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The families of people with substance abuse problems have spoken of the immense pressure and danger that this confinement puts on their lives.
The isolation of confinement increases the trauma and mental health problems associated with addiction.
Naomi’s father is dependent on alcohol and drugs. He has lived with numerous substance disorders throughout his life, but enjoyed a long period of sobriety until recently. All of this changed when the country went back into lockdown and relapsed. Now he is recovering in the hospital.
Speaking to Sky News, Naomi says that a combination of problems led to her overdose: “Anyway, January, February for anyone with mental health issues is really difficult. I think all the little things that shaped their life now have been removed.
“So you’re sitting inside with your thoughts, and when you’re struggling with such dark thoughts, you need distraction. That’s the only way to deal with it.
“She had a relapse on January 1, and it’s been ongoing ever since. With hospital admissions and an overdose.
“You can’t see the end. I think it’s hopelessness and there is no end point.”
Naomi says the first national lockdown didn’t affect her father at all, which she says was strange and a huge relief.
She added: “Strangely, the last lockdown in the spring and summer of last year was amazing and he stood out, and stayed sober. I think it was partly because the lockdown meant that everyone’s life was smaller, and he and my mother enjoyed the little things like going out for coffee or bird watching in the garden.
“I think the first time they felt they weren’t alone, it was this collective trauma that we were all going through at the same time. But this time it was different.”
A survey of the families of substance users shows that, since the first confinement, 85% of families have had a more difficult time helping their loved one. About half witnessed an increase in their use of alcohol or drugs.
The Action on Addiction charity says it saw an 86% increase in the number of people seeking help this January compared to last year.
It is also having a knock-on effect for those who care for the families of substance users. Doctors say the lockdown is limiting their ability to provide front-line care to those spiraling under current restrictions.
With support groups limited to 15 people, many charities cannot safely hold in-person sessions. Some groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, still work for people with substance use disorders.
The Adfam charity relies on telephone and online support. Professionals say that the use of technology for their services inevitably leaves many people out. Many without access to broadband are being left behind, but the disconnection of online communications increasingly hampers their role as pillars of support.
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How does COVID-19 affect mental health?
Katie Jackson, a Sussex-based family support coordinator, says the lockdown is limiting the ability to access help from those who desperately need it.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “We can run the support sessions through Zoom. But obviously it doesn’t work the same way, it doesn’t have the same sentiment for people as there isn’t the same level of support.
“We can’t even offer someone a cup of tea and a cookie if they come to a support group, which is really key to making people feel welcome. Putting it online makes it a lot more formal and a lot of people don’t want that. “
Katie says there are some positives as online services allow her to reach a broader section of society. Virtual sessions have also been praised by families who feel comfortable talking to counselors from home, and some also appreciate the anonymity and privacy of being able to be in a support group with their webcams off.
For many, the end of the lockdown means new freedoms, but for millions with dependency problems, it would also mean the end of this potentially triggering period.
