The world’s illicit drug usage problem continues to worsen and the global COVID-19 pandemic could serve to compound the problem in myriad ways, according to the latest U.N. “World Drug Report,” released late last month.
Prescription opioids, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine tend to lead headlines with regard to addiction-related news stories, belying the fact that alcohol addiction is not only much more prevalent in America, but also a bigger killer and threat to overall health.
As the Covid-19 pandemic swept the entire world and invaded towns, cities and rural regions of the United States, alcohol sales and consumption also skyrocketed throughout the nation. With stay-at-home orders, job loss, and social distancing, stress is common. Alcohol has long been a socially acceptable way to relax and wind down, and now more than ever people are searching for stress relief.
The rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be up to 15 times higher in the military population than it is in the general population, which likely explains in part the prevalence of substance use disorder in the military. Consequently, when people see or hear the term PTSD, they likely think of veterans.
Other rehabs that I’ve been to were 12 step-based. Sometimes 12 steps work for some people. And sometimes it doesn’t work for others. It helped me stay clean for a …
Around the world, governments are ordering people to stay home and to practice social distancing if a trip outside is necessary. The unprecedented spread of COVID-19 has us all rightfully cautious. From malls to medical centers, virtually any place where people gather has temporarily closed their doors as we weather this storm. However, many people depend heavily on urgent medical services and cannot afford to miss critical appointments. Luckily, most centers have existing telehealth protocols in place so they can continue essential treatment from a distance.
It is no mystery that many people turn to substances and alcohol as coping mechanisms. Symptoms of stress and anxiety are often treated by “self-medication” instead of counseling or therapy. Past or present traumatic experiences are well-known to create long-term stress, anxiety, and other related wellness disorders.
Remember what you know. Now is the most important time ever to not allow negative or fearful thinking to pull you back toward the rabbit-hole of addiction. Thoughts are not a reality unless you allow them the power to become a reality. Thoughts, in and of themselves, are harmless. It’s the action that can create harm and consequences.
The Veterans Administration calculated that in 2017, seventeen United States veterans chose to end their life each day that year. Those fatalities are of male and female veterans who served in active duty, an additional average of 2.5 veterans who never served in active duty also chose suicide every day.
Having a drink, or a few to unwind or socialize is legal and completely acceptable in today’s world. But when does social drinking or drinking in general become a problem? Many people don’t recognize that their drinking might be a medically diagnosed disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM).