Helping a Loved One with Addiction during Coronavirus
In This Article
The outbreak of the COVID-19, officially known as Sars-CoV-2, has been labeled a global pandemic. It’s affected over a million people of all ages, all around the world.
Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) seem to develop serious illness more often than others.
People who are recovering from addiction are also being seriously affected by COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak.
Government lockdowns and mandated social distancing rules have caused thousands of support groups to cancel their meetings. Most inpatient and residential facilities have stopped taking in new patients.
And it’s taking its toll on patients in recovery.
Many people who have or currently suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD), or alcohol use disorder (AUD) rely on support groups, therapy sessions, and other outpatient treatment services. Many of these services have either gone virtual or been canceled due to COVID-19.
This is becoming an area of increasing concern for doctors, counselors, patients, and family members. Community, support, and other social responsibilities make up the foundation of most addiction treatments.
Many support groups are moving their meetings online. While this may not be a perfect solution because the nature of the online meeting might affect the success rate, it’s an alternative solution for those in recovery to keep in touch with their support group.
During these difficult times, it may be necessary for counselors, sponsors, and peers to be proactive and maintain communication digitally.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and the loss of services, here are some resources that may be able to help:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) COVID-19 Resources
American Society of Addiction Medicine COVID-19 – RESOURCES
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- AA Online Meeting Directory
- AA Online Meeting
- AA COVID-19 Informational Page
- Al-Anon Online Meeting
- International Doctors in Alcoholics Anonymous (IDAA) Help Line Index
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
SMART Recovery
Celebrate Recovery
- Celebrate Recovery Online
- Online Recovery Group (ORG)
- Buddhism-based Recovery Group Recovery Dharma Online Meetings
- LifeRing Online Meetings
- Unity Recovery + WEconnect + SOS Recovery + Alano Club Online Meetings
- Support Groups for Multiple Issues
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Turn2me Online Support Groups on Anxiety, Suicidal Thoughts & Feelings, Depression, Stress Management and General Mental Health issues
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