Drug Overdoses Up From COVID19

2019 stats for US drug overdoses are NOT looking good.

“The CDC reported 70,980 projected overdose deaths in 2019,
more than the previous record of 70,699 deaths set in 2017, and
experts fear the numbers could be even worse next year,
exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.”

This is undoubtedly true and these deaths need to be counted as
public health officials weigh what we do with the coronavirus.

Many don’t think about this, but many addicts were in Narcotics Anonomous and similar programs where they would get together weekly and support one another in person. Their live support meetings ended with coronavirus leaving many with serious challenges much more likely to relapse.

There are also many new users as people face overwhelming stress and pressures from unemployment and the virus.

These deaths join the other rapidly rising “deaths of despair” that are related to depression, anxiety, suicides, and drug overdoses as mentioned here.

These deaths are rapidly rising as unemployment is very high, many businesses are shutting down forever limiting jobs, and driving very high poverty numbers which also result in many health problems and deaths.

Right now, many people have been put into bad situations because of the virus and our responses to it that go far beyond the deaths related to the virus itself.

It’s important to realize that these are temporary problems that can be resolved. If you need help, talk to a counselor, psychologist, a pastor, friends, family or someone.

You can also focus on improving your health during this time… eating better, exercising, getting outside, improving your sleep, reducing stress and doing things you really love doing. You will feel better and ultimately be better by improving your health with or without the coronavirus.

Things are tough for many right now, but there are good signs of things recovering too.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/15/health/drug-overdose-deaths-2019/index.html