The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to addicts in recovery. Not only have recovering addicts who have long-term sobriety are at risk, but has been especially strenuous for those who have recently decided to take a leap of faith transitioning from active addiction into unfamiliar world of addiction recovery.
We have seen higher rates of relapse, more people using drugs and alcohol to manage pandemic stress, and a rise in drug overdoses since the start of the pandemic and lock downs. Recovering addicts are experiencing more threats to their recovery than ever before due to the pandemic – a surge in cravings and temptation to use, loss of sober social spaces to connect with others in recovery, strains within family dynamics or with roommates, boredom, recovery stagnation, financial uncertainty, and feeling hopeless and helpless to handle it all.
Threats to one’s recovery journey is even more pronounced for those who have just taken their first few steps into the unfamiliar world of recovery, as their newly formed recovery foundation is very fragile and highly vulnerable to relapse threats. With many treatment resources diminished or restricted by the pandemic, recovering addicts are at an even higher risk of relapsing without much needed guidance and support from treatment providers and the recovery community at large.
3 BIG THREATS TO ONE’S RECOVERY JOURNEY POSED BY THE PANDEMIC
DISCONNECTION & SOCIAL ISOLATION
“Addiction is a disease of disconnection” is a well-known saying in the substance abuse treatment world, and due to the lock downs and social distancing, people are feeling more alone and isolated than ever before.
Many addicts in recovery have relied on the 12 Step community for building their sober social support network, gaining insight and inspiration to be sober, and having the indispensable guidance and support of a sponsor. But due to the pandemic, many have lost connection to their 12 Step community; whether these meetings were lost entirely or were moved to strictly to virtual meetings. While virtual meetings are great way to practice social distancing, the downside is they eliminate the vital and authentic person-to-person relationships that are essential for long-term recovery.
I’ve spoken to many recovering addicts, especially those newly in recovery, who say that virtual 12 Step meetings don’t feel the same as in-person meetings. They talk about missing the inspirational energy and one-on-one conversations with 12 Step members that renew their motivations to stay sober, while providing the one-on-one the support and guidance they crave as they begin to establish their recovery foundation. Essentially, they feel disconnected from the recovery community and as a result, are at more significant risk for relapse.
The lack or loss of fundamental sober social supports and our innate human need for social connection and belonging vastly increases relapse risks as client’s become tempted to return to old friend who are actively using or reignite toxic relationships because they want someone to “hang out” with and avoid feeling lonely. We are creatures of habit and will often return to those self-destructive behaviors or unhealthy relationships that previously served us before as a means to cope with stress or loneliness.
FROZEN IN LIMBO BETWEEN WHAT WAS AND WHAT COULD BE
Many recovering addicts speak about feeling frozen in a limbo state between their past life of active addiction and the uncertain future life of recovery. They desire to move forward with their life, but also feel held back due to the COVID-19 restrictions. They discuss having immense difficult obtaining meaningful employment due to economic constraints posed by the pandemic. They discuss feeling deprived of the ability to form new sober relationships due to the lack of in-person support groups. They express a desire to go out and engage in prosocial recovery activities, but feel confined and restrained due to many social venues being shut down.
As a result, there is a great temptation to simply give up and return to the more predictable and familiar world of addiction. I’ve seen this on numerous occasions working in various inpatient residential treatment programs. With more resources being restricted or eliminated outright, many clients struggle transitioning out of treatment into “normal” living. As a result, they often experience what we clinicians call “decompensation”. Decompensation usually occurs when a person’s growth becomes stagnated and blocked for whatever reason. In response to feeling inhibited from moving forward, they often regress into unhealthy coping patterns, which inevitably leads to the destructive self-fulfilling prophecy of relapse.
RESURGENCE OF PREVIOUSLY MANAGED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Many clinicians are seeing a resurgence of mental health issues that were once previously controlled by medications, attendance to support groups, or therapy. Symptoms are often triggered or exacerbated by stress, which tends to lead to a worsening of already intense symptoms if not properly managed and supported.
As a result, many recovering addicts are experiencing an increase in cravings and urges to use substances as struggle to cope with an intensification of mental distress.
4 TIPS FOR OVERCOMING RECOVERY THREATS AND STRENGTHEN ONE’S RECOVERY JOURNEY DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES
Despite all of the stress, anxiety, and chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic there is no need to feel hopeless about your recovery journey. While many people have become cynical about things going back to normal, I believe this is a prime opportunity to strengthen your recovery like never before.
Challenging times often provide opportunities for great personal growth.
1) ASSESSING YOUR CURRENT SITUATION
This is the time to be honest about our current situation so we can accurately understand where we’re at right now on our recovery journey. What do you feel you’re missing in your recovery journey? What gives you inspiration and motivation to stay sober? What are you struggling with most right now? What are your recovery strengths and weaknesses?
Assessing our current situation gives us insight in where we’re struggling, what we’re missing, and where we’re strong in our recovery. When we have an accurate picture of what’s really going on, we can then build more effective strategies to deal with our current problems.
2) EXPAND YOUR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
If addiction is a disease of disconnection, then connection is the medicine of recovery. Check in on your friends. Call your 12 Step sponsor more often. Talking to others via phone or video will start to build some much-needed social connection.
And more importantly, go out and socialize with people in person. If you’re concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19, wear a mask and wash your hands as needed; but go directly connect with people. If they don’t want to meet in person, that’s their choice, but find people who too desire direct connections with others.
For example, talking to my best friend on the phone who moved out of state is great. I really enjoy every opportunity to do so. But the experience is nothing compared to being able to see him in person. Person-to-person connection elicits a totally different energy transference that phones and virtual meetings are simply incapable of doing.
Again, be responsible and take appropriate precautions, but go out and meet people.
3) INCREASE YOUR SELF-CARE
To offset the stress posed by the pandemic we all need to greatly increase our self-care activities. “Self-care” are things that are nurturing to our mind, body, and spirit. They can be extravagant like a massage or a vacation, but can also be small and simple like going for walks, meditating, or exercising.
Make a list of 10-15 “make me feel better” self-care activities you can do despite the pandemic. What are some self-care activities you can do daily that keep you grounded and more centered? What helps you feel productive and motivated?
4) GET EXTRA GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
We all need mentors and guides to help us navigate personal challenges. They give us perspective, support, and advice that can help us reach our goals and attain long-term recovery. I would have never become the clinician I am today, nor will I be able to continuing my own personal and professional growth without the mentorship and support of my supervisors, teachers, and colleagues.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has presented us all with a new set of challenges, we’ve had to learn how to adapt and overcome. Whether you are new into your recovery journey or have walked the recovery path for some time, new risks and dangers to recover always seem to present themselves in uncanny and inopportune ways.
And just because there are new (and some old) threats and challenges to one’s recovery journey doesn’t mean relapse is imminent. You can and will move through this.
Lastly, take a moment to celebrate your recovery! No matter where you are at in your recovery journey, take a moment to connect to the gratitude… to the successes you’ve experienced along your journey.
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