Not surprisingly, since early 2020, there’s been a noticeable increase in substance use disorders. A study of American adults showed psychological distress related to the pandemic was strongly associated with alcohol use quantity and frequency, as well as heavy drinking, and the National Laboratory Services’ Millennium Health reported a 32% increase for non-prescription fentanyl, a 20% increase for methamphetamines, and a 10% increase for cocaine from mid-March to May 2020.
A recent survey conducted by Quit Genius showed that over 1 in 4 employees that worked remotely during the pandemic reported going to work impaired by drugs or alcohol. And just as those people needed help with substance use disorders, their access to help was curtailed, as the vast majority of assistance options were in-person programs that, at least temporarily, closed their doors.
