COVID-19, the virus that quickly spread across the globe and reached pandemic status, is especially hard on those who have underlying health issues. As someone who is in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, what does that mean for you? Addiction and your physical health are the two most important areas of your life right now. They’re the ones on which you’ve been focused throughout your recovery. It’s more important now than ever before that you take care of both your mental and physical health during the stress of this public crisis. Here’s what local drug and alcohol treatment centers are doing to help.
Individual Therapy for Addiction and Your Physical Health
Your group therapy sessions may move to individual sessions. With groups of no larger than five people currently recommended to help stop the spread of the virus, drug and alcohol treatment centers are scaling down the sizes of their therapy groups during the crisis.
Screening of Clients
Your treatment center is now aggressively screening clients before admitting them to waiting rooms. Anyone who presents with symptoms that could be indicative of COVID-19 will be separated from the general population to receive treatment for addiction and physical health.
Fewer Seats in Waiting Areas and Common Rooms
The seats in common areas such as waiting rooms or lounges may be fewer and spaced more widely apart to help stop the spread of infectious diseases. Remember to maintain a distance of at least six feet between you and the person next to you.
Online Support-Group Meetings
While some meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous are still going on amidst the pandemic, the rituals have changed. No hugging, no handshakes, and no clasping of hands during prayer in these days of COVID-19. But some meetings are still taking place, depending upon where you live. If there are none where you’re located, consider going online to attend. Community is especially important to anyone who’s in recovery from drugs or alcohol, even during a pandemic.
Increasing Online Support for Those in Recovery
Organizations are moving increasingly online to help provide support to those in recovery during self-quarantine. PsychCentral publishes a comprehensive list of online services, including:
- Hosted meetings
- Drop-in groups
- Webinars
- Podcasts
- 12-step online recovery
It’s important for your addiction and your physical health to stay connected during the quarantine. Thankfully, there are many resources you can call upon to find support and mentorship right now. Be sure to use them now more than ever.
Recovery from your addiction and your physical health don’t need to take a back burner simply because something new has been added. You can maintain a safe distance from others without living in total isolation, but you may need to be more creative at it. Use online resources, scale down group interactions, and rely on books and printed materials that you have at home to help get you through until things return to normal. Call your sponsor. Call your mental health professional. Use a 24-hour crisis line if you’re experiencing an emergency. There are real people at the other end of the line, and they care about your addiction and your physical health. You need to care about it, too — enough to make it the number-one priority in your life, even during the COVID-19 self-quarantine. Contact Promises Behavioral Health at 844.875.5609 today to learn more. We’ll help get the quality care that you need in a safe and clean environment.
We offer numerous programs that could help you and your physical health needs: