For months, public health experts have predicted an onslaught of addiction alongside the COVID-19 crisis. Now stark numbers show that...
For months, public health experts have predicted an onslaught of addiction alongside the COVID-19 crisis. Now stark numbers show that over the course of a year, over 87,000 Americans died from drug overdoses.
About the Overdose Numbers
The study, which examined drug use from September 2019 to September 2020, showed a steep increase in the mortality rate of drug overdoses. Many of these overdoses were due to the introduction of fentanyl, whether the users knew it or not. Many drug dealers have been "spiking" other opioids like fentanyl.
Police often see it as an ingredient in cocaine here in America. Sometimes overdoses involve a fake opioid pill like Oxycontin or Percocet bought on the street. Fentanyl is becoming an easy-to-get drug that dealers seem to like to add "pep" and create a deeper addiction.
Before the pandemic, the number of opioid overdoses had begun to decrease, but there was a sharp reversal in early 2020. The highest number of overdoses in 2020 can be tied directly to the pandemic.
Loss of Services Caused Desperation
People in recovery are included in those overdose numbers. People who lost jobs, family members and faced uncertainty didn't have the support systems to stay sober on their own. People sent home from sober living and rehab were vulnerable to relapse as they sheltered-in-place alone.
People with opioid use disorder who relapse are more likely to overdose because their body isn't used to the amount of drugs they take. Fentanyl, a drug that's 50 to 100 times as strong as morphine, causes overdoses precisely because the users are either experienced or do not have the physical tolerance for the powerful drug.
Getting Help for Addiction
The good news is that there's still help available. Recovery rooms are opening up around the country, and treatment centers have been operating safely for months. Help is possible and available! Let us help you reclaim your life and find purpose again. We offer programs in a safe, compassionate environment. Call us at 619-363-4767 to learn more about what we offer.
