The COVID-19 pandemic made the opioid overdose epidemic worse. Isolation, stress and lost income pushed more people toward opioids. Addiction treatment and support lost resources to the pandemic. Overdose deaths rose in many parts of the country.
Summary: The opioid epidemic has gone on for a long time. But the covid-19 pandemic made the opioid crisis worse for many reasons. First, isolation, lost income and other strains seem to be pushing people to seek relief from opioids. Second, the crisis gets less attention and less money, because everyone is focused on fighting covid-19. Researchers warn this will cause harm for years. It could bring a long rise in opioid misuse and substance use disorder (SUD).
Opioid overdose is one of the top causes of death in young adults. And it is highly preventable. Even covid-19 kills fewer healthy adults, since people can lower their risk of catching it in many ways. But people living with substance use disorder (SUD) are less likely to take those steps.
The opioid overdose epidemic has gone on in many parts of the US for a long time. Then, in early 2020, a second epidemic struck. This one was a pandemic, and it killed millions of people around the world. And covid-19 is far from over. It is held down but not beaten. It keeps coming back in waves as new strains show up. And no vaccine can protect people from covid-19 in every case.
The problem is that people are more likely to seek drugs during the pandemic and lockdowns. Nationwide data makes this clear. People feel more stressed and alone, so they seek relief in drugs. That makes timely opioid addiction treatment a must.
Covid-19 is not the threat it once was, thanks to mass vaccination. Still, it remains a big public health threat. The current vaccines do not fully protect people. Worse, the protection they give fades in many people, who then need a booster dose.
Why are people who use opioids at greater risk from COVID-19?
Many people picture the opioid epidemic and covid-19 as two separate problems. They are not. Opioids slow down breathing and harm the lungs. And covid-19 mainly attacks the lungs.
Studies show that people living with SUD have a 30% higher risk of ending up in the hospital. They are also far more likely to die from severe covid-19. Many studies also suggest that opioid use disorder raises the risk of contracting covid-19 by several times.
The problem is that covid-19 keeps making the opioid epidemic worse. Data suggests that opioid overdose deaths have gone up in many parts of the nation since covid-19 began.
Health experts worry that the covid-19 pandemic is setting the stage for SUD to surge for years. There are many reasons. These include isolation, more mental stress, job loss, lower income, and more. Covid-19 and opiate dependence are also causing what researchers call “deaths of despair.”
We are sure every covid-19 wave will weaken and this pandemic will end in time. But even when this tidal wave pulls back, it will leave a lot of damage behind. One part of that damage is a new surge in the opioid crisis.
Stress and isolation are not the only causes. Covid-19 has also broken up SUD treatment and social support, because everyone is focused on the more severe threat, covid-19. Many people living with SUD have stopped their treatment. Bringing them back to the clinic will take a lot of work.
Doctors say people need to understand one thing. The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection. Sadly, health workers and even family members have lost touch with people living with drug addiction.
So the natural way to keep this from getting worse is to reconnect with people living with opiate use disorder or SUD. And the opioid crisis may cause more deaths in the long run than the current covid-19 wave. Of course, a strong covid-19 response matters. But it should not come at the cost of less attention to drug addiction.
There is another cause of the opioid overdose epidemic that few people talk about. The covid-19 response has taken resources away from health workers, since most of them now go to fighting covid-19. Many people hit by the opioid overdose epidemic see those poor policies as a major cause of the crisis.
Frequently asked questions
Did drug abuse increase during COVID-19?
Yes. Nationwide data shows people were more likely to seek drugs during the pandemic and lockdowns. Stress, isolation, job loss and lower income pushed many toward opioids for relief. Opioid overdose deaths rose in many parts of the country after COVID-19 began.
How did COVID-19 affect addiction treatment?
COVID-19 broke up treatment and social support for people with substance use disorder. Resources and health workers were moved to fighting the virus, and many people stopped their treatment. Bringing them back to the clinic now takes real work. And less attention to addiction is itself driving the epidemic.
What is the opposite of addiction?
The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is connection. During the pandemic, health workers and even family members lost touch with people living with drug addiction. The natural way to stop the crisis from getting worse is to reconnect with people living with opioid use disorder.
Will the opioid crisis last after the pandemic?
Health experts worry that it will. Isolation, mental stress, job loss and broken-off treatment are setting the stage for a long rise in substance use disorder. Even as the pandemic fades, it leaves damage behind. The opioid crisis may cause more deaths in the long run than the COVID-19 waves.
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