The holiday season is upon us… and this year, many of us can finally celebrate now that things have become safer and the social distancing restrictions of 2020 have relaxed. The COVID-19 pandemic is still claiming lives, but the vaccine has helped make this holiday season something that many people are looking forward to.
But what about the other major public health crisis? What about the American epidemic of addiction that’s been claiming lives since long before COVID-19?
According to US News and World Report, as of September 2021, there had been 664,000 deaths from COVID-19 in America. That’s 0.2% of the nation’s 331.4 million population, or 1 in every 500 Americans. The numbers are alarming, and it’s safe to say that the threat has dominated the media coverage for more than a year as the pandemic was one of the most impactful public health events in recent history.
The early impression received by anyone watching the coverage of the unfolding crisis was that this was by far the most threatening health issue of our lifetime. Unless, of course, the viewer was aware of the national drug epidemic. America’s drug problem isn’t simply worse than the COVID-19 pandemic; it’s more prevalent, longer running, and far deadlier.
From 1999 to 2019, nearly 841,000 people died in the US from a drug overdose, according to the CDC’s Drug Overdose website. That’s a death toll more than 25% higher than what the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed. Additionally, that’s all-time for COVID and only a small portion of the history of drug abuse. Even worse, that figure doesn’t include drug deaths not resulting from an overdose, such as accidents and illness. People who die from health issues other than overdose but caused directly by substance use are not included in this total, yet they comprise a large number of the casualties of the drug epidemic.
So, why has the COVID-19 pandemic become such a fixture in the media, often trumping the longer-running and deadlier issue of drug addiction? And why does the coronavirus seem worse than the drug epidemic, garnering more support and attention, while the dug problem rages on relatively unnoticed?
These questions have plagued those who work to fight substance abuse and end the drug epidemic in America.
It’s not as though the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t a serious issue. It’s a major public health threat that continues to claim lives, much like addiction. But as the drug epidemic was forced into the shadow of the viral pandemic, it only grew worse.
According to Marcel Gemme of Addicted.org, despite many experts’ warnings about worsening mental health conditions and substance abuse amid the pandemic, those stories were largely lost amid the COVID shuffle. Many addiction resources and services were forced to close their doors, lacking the financial ability to stay open without patients and with no clear direction from governing agencies. Many people didn’t feel safe going to rehab, and the stress of isolation and economic insecurity worsened addiction on a national level.
In fact, 2020 was the deadliest year for drug overdoses in American history. More than 93,000 people died of an overdose, which was an increase of more than 30% from the previous year’s total, as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
And in 2021, those numbers are still climbing.
Heading into the holidays, we’re reminded by health authorities that this time of year presents an even bigger risk for increased substance use. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, warns that the holiday season is wrought with triggers such as songs, scents, and rituals that can trigger a relapse. Add to this the pressure to conform to particular social and familial expectations, the increased presence of alcohol, and more interactions with family and friends, and we have a perfect storm.
We’ve reached a point in the pandemic where many people are reinstating traditions like holiday celebrations and gatherings. But this also means more people are taking risks. And one of those risks comes in the form of Holiday celebrations where substance use is virtually encouraged.
But will things naturally improve as the pandemic winds down? Well, unfortunately, we don’t yet have a vaccine for addiction. And those who’ve begun to struggle with substance abuse since the pandemic began aren’t suddenly getting better just because there are fewer risks or restrictions. The provisional numbers from the last 12 months show drug overdose death figures topping 100,000, so things are looking even worse for 2021.
As we celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year, let’s hope that messages like this one don’t get buried in the pandemic’s wake. Gatherings with family may present more risk but are also an opportunity for change. Spending time with each other for the first time in a while may reveal who needs our help and who’s begun struggling with addiction. It could be a chance to help each other.
We cannot continue to treat the nation’s drug epidemic as though it’s gone away. And we can’t keep fixating on the COVID-19 pandemic at the expense of addiction. These issues both need our attention and resources.
This New Year, we need a new plan. Let’s tackle addiction with the same ferocity we’ve faced COVID-19 with. People may be tired of hearing about the drug problem, but ignoring it hasn’t made it go away.
Joseph Kertis is an experienced healthcare professional turned journalist. His experience in the field of substance abuse and addiction recovery provides a unique insight into one of our Nation’s most challenging epidemics.