COVID Isn't Helping: Overdoses Increasing |

By: Marilyn L. Davis

Overdoses on the Rise

COVID19 overshadows 2020, but the number of overdoses is killing people, too. As the COVID-19 global pandemic continues, so does the nation’s opioid epidemic. Thirty-five states reported an increase in opioid-related deaths, including a rise in fentanyl use.

Deaths rose about 13% so far this year, and as Dr. Dan Ciccarone says, “It’s a small wave riding on top of a tsunami that continues to devastate.”

We’re so isolated and for good reasons.

We don’t know who is sick; symptoms vary.
There’s a threat each time we go out public.
We may have underlying health issues that put us at a higher risk of dying if we get COVID19.

While the isolation may help us avoid COVID19, it puts us at a higher risk of relapse, and with a relapse, there's always the chance of an overdose. Click To Tweet

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Isolation Limits Support

Using alone is always riskier than using with others. I’m not advocating using period, but the reality is that at least with others around, there’s a chance that if someone is in danger, a simple phone call may save their life.

I can preach all day, every day, about using online resources for support. Still, without knowing where to find those resources, people feel alone, unsupported, and because we’re addicts, turn to drugs at an alarming rate rather than Google recovery resources in the time of COVID19.

Recovery Resources in the Time of COVID19

You may have to give up going to meetings in person. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no support out there.

Support groups offer online meetings for:

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I Called my Dope Dealer; Now It’s my Sponsor

I never had a problem calling my dope dealer. I wanted something, so I called—that simple.

31+ years ago, I decided that I would put the same amount of time, energy, and effort into my recovery as I did my use. That meant getting a sponsor. Why? Because I may not be using drugs and alcohol, but my thinking, behaviors, and attitudes can get wonky. She knows me, I trust her, and when I’m scared, lonely, or trying to make a decision, she listens, gives me advice, and is an excellent sounding-board.

There is a person out there who will have your back, be there at 2 AM, and will listen. Find them. Click To Tweet

Using the Phone for Meetings

“I chose to share both the good and the bad parts of my story, and of my imagination, so that it might help even one person realize that there is hope. You are not alone. And it does get better. I promise you it’s worth it.”― Kimberly Nalen, Beautiful Junkie: Poems about Addiction and Recovery

Podcasts are a lifesaver, today, more than ever. Here’s three sites with various types of recovery support meetings listed on their page.