SEATTLE — With all the stress 2020 is piling onto the masses, people have been turning to drugs and alcohol to cope in alarming numbers – and the consequences that come from self-medicating have risen sharply as well.
Compared to a year ago, overdoses from substance abuse are up 13 percent. That’s especially troubling when you take into account the fact that 2019 was a record-setting year for overdoses. Drilling down into monthly statistics, the numbers are even more distressing.
“In March we saw at 18 percent increase over last year, and then in April we saw a 29 percent increase, and then in May a 42 percent increase,” said David Anderson, Director of Outpatient Services at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. “So you're seeing people being impacted the longer this goes on.”
Non-fatal overdoses are also on the rise, and Anderson says it’s almost certainly tied to the increased stress levels from all that is going on in the world.
“People not sure about the future, not sure what's going to happen with their jobs, what's going to happen with their family, and people using substances,” he said. “Part of addiction is people using substances to cope with life stressors. And it's one of those sort of chicken-and-egg scenarios, where sometimes we don't know where the substance abuse component comes in.”
It’s not just over-stressed adults turning to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. College-age students about to graduate into a world of so many unknowns – often saddled with onerous student-loan debt – are increasingly in trouble as well.
“For the young people it's been harder because they don't have the experience that others do in coping,” Anderson said. “With the isolation, they don't know who to reach out to so they may use also to cope.”
Kids are just as susceptible, and there are signs parents can be on the lookout to determine if their children are using.
“You're looking for changes, for things not feeling right,” Anderson said. “It could be leaving the house without knowing where they've gone, and they're being secretive about that. It could be finding things in their room, it could be money missing or things missing.”
Getting treatment – for yourself or someone you love – is rarely an easy step. Admission of a problem can stand in the way. However, treatment centers like Hazelden Betty Ford have decades upon decades of experience in helping people regain control of their lives.
“We really want to understand the whole person because [mental health and addiction] are intertwined and they impact each other,” Anderson said. “We want to be able to address that and we have a staff with the credentials to help people figure out what's going on and what to address. But when somebody has a substance use disorder, we need to address their stress, which is one of the main reasons people use and one of the reasons they may relapse.”
For more information on recovering from substance abuse, visit RecoveryGo.org.
If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-TALK (8255) - TTY: 800-799-4889 or Live Online Chat.
The Way Forward: Mental Health and Well Being is sponsored by Premera Blue Cross. Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.