Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is a rapidly spreading respiratory illness that has devastated the world in the past few months. It has disrupted almost all activities such as businesses, churches, schools, supermarkets, and even our daily lives, both socially and financially.
Apart from impacting almost everything else in life, the coronavirus epidemic has also affected addiction and recovery programs. Mental and physical health is a significant concern for those currently struggling with drug or substance abuse. It also includes those undergoing recovery and isolated from their social groups.
Drug addicts experiencing mental health issues due to the pandemic have experienced challenges pursuing addiction recovery.
The relationship between addiction and coronavirus is that those who are currently abusing illegal drugs are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 infections.
How Drug Addiction Increases Chances Of Coronavirus Infections
The National Institute on Drug Abuse declared that coronavirus poses a severe danger to smokers and those struggling with substance use disorder.
Drug addiction attacks the body in various ways, such as weakening its immune system and damaging internal organs. For instance, continuous and long-term alcohol abuse harms the heart. Later, it results in irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stretching and flopping heart muscles, and stroke.
Additionally, the toxic substances produced by alcohol residues in the pancreas can cause pancreatitis disease. Most drug addicts are even aware of the harmful effects of alcohol on the liver, such as cirrhosis, fibrosis, fatty liver, and alcoholic hepatitis. Also, chronic alcohol abusers may suffer from different types of cancers and brain damage.
Moreover, abusing illegal drugs can quickly deteriorate many functions in the body. For instance, long term use of methamphetamine causes lung, kidney, and liver damage, damage to blood vessels in the heart and brain. If smoked, respiratory symptoms may occur, which increases risks to COVID-19 infections.
Abusing opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, heroin, fentanyl, and codeine have a severe impact on pulmonary and respiratory health. Also, smoking drugs like tobacco, or marijuana weakens the lungs, creating high risks of COVID-19 to smokers.
The health consequences and conditions that occur due to drug addiction and coronavirus are dangerous and deadly, so abusing drugs increases its risks.
How Coronavirus Affect Our Bodies
If someone gets infected with coronavirus, it begins infecting cell linings in the lungs. The initial symptoms include dry cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headache, and fatigue. Symptoms get worse if infections progress to the upper and lower respiratory tract. Continuous drug addiction habits can also indicate how coronavirus can worsen infections. Indeed, the strong immune system of healthy people is what makes them recover during isolation since it can inhibit the growth of the disease in the upper respiratory tract.
In severe cases, coronavirus reports indicate it causes bronchitis and pneumonia, with a few others experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
In conclusion, anybody with respiratory abnormalities, compromised immune system, and chronic diseases is at risk for serious coronavirus infections and death.
Seeking Treatment for Addiction and Coronavirus
Since drug addiction creates high risks of coronavirus infection, the only appropriate way to start recovery is to find support from a recovery rehab.
If you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, contact our treatment experts who can help and recommend the best recovery programs to your needs.
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