Basking Ridge Ranks 1st In NJ For Most Alcohol-Related Social Media Posts: Report

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Two years ago the coronavirus pandemic hit bringing a lockdown and added stress with many in New Jersey turning to alcohol and social media to pass the time. Some did so more than others, including people in Bernards Township who were ranked as number 1 in the state for the number of alcohol-related social media posts during the pandemic, according to a new report from rehabs.com.

The national rehab directory commissioned a study, ranking New Jersey's 100 largest cities and towns by their number of alcohol-related Instagram posts since March 2020 — when the Garden State and much of the world began COVID-19 protocols. Bernards Township ranked 1st among the 100 municipalities.

Bernards, which has a population of just 27,830, came in the number one spot with 392 alcohol-related Instagram posts (per 5,000 posts) during the pandemic, according to Rehabs.com.

This represents 7.84 percent of all Instagram posts in Bernards Township during that period.

Bernards Township also has the highest amount of excessive drinkers in the state at 21 percent, according to County Health Rankings. This places it in the top 10th percentile of the whole country and is higher than the average excessive drinking rate in New Jersey of 16 percent.

The top 10 towns to make the list include:

1. Bernards
2. Deptford
3. Winslow
4. Atlantic City
5. West Orange
6. Paterson
7. Union Township
8. Franklin Township
9. Woodbridge
10. Jersey City

Rehabs.com has included below signs that indicate a problematic relationship with alcohol:

• 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 overtime 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.

See the federal government's Substance and Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline and resources.

New Jersey also offers hotline numbers for various mental health, addiction and counseling services. Or check out this fact sheet about internet addition from a mental health nonprofit.

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