(Newswire.net — July 17, 2020) — We’re all under a unique kind of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and it affects us all in different ways. Some adults in the UK have weathered the storm so far with great difficulty and many are finding themselves drawn to substance abuse as a means to cope.
Coping mechanisms come in many shapes and forms and drug and alcohol abuse is one of the most common guises they take. Whether due to social anxiety, depression or extreme trauma earlier in life, adults across the UK are turning to drugs and alcohol as a way to face the reality of living during this unique period in our world’s history.
To the surprise of many, prescription drug addiction is spiking during this period alongside the use of illegal drugs and alcohol. Looking beyond common misconceptions around drug addiction reveals why.
A harmful taboo
In its own way, addiction to illegal drugs or alcohol comes with a level of understanding from others. We grow up knowing that drugs and alcohol can be addictive and we’ve seen portrayals of addicted adults in the UK. Whether someone drinking to the point of alcoholism or a person consuming party drugs excessively on nights out, there is a picture in our minds that we associate substance abuse with.
For most, there is no such picture to associate prescription drug abuse with. It is, for most, a more shameful and secretive struggle. Many adults who fall into dependency of their prescribed substances are ‘normal’ working adults who have never consumed drugs recreationally. In reality, the already dangerous path to abuse of a prescribed substance is made more likely during the unique confines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Distance and addiction go hand in hand
With adults turning to any kind of substance as a way to manage the uncertainty and stress of life during COVID-19, it’s easy to see how prescription drugs can be abused too. Whether through outpacing a prescription for opioid painkillers or through extending a prescription for antidepressants or benzodiazepines longer than is needed, adults are falling into the trap.
A key reason for this is the fact that isolation enables addiction. It gives it free rein to flourish, with fewer social connections and friends getting in the way to check a person’s behaviour before it worsens. The need for us to socially distance during this pandemic is the worst thing that could happen for someone liable to fall into addiction or further down the spiral.
We must support those in need
If you are living with someone you suspect is struggling with abuse of prescription drugs, it’s important to be non-judgemental. We never know the full extent of a person’s problems, even if they are a close partner. Instead of asking why they are acting as they are, it’s more productive and appropriate to gently discuss the subject of their wellbeing and mental space during this challenging time.
And if addiction or substance abuse and dependency is found and admitted, it’s better to catch the problem before it gets worse. Drawing on the benefits of modern rehab programmes which are affordable and flexible, any adult struggling with drug abuse can access prescription addiction treatment at a price and schedule that is realistic for them.