How COVID-19 is Impacting People Experiencing Addiction

Australians with drug and alcohol dependency are at greater risk of relapse as a result of strict social distancing measures currently being enforced by state and Federal governments, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

When taking into account all the kinds of addiction, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation found that around 1 in 20 Australians experience addiction and this is quite a large portion of our population to be impacted significantly by COVID-19. Support meetings and facilities are either limited or completely shut down due to concerns of spreading COVID-19, leaving people with substance dependence or people who no longer use without their usual support networks. People with dependence on drugs or alcohol develop their routine over time, each person requires a specific blend of strategies to address their condition and when this is suddenly taken away from them, it leaves them with a higher chance of relapsing. Knowledge Manager - Advocacy for The Alcohol and Drug Foundation Melinda Lucas said that a lot of support services depend on communication and most times in a face-to-face context. “Some people depend on talking in-person to manage their condition.

"If you take something like that away, then it can be more challenging, particularly for people who may be in very early stages of getting on top of their health issues and if they're on their own,” said Lucas. Lucas said the research shows that when we're looking at any type of disaster - like COVID-19 - that causes increased stress and anxiety, people tend to turn to something like alcohol or other drugs to manage their stress. With support resources limited there are concerns that the online services don’t have enough resources to maintain support to everyone. A spokesperson from Queensland Health said there are no current reports or data to indicate increased demand at this stage and that treatment services in the government sector are continuing delivery in-line with the Chief Health Officer directives for COVID-19 responses. Queensland Health is recommending that anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s substance use, particularly in response to isolation, job loss, or other stressor associated with COVID-19, seek help.

The Queensland Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies - a network that represents the non-governmental support services - said there has been anecdotal reports of increases and decreases in demand across the different addiction support services.

These services have transitioned where possible to remote servicing. Face-to-face support services have reduced the number of clients they can take on to accommodate physical distancing requirements.

This is a scary time for everyone and if you are experiencing addiction or are worried about your substance use, please do contact someone whether it be a friend or a support service.

Here's a link to a list of support services that the Alcohol and Drug Foundation recommend: https://adf.org.au/covid-19/more-resources-and-support-services/

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