There is a spike in the frequency and quantity of drug use across the country during the pandemic. With limited movement, people resorted to new drugs when access to their usual substances became hard. The shift in drug supply encouraged the illicit use of fentanyl a strong synthetic opioid.
The pandemic and drug use
Loneliness, general anxiety regarding the virus, and economic stress fueled an increase in drug use. Now that many people are isolated and stressed, making unhealthy decisions such as drug misuse and heavy drinking. Restrictions on activities that promote resilience such as social interaction and physical activity have made the situation worse. Now, there’s more time to use drugs more often.
Opioid dependence
Having drug dependence happens when the body adjusts how it works resulting from taking an opioid for a long time. When you stop using that drug, you begin to experience mild or severe withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, and chill. You have to visit the best doctors in Phoenixville Pa for medical assisted treatment for opioid dependency. A lower dose over time will help you avoid withdrawal symptoms.
How to tell you have an opioid addiction
Doctors prescribe opioids for pain relief. However, you might gradually become addicted to the drugs. Addiction to opioids has behavioral, physical, and psychological effects on a person. The obvious signs that you have an addiction include failure to stop using the drugs and using more than what your doctor prescribed.
Other signs of opioids addiction include:
- Slow breathing
- Mood swings
- Low motivation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Physical agitation
Don’t hesitate to visit an addiction treatment center near you when you notice these signs or see someone with them.
Healing from opioid addiction
Acknowledging the problem is the first step to addiction recovery. Living in denial only makes the problem worse. Seeking professional help is the best thing to do if you believe you have a substance addiction. Controlling your behavior with a commitment to fight the addiction is very important if you’re trying to quit substance abuse.
Seeking help from medical professionals will help bet addiction. This is very important including when trying to stop misuse of prescribed drugs. The doctor will recommend medication to ease the craving for opioids. Additionally, getting support from organizations with people facing a similar problem is also helpful. Connecting with people with whom you share goals helps a lot. Here, you will get appropriate support to help you quit and live a normal life again.
How substance abuse worsens COVID-19
People who actively abuse drugs have higher chances of getting COVID-19. Many healthy adults may show mild symptoms such as cough, headache, and fever or not show any sign at all. Frequent substance abuse increases the risk of the virus with symptoms including:
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain during deep breaths
- Confusion
- Trouble staying awake or waking up
Substance abuse causes considerable damage to your health over time leading to problems such as lung and liver diseases. This weakens the body’s ability to fight viruses including COVID-19. Even substance abuse in the short term affects your body’s ability to effectively respond to drugs when under attack. Difficulty in breathing resulting from substance abuse decreases oxygen in the brain and blood to worsen COVID-19.
Staying safe from COVID-19 and drug abuse
Pandemic or no pandemic, substance abuse significantly affects your health. Amidst the anxiety and stress resulting from COVID-19, protecting yourself is very important. Abusing drugs doesn’t offer a lasting solution. You are only putting your life at risk of COVID-19 and future health problems. Understanding that you have an addiction problem and seeking professional assistance is very important. You will get empowerment to change your life with medically-proven solutions for managing withdrawal symptoms.
Equally important is to get your COVID-19 vaccine. Millions of people are getting their vaccine and you should not miss out. Getting this vaccine won’t affect you in any way when taking medication for drug abuse. Seeking professional assistance for substance abuse and getting your COVID-19 are very important to safeguard your health during the pandemic and in the future.
Wrapping up
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected everyone in various ways. Stress and depression resulting from loneliness and unemployment are on the rise today. This is escalating the number of people misusing drugs for temporary relief. However, the long-term effects are not good for your physical and mental wellbeing at all. When you think you have a substance addiction, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance to get medically assisted treatment for withdrawal symptoms.