Page 28 - BusinessWest October 26, 2020

patient Behavioral Health at Center for Human Development (CHD), adding that several factors can make people with substance-use disorders more vulnerable to coronavirus.
“Patients with a co-occurring diagnosis usually have a history of poor healthcare and poor nutri- tion,” she noted. “Add substance use to that, and they become a magnet for COVID-19.”
In short, the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic — and the economic turmoil that has followed in its wake — aren’t the only COVID- related factors making things tougher for those struggling with substance abuse and those striv- ing to help them. Not by a longshot.
From a Distance
Even treating people with substance-use issues became more complicated when the pandemic first hit. By following CDC guidelines to keep everyone safe, one-on-one support was severely reduced, resulting in more isolation for vulner- able people who needed help.
While support has largely shifted to virtual appointments, Rivas and her staff have had to provide technical guidance, as well as their nor- mal counsel to their clients.
“We’re doing things we aren’t accustomed to, such as training people how to use Zoom plat- forms and how to use their phone beyond Face- book so they can reach services and telehealth,” she said.
Working on virtual platforms allows CHD staff to interact in a more normal way with clients and observe their behavior. Rivas noted that meeting one-on-one would require clients to wear masks, making it more difficult to hear them or see their facial expressions. When clients use virtual plat-
forms, they are also able to increase their engage- ment in the world.
“At times, going virtual has been frustrating for the client, but overall, it’s nice to have them experience an achievement like that,” Rivas said, adding that clients can now more easily connect with healthcare providers as well as family and friends, and hope-
fully become more
engaged and feel
less isolated.
relapses and abusing alcohol after years of being clean and sober. She cited one example of a per- son who relapsed after five years of sobriety. Cli- ents tell her they start drinking again out of bore- dom and being stuck at home.
“In my opinion, since COVID hit, we’ve seen an increase in the glorifying of alcohol use,”
“We don’t know if use is up, but we know the repercussions of use are more serious now than they were a year ago. In 2018 and 2019, Massachusetts had begun to flatten the curve on opioid overdoses, but now that
curve has accelerated up.” Rodriguez said, noting social-media memes
about people day drinking and taking Zoom calls with a drink in hand. While meant to be humor- ous, she explained, these messages are dangerous for people with substance-use disorders, espe- cially when so many are feeling less connected to the community.
“Distractions that were healthy, like going
to the gym, going to church, or programs that encourage people to live healthy lifestyles, have all been reduced or eliminated,” she said. “We’re in a moment of depleted connections.”
Because the pandemic creates uncertainty for
Substance Abuse
Continued on page 47
While it’s not sur- prising that those with a history of substance abuse would be more vul- nerable during a pandemic, Rivas has observed an increase in substance use among people
STEVE WINN
with no diagnosed
substance-use disorders. The myriad factors include health concerns, increased isolation from not going out and socializing, and anxiety about finances. “It’s not unusual for people to manage stress with one too many beers or one too many glasses of wine.”
Winn noted that clinicians at BHN have observed an increase in people coming in to talk about alcohol use and overuse. “They are self- medicating because they feel more stressed, more unhappy, and more isolated.”
Edna Rodriguez, director of Clinical Assess- ment and Clinical Ambulatory Programs at Provi- dence Behavioral Health Hospital, has noticed
a trend during the pandemic of people having
28 OCTOBER 26, 2020
COVID-19
BusinessWest