Addictive Disorders & Addiction Therapy

COVID-19 AND ADDICTION

Substance Use Disorders (SUD), characterized by an array of mental, physical, and behavioral symptoms, a great public health concern, claim directly or indirectly the lives of millions of people every year. Alcohol consumption and illicit drug addiction cost around 1.5% of the global burden of disease and it can be as high as 5% in some nations according to recent data. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound effect on the health services globally. The 2019-coronavirus disease (COVID-19), undoubtedly the greatest public health catastrophe of our times, has been making universal concern throughout the world over the past few months and is throwing up several challenges for us in numerous ways.

The primary measures to contain the outbreak, like home confinement and sustained lockdown, are eventually leading to insurmountable economic burden at community level and are propelling the mass to face various unwelcome emotional reactions, psychological difficulties, behavioral changes including excessive substance abuse. On the other hand, people suffering from SUD belong to the marginalized community and are invariably more prone to contract infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Addiction and COVID-19 fuel each other to cause a global public health threat. Resumption of deaddiction service and relaxation of accessibility of prescription drugs are needed. Psychiatrists must be prepared for imminent hike in withdrawal symptoms and addictive behaviors.