The past year has been highly uncertain for everyone — and has been uniquely difficult for those struggling with substance abuse. While we can glimpse the horizon of a return to normalcy, this doesn’t mean our anxiety, depression, or substance abuse issues will disappear just as we conquer Covid-19.
Until the year 2020, the rate of reported deaths from Opioid overdose was beginning to slow down. However, when the pandemic began, public and health coverage focused squarely on the COVID-19 pandemic and many people’s support systems for ongoing substance abuse, drinking, or prescription medication reliance dissolved.
Many of us hoped that a return to normal life would also bring some relief from the added stress and desire to use that 2020 brought. But for most of us that isn’t the case and they still feel stuck in old, harmful coping techniques. Like many mental health conditions, substance abuse requires deeper treatment than just a routine change.
Covid-19’s impact on substance abuse and drinking
Data shows that over the first few months of the pandemic there was an uptick in reported overdoses from the opioids in significant numbers.
A common reaction to the extreme circumstances of 2020 was a deterioration in mental health. If you experienced, and continue to experience, anxiety, depression, and a stronger reliance on drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication, you aren’t alone. As the situation improves, you may find these difficulties continue to upset your life without much relief. This is normal and could be a sign that you should seek professional help.
How isolation encourages relapse
Isolation, the effects of losing your support system, financial insecurity, and having constant uncertainty continue to affect those struggling with substance abuse. Even if you aren’t specifically impacted by the COVID virus, being forced to stay at home and shut the doors around you with minimal opportunity for social interaction or community support, such as AA or NA, can exacerbate any risk for addictive responses to a drug or opioid.
If you put off medical appointments or delayed seeking medication-assisted treatment while dealing with the Covid crisis, now is the time to get the personal support you need to start healing again. Dr. Kantrowitz will work with you using a tailored approach that focuses on your long-term recovery.
There is help
We offer telehealth sessions so that you can maintain social distancing and safety while ensuring you still get the help you need. If your loved ones worry that you are at risk for opioid addiction, substance abuse, or alcohol addiction, you’re not alone. Feel free to contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation.