Dr. Carole Orem is a licensed clinical psychologist who owns and operates a private practice in South Portland, Maine. In addition to psychotherapy, Dr. Carole Orem offers brain-based coaching services through her practice WholeBrainMaine. She incorporates various brain-health strategies into the treatment of mental health disorders.

Researchers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reported a surge in alcohol consumption due to mental health problems in 2020. As lockdowns and vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic triggered depression, anxiety, and grief, some people resorted to alcohol consumption to mitigate these effects. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), alcohol consumption rates receded to pre-pandemic levels in July 2021.

NIAAA suspects a possible link between COVID and alcohol-related deaths in 2020, and this is not the only possible adverse complication. Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia-related disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. This is because alcoholic beverages contain high amounts of sugar and alcohol poisons the body and the brain, destroying cells.

Excess sugar intake also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases that disrupt blood flow to the brain. When not enough blood reaches the brain, brain cells die from nutrient starvation. Depending on the affected region of the brain, symptoms like difficulty thinking, memory loss, decline in communication skills, and personality changes may appear.