HOW TO COPE WITH ADDICTION DURING COVID-19:

Addiction is a problem that affects a huge number of people, to various degrees of severity.   There can be all sorts of addictions that can affect people of all demographics. From alcoholism to gambling to substance addictions. It is a very wide spectrum. 

A 2018 study shows that 13.8% of young adults from ages 15-24 are using cannabis. This only takes into account those who have come forward and have been caught with cannabis in their possession. In the same year, 16,119 drug law offences were recorded. There are plenty of people out there who suffer in silence and can’t seem to get help.

There are some great services in the Liberties catchment area that offer treatment and advice on addiction issues. This is especially relevant during the current Coronavirus pandemic when all these services might not necessarily be available. 

Community Response is a service that is based in the Liberties. It has services on its website for counselling and advice as well as information to help other people battling addiction. There is also Simon Recovery which has plenty of information on the website. The HSE helpline is always available for those who need it. 

One of the most helpful and beneficial ways that people can help themselves or help someone else is maintaining contact with friends and family. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused people to isolate themselves, making it a lonely time for a lot of people and people can feel somewhat overwhelmed with feelings of isolation. 

This makes combatting addiction so much harder to manage. There are a range of online meetings available, organised by groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

Planning for your addiction’s recovery plan can also be a fantastic way to help you with your journey of recovery. Routine is one of the most useful ways to distract yourself. Get into the habit of writing out what you want to do for the day and prioritise the important tasks such as study, doing housework or working from home. Keeping your house free from the substance or activity that you are recovering from is important, to maintain the barrier between you and a potential relapse. 

Being at home is a great way to reflect on yourself and to improve on yourself. It may be tempting to not, but taking care of yourself and getting on with your day will make it much easier. 

 Think about your social media use – scrolling through social media can have a negative impact on people. If you are finding that certain accounts or posts are making you feel this way, unfollow or mute them and try to limit the amount of time you spend on social media every day.

Another great help tool to help distract your brain is to engage. Engaging in thirty minutes of mindfulness therapy every day is a good way to start. There are plenty of apps available such as “Calm” and “The Mindfulness app”, that help soothe the mind.

Stay in touch with your emotions – people’s emotions are running high right now and people are stressed, anxious and some even angry. It’s important to reach out to people. If you or someone you know is showing unusual emotional behaviour, such as being aggressive or maybe even being quieter and more detached than usual.

Addiction can be a difficult battle, and it is even harder under the current circumstances of the global pandemic, which sees people spending most of their day at home. The best thing to do is just to work on yourself and do everything you can to avoid relapse or do everything you can to help prevent someone else’s relapse.

Addiction Services Helplines:

Drugs and alcohol helpline: 1800 459 459 (Monday-Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm)

Drugs and alcohol helpline: helpline@hse.ie (Monday-Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm)