How Has COVID-19 Affected Addiction?

Life doesn’t come to a complete stop just because the US and the rest of the world is in the middle of a pandemic. But it does change our lifestyle, how often we leave our homes, where we go, our daily activities, who we spend most of our time with and our daily routines and habits. These changes and other impacts of COVID-19 have left many people with feelings of stress, anxiety and even depression. People wondering “what’s happening with my job, how do I cope?” or “how can I keep myself and my family from being infected, how do I handle uncertainty?” are not likely to find easy or fast answers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that some people react more strongly to the stress of the crisis including:

• People who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19

• Children and teens

• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and health care providers

• People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use

While someone might feel temporary relief after using drugs or alcohol, ultimately all this stress, anxiety and depression can boost an addiction and bring out new behaviors. An addiction is harder to hide if children or a spouse is at home. For example, someone who normally drops by a bar after work to have a few drinks then goes home and only has two more, now might have to sneak or hide the fact they are drinking more than their family suspected. Symptoms of an addiction include:

• Tolerance: needing more of the substance to receive the desired effect

• Withdrawal: when you stop taking the substance your body goes into detox mode with physical symptoms like shakes, tremors, cravings, nausea or racing heart.

• Fixation: wanting the substance so badly you can’t concentrate on anything else

• Spending A Great Deal of Time or Energy Using, Obtaining, or Recovering

• Interpersonal Problems: when your substance use is starting arguments or is a source of contention from parent, spouse, or friend

• Continued Use Despite Medical Consequences

The good news is, people with an addiction have an opportunity to get treatment and break this cycle even during COVID-19. Care Addiction is offering online courses and substance abuse treatment. It’s effective, it’s confidential, it’s a small group, and it can be done from the comfort of home.

Getting Help For Addiction

While addiction recovery can be challenging, it is achievable with the right resources and support. If you or somebody in your life seems to have an issue with alcohol or suffering from addiction, professional help may be the best option for recovery.

At Care Addiction Center, we offer treatment plans that address every facet of your addiction, serving individuals in Geneva, Batavia, Sycamore, St. Charles, and Kane County, with online addiction treatment available anywhere in Illinois. 

To get started on the road to recovery, or if you have questions about helping yourself or a loved one, call us today or schedule a confidential assessment online and begin treatment.