AdCare Treatment Centers conducted a survey of 3,000 respondents and found that 16 percent of Washingtonians, almost one in five, say they have suffered from low self-esteem during the pandemic.

On a national scale the average was 20 percent, and when tallied by gender, this figure was found to be 22% of women, as compared to 16% of men, according to the study.

The research found that 16% of respondents say they have attempted to ease negative feelings about their self-confidence and self-esteem by drinking alcohol.

For some people who struggle with low self-esteem, substance use, such as drinking alcohol, may be a coping mechanism for when this feeling arises. One in 10 believe alcohol helps alleviate feelings of low self-esteem, according to American Addiction Centers.

It was also discovered that 42% percent of those who experience low self-esteem say these negative feelings have been worse than previous years in the months during the pandemic.

A recent study from American Addiction Center, indicates that approximately 50% of all people who struggle with a mental health disorder will also experience a substance use disorder at some point.

Some of the states that the study found to have the highest rates of low self-esteem include Alaska, which was surveyed at 35 percent, and Nebraska with 42 percent.

The analysis loosely attributed Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression some people experience and is associated with the biochemical changes that occur in the brain when an individual is exposed to less sunlight and an altered internal clock, or circadian rhythm, as cause for drinking in about 22 percent of respondents.

AdCare Treatment Centers recommend those experiencing patterns of low self-esteem to practice mindfulness activities like meditating, journaling or even breathing techniques. They also recommend replacing negative self-deprecating thoughts with positive self-esteem boosting self-reflection and thought.