The rise of addictions during confinement: causes, and what to do.

The factors of confinement in the context of the pandemic that increase the risk of addiction.

Much remains to be known about how, as a society, we have been and will continue to be affected by the coronavirus crisis.

The truth is that it was still relatively recently that we in Western countries did not even contemplate the possibility of a pandemic shaking our healthcare system and economy as it has. However, there are precedents, such as the SARS epidemic of 2003, which give us a rough idea of the implications of such a health problem and of what is happening in many families because of the situation we are in.

In this article we will focus on one of the most worrisome aspects of the COVID-19 crisis and the confinement measures adopted to curb it: the increase in cases of addictions, and the increased exposure to health problems due to drug use..

5 reasons why the pandemic is increasing the risk of addictions

Addiction treatment professionals see the coronavirus crisis as a challenge to adapt to. The context is complicated, but the need to offer support to those suffering from addictions is a particular priority at this time, as we shall see.

These are the main factors that make the coronavirus crisis a propitious context for addictions to increase their power of harmful influence among the population.

1. Combined stress and isolation

The social alarm caused by the news of the spread of the virus and by the forecasts of the economic crisis, added to the fact that for many people it is essential to work more to compensate for losses or to take care of all the people who need it (in the case, for example, of health professionals) give rise to a context in which the accumulation of stress is much more frequent than before.

On the other hand, it is known that when stress is combined with social isolation, addictions also become more frequent.. In the case of the COVID-19 crisis, social distancing and quarantine measures have led to extreme isolation.

2. Situations of work or family crisis

The coronavirus pandemic is associated with many types of tragic events that thousands of people have been forced to go through: loss of jobs, death of family members, need to modify future plans in anticipation of an economic crisis, etc. in anticipation of a context of economic crisis, etc.

3. Boredom

Having spent months with a social life marked by a lack of face-to-face moments leads many people to boredom, an experience that, if prolonged without finding habits linked to incentives or exciting projects, increases the risk of falling into addictions.

The fact is that starting a dependent relationship with a drug, a game of chance or a video game, for example, is relatively easy and offers a feeling of almost instant satisfaction (at least at the beginning); therefore, it is a tempting option for those who feel that they are addicted to drugs. a tempting option for those who feel frustrated because they do not know how to spend their free time..

4. General worsening of mental health

Addictions are a type of health disturbance that overlaps strongly with almost all psychological disorders in general, mutually reinforcing each other.. Thus, as measures of confinement and pandemic influence an increased vulnerability to the development of mental problems, these, in turn, increase the risk of developing one or more addictions.

5. Increased risk of adulterated drugs

This aspect does not increase the risk of falling into addictions, but it does have an impact on the level of danger, which is already high in normal situations.

Restrictions on transport due to prevention measures against contagion between countries have given rise to a problem of supply for drug trafficking mafias. This has led to the adulteration of these substances.The consumers, of course, are the ones who pay the most for the consequences of this. Of course, it is the consumers who pay the most for the consequences of this.

Are you looking for professional support to overcome addictions?

At Recal Foundation we specialize in the treatment of addictions, a field of health in which we have been working for more than 15 years. Our professionals can attend to any person with addictive problems (linked or not to substance abuse) both in one-off therapy sessions and in our fully equipped residential module. You can find us in Madrid, Majadahonda and Pozuelo de Alarcón, and on this page you will find our contact details.

Bibliographical references:

• Birhane Jemberie, W. et.al. (2020). Substance Use Disorders and COVID-19: Multi-Faceted Problems Which Require Multi-Pronged Solutions. Frontiers in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00714
• Chiappini, S. et. al. (2020). COVID-19: The Hidden Impact on Mental Health and Drug Addiction. Frontiers in Psychiatry.
• Petterson S, Westfall J, Miller BF. Projected Deaths of Despair During the Coronavirus Recession. Well Being Trust (2020) 8:2020. WellBeingTrust.org.
• Organización de las Naciones Unidas. (2020). COVID-19 causes some illegal drug prices to surge, as supplies are disrupted worldwide. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1063512