Date:

Details:

The White House Hosts a Mental Health Virtual Event: The Science Behind Alcohol Misuse as a Coping Mechanism

Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

WHAT: The White House is hosting a series of virtual conversations to highlight promising areas of current research and understand what is still needed to address the Nation’s deepening mental health crisis. This event will feature two experts in alcohol research, one of whom is also a practicing physician, to discuss how alcohol use and misuse is intertwined with other health issues – including mental health conditions, trends in alcohol use – especially the alarming increase in alcohol-related deaths during the pandemic, and what the evidence is for how people can reduce alcohol use during times of stress. 

WHERE: The event will be conducted virtually. To register for the event, please visit: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_dMYD7E8NSZ2VSG0VdTy3Zg

WHO:

• Dr. Carrie D. Wolinetz is the Deputy Director for Health & Life Sciences at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

• Dr. Aaron White is the Chief of the Epidemiology and Biometry Branch and Senior Scientific Advisor to the Director at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

• Dr. Daniel Calac is the Chief Medical Officer of Indian Health Council and Principal Investigator of the California Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH)

CONTACT: For press inquiries related to this event or OSTP’s work on mental health, please email press@ostp.eop.gov

Background: The number and percentage of total American deaths that are related to alcohol have been increasing for decades, a trend which accelerated in the first year of the pandemic across all demographics. In fact, in 2020, more people between the ages of 16 and 64 died from alcohol-related deaths than COVID-19. Because of changes in society – such as the initial closure of bars and restaurants in the early days of the pandemic – there have also been changes in the way people drink. For instance, initial studies have indicated that during the pandemic there have been more young people who are drinking to relax and relieve tension or because of boredom than in prior years. This conversation will dive into the current trends from before and during the pandemic, what the science tells us about why people turn to alcohol in times of stress, the intertwining effects of alcohol misuse on mental health conditions, and evidence-based strategies to reduce drinking.

Location:

The event will be conducted virtually. To register for the event, please visit: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_dMYD7E8NSZ2VSG0VdTy3Zg