The number of calls to alcohol support services in 2021 was triple that made before the COVID-19 pandemic, research shows.
A new report from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education blames the surge on higher levels of stress and anxiety, as well as boredom and isolation during lockdown.
Parents, the unemployed or people with insecure jobs were all more likely to drink during the pandemic.
The report released on Friday shows Australians made 25,000 calls to the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline last year, compared to about 7800 calls in 2019.
Study director Luke Hutchins says the psychological impacts of coronavirus have been linked to more risky drinking.
"The demand for help will not go away just because restrictions have eased," he said.
"The effects of the pandemic have been felt deeply at all levels of our community and will continue to be felt for years to come."
The report points to an Australian National University study from 2020 which found about one in five people had increased how much they drank.
About one in four actually decreased the amount they drank while about one in two Australians drank the same amount.
The foundation urges further monitoring of how people are drinking, as well as keeping a close eye on the use of online booze delivery and the boosting of women's support services - with alcohol a dominant factor in domestic violence.
Meanwhile, more than 40,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported across Australia on Friday along with 53 virus-related deaths.
Almost 2900 coronavirus patients are in hospital care, with almost 100 of them in ICUs.
LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA:
NSW: 8690 cases, nine deaths, 1173 in hospital with 34 in ICU
Victoria: 11,369 cases, nine deaths, 571 in hospital with 33 in ICU
Tasmania: 822 cases, no deaths, 50 in hospital with one in ICU
Queensland: 4921 cases, seven deaths, 422 in hospital with nine in ICU
NT: 277 cases, two deaths, 16 in hospital with none in ICU
WA: 9948 cases, 11 deaths, 322 in hospital with nine in ICU
SA: 3169 cases, one death, 226 in hospital with 10 in ICU
ACT: 849 cases, no deaths, 83 in hospital with three in ICU
Australian Associated Press
