Addiction and drug rehab professionals in Arizona are warning residents that the state’s rising unemployment rates are triggering an uptick in relapses among those in recovery from substance use disorders. Unemployment rates in Arizona are now higher than the national average on behalf of sheltering-in-place orders related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Unemployment is taking its toll on the well-being of many residents — including those in recovery — and leading to increased rates of drug and alcohol abuse.
How Does Unemployment Cause Relapse?
Unemployment causes stress, which is one of the number one triggers associated with addiction relapse. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate in Arizona as of March 2020 is 5.5 percent, while the national average is 4.4 percent. Arizona is currently among the top 10 states with the highest unemployment rates.
Experts at Arizona drug rehab centers say that many who are unemployed are sheltering in place and trying to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. Many of these individuals are facing it alone. Isolation and loneliness are other common relapse triggers on top of stress and mental illness. Adding further to the stress of being unemployed is anxiety surrounding the pandemic and the unknown.
These factors combined with unemployment can often lead to drug and alcohol use, as people may turn to these substances to escape their stress and anxiety. For those in recovery from addiction, relapse can lead to major setbacks that may eventually interfere with their careers and professional lives when it’s time to go back to work.
How Common Is Addiction Relapse?
Addiction relapse is extremely common and has a prevalence rate of 40 to 60 percent among people in recovery from substance use disorders, reports the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). However, the goal of drug rehab treatment is to prevent and reduce the relapse risk as much as possible, since relapse can be dangerous and have devastating consequences for many individuals. For instance, those in recovery from heroin and painkiller use disorders can experience a fatal overdose in the event they relapse and use the same amount of drugs they used before detox when they had higher tolerance levels.
How Can Relapse Be Prevented During Unemployment?
The key to preventing relapse during this time of Covid-19 and unemployment is to stay as busy and productive as possible, and to look on the bright side of these stressful events that are also affecting millions of others in the US and around the world. For instance, people can take this opportunity to learn a new language, catch up on reading, spend more time with their children, and cross other items off their bucket lists that can be accomplished at home.
Addiction recovery experts in Arizona are suggesting that people participate in online meetings hosted by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and use telehealth to stay closely connected to their recovery communities.
What to Do Next If You or a Loved One Relapses
If you or your loved one has relapsed due to unemployment or other stressors related to Covid-19, the next thing you should do is reach out to your drug rehab center. An addiction relapse indicates that you can benefit from either resuming treatment or trying a different treatment that can lead to a longer period of sobriety. Your treatment will begin with drug detox at an inpatient residential rehab center, followed by a modified drug rehab program in which you can receive new or different evidence-based treatments that teach you how to effectively handle stress and other triggers.
America’s Rehab Campuses offers medical detox and a wide range of drug rehab programs that can be customized for you or your loved one. Call us today at 833-272-7342 for more information.
