The Unintended Consequences of Covid-19

“Every one percent hike in the unemployment rate
will likely produce a 3.3% increase in drug overdose deaths
and a 0.99 percent increase in suicides…”

Betsy McCaughey PhD | Former New York LT Governor
New York Post

As the world reals from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of families continue to fight the devastation of the Opioid crisis from a much-weakened state as the media shifts their focus from one crisis to another.

What does this new crisis mean for your family as you struggle daily with the challenges of addiction?

The financial impact of the pandemic will devastate millions of families that were already struggling to pay for treatment and recovery support and now have lost their income and health insurance, leaving our most vulnerable even more vulnerable if that is even possible as there is a growing concern that the economic shutdown could fuel a new wave of Drug addiction and suicide.

As Betsy McCaughey stated in a recent New York Post article:

“Every one percent hike in the unemployment rate will likely produce a 3.3% increase in drug overdose deaths and a 0.99 percent increase in suicides…”   

It is clear, our “other” crisis that was incredibly difficult to navigate before the Pandemic, just became insurmountable.

During the April 15, 2020 edition of Fox News’ the Story with Martha McCallum, Martha dug deep to understand clearly this possibility. Below is an excerpt from that conversation posted on the mediamatters.org web site:

With this shift, from one crisis to another, it is important for Americans to not lose sight of millions of families that have lost their children and loved ones to addiction, and are grieving and recovering both financially and emotionally from the stigma of this devastating disease.

It is also important to remember those that are desperately navigating the dire consequences of full blown addiction during this Pandemic, and how the spread of this virus has impacted this vulnerable population. It is important to recognize the significant consequence it is having on treatment and recovery of these patients, as well as resources available to doctors and rehab facilities that are working to save lives in the middle of it all, assuming that the service they are providing is deemed an “essential” service in that particular State. Shockingly some support services may not be. And let us NOT FORGET the families, the mothers and the fathers that are struggling in isolation, worried about their children, not knowing where to go for help during this unprecedented time.

Yes America, we CAN chew gum and walk at the same time. It’s time we do not forget the 70,000 lives lost to overdose every year and the importance of that “other” crisis that is laden with stigma, that is permeating millions of families across this nation. It’s time to double down to ensure the Opioid Crisis, does not get LEFT BEHIND amid the Covid-19 pandemic as one crisis largely impacts the older population, and the other our young, and through it all, the STIGMA of ADDICTION just became even more painful…