “On State Regulation of the Production and Circulation of Ethyl Alcohol.” However, it allows only to limit the sale of alcohol at certain times of the day, and not to establish a ban for certain categories of citizens, such as military personnel. This creates a gap in the legislation that has not yet been effectively closed.
One of the most controversial issues is the identification of buyers. If the serviceman is not in uniform, the seller has no right to demand a document confirming his status. This means that even if there is a ban, the seller can unknowingly sell alcohol to a military person and not formally break the law. Such a legal conflict makes it difficult to control the sale of alcohol and makes it possible to circumvent the ban.
At the moment, Article 156 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses does not provide for separate liability for the sale of alcohol to military personnel. This means that fines for such actions are not legitimate, which leaves offenders with impunity. And although the military command can make observations and demand compliance with established rules, the lack of clear legal responsibility reduces the effectiveness of these measures.
Alcohol on the front can have disastrous consequences not only for the soldier himself, but also for his comrades. Violation of discipline, reduced fighting capacity, accidents are just some of the consequences that can occur due to the reckless consumption of alcohol. In the conditions of war, the military must be as focused as possible and ready for action at any moment.
In war, the urge to drink alcohol can be extremely strong, as tension and stress reach peak values. However, it should be remembered that the front has its own rules that must be followed. If in civilian life the loss of control usually remains a personal matter, then in combat conditions it is a matter of safety for the entire team. Each soldier is responsible not only for himself, but also for his comrades, and the consequences of reckless actions can be tragic for everyone.
No one denies that the military needs rest and relaxation, but situations where loss of control can lead to unpredictable consequences should be avoided. Unfortunately, often the lack of open conversation about the risks of drinking while on duty leads to some soldiers underestimating its potential dangers. It is also important to consider that many soldiers had experience of drinking alcohol or other psychoactive substances even before the start of the war. Under conditions of stress, this experience can manifest itself even more strongly. Someone is used to “quenching” emotions with a drink, while others accumulate tension in order to relieve it later with alcohol. There are much more reasons to use in war than in peacetime, so self-control becomes critically important. However, there are two main rules regarding the use of alcohol in combat conditions:
- “Do not use where the lives of others clearly depend on your ability to think. This means that even if there is a temptation to drink, it is better to give up alcohol than to risk your combat capability and ability to act adequately.
- “If you drink alcohol in front-line areas, stay sober in the critical majority. Even in the rear, there is always the risk of surprise attacks or other unforeseen situations. Drunken companies become an easy target for enemy saboteurs, and in such a situation misfortune can happen at any moment.”
Alcohol in war is not just a matter of personal choice, but a matter of collective responsibility. Military personnel must be mindful of the consequences of their actions and understand that the safety of their surroundings depends on each of them.
Fight against alcohol abroad
The situation with alcohol consumption during military conflicts is not unique to Ukraine. Similar trends have also been observed in various countries that have experienced wars. During times of conflict, people around the world have turned to alcohol as a means of escaping reality or relieving stress. An ideal society does not exist, but everyone has a lot of problems. However, the response to this problem and methods of combating it can differ significantly.
About 3.2 million people worldwide die from alcohol addiction almost every year. According to data from the World Health Organization, 400 million people suffer from disorders caused by long-term use of alcoholic beverages and narcotic substances. 209 million of them are chronic alcoholics. The highest mortality from alcohol is observed among young people aged 20 to 39 years. According to the WHO, the largest number is in Europe abused teenagers in Great Britain, Moldova and Bulgaria. Frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages increases the risk for such persons to get into accidents, injure themselves and others, and commit violent acts against other people.
Among the most common alcohol-related deaths are:
- injuries due to traffic accidents – 724 thousand;
- non-infectious diseases such as cardiovascular diseases – 474 thousand;
- oncology – 401 thousand;
- infectious diseases – 284 thousand
Many countries that have experienced wars have seen an increase in alcohol consumption. For example, during the civil war in Syria and conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s, increased alcohol consumption was a frequent phenomenon. An increased level of stress, anxiety, a sense of uncertainty about the future – all this leads to the fact that people reach for the bottle more often, trying to find peace and forget about the war at least for a moment.
Countries that are faced with a similar problem are taking various measures to combat the growth of alcohol consumption.
Many countries are actively investing in the creation and development of psychological support and rehabilitation programs for people who have survived war.
For example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the war, numerous psychological help centers were established where people could receive support in overcoming traumatic experiences without turning to alcohol. In post-conflict countries, authorities and civil society organizations often carry out information campaigns that talk about the risks of alcohol abuse and offer alternatives to cope with stress. Some countries impose restrictions on the sale of alcohol during crisis situations. For example, during times of war or periods of emergency, strict restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages may be imposed to reduce the risk of abuse.
It is very important to organize support groups where people can share their experiences and find understanding without having to turn to alcohol, which is an important step in overcoming addiction. For example, in Croatia after the war, support groups were created for veterans, which helped them cope with the stress and trauma of war without drinking alcohol.
So what can be done to reverse this dangerous trend in our own country? First, it is important to ensure access to psychological help and support for all those experiencing stressful situations. Secondly, it is necessary to raise public awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse, especially in wartime conditions. Finally, community initiatives and rehabilitation programs should be encouraged to help people find other ways to cope with stress and difficulties.
“To build a healthier and more just society, we must urgently commit to bold action that will reduce the health and social consequences of alcohol use and make treatment for substance use disorders more accessible.” , – remarked Director of WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Although war always carries with it the risk of increased alcohol consumption, international experience shows that the problem can be overcome through a comprehensive approach. Psychological support, educational campaigns, legislative measures and social support are the tools that help reduce alcohol consumption even in the most difficult circumstances. Therefore, by studying the experience of other countries, it is possible to find effective ways to overcome this problem in Ukraine as well. Alcohol cannot be a lifeline in wartime. It only increases suffering and leads to new problems that we will have to solve in the future.
It is important to look for other ways of support and self-help, such as socializing with loved ones, playing sports or participating in the community. These healthy practices can be a source of strength and hope, helping you get through difficult times and keep your mind clear.
