Virtual Resources for Addiction Recovery During the Coronavirus Pandemic

During the coronavirus pandemic, we are ordered to stay at home and respect social distancing. This means that we’re not allowed to be in contact with other people – including the addiction and recovery professionals we once had access to.

The government-mandated isolation can appear overwhelming to some, throwing the routines and structures that we built for a successful recovery out of sync.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. For patients that are without outpatient treatment or without one-on-one sessions or counselling, it’s important to remember that help is not confined to the outside world.

We have compiled a list of some of the best addiction recovery resources to help pass days of quarantine or working from home.

How can the coronavirus pandemic impact my recovery?

Isolation can trigger negative thoughts and provoke feelings of hopelessness, lack of productivity, and a general sense of disorientation. Stress and anxiety relating to social and environmental factors are one of the main reasons for relapse.

The factors that coincide with self-isolation (boredom, lack of impulse control, no set routine, over-exposure to the media) can result in returning to destructive behaviours. This can include relying again on drink or drugs to alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression, an increase in smoking habits, and even loss of control in relation to food and consumption. But you are not alone in this behaviour.

In a recent survey conducted by Rehab 4 Addiction, one-third of adults in the UK said that forced self-isolation measures due to the coronavirus outbreak have “extremely” affected their mental health in a negative way.

Support once found from the outside can be difficult to come across, and many recovering addicts or users will vouch for the fact that a strong-pillared community and sober social network is the driving force of recovery. Sober groups and experts will be the first to admit that recovery is all about communication and rebuilding relationships.

Counselling sessions and one-on-one meetings can also be great – and without these, you might think it will be all too easy to relapse. But today’s technology offers plenty of opportunities to continue with your recovery, which we will discuss below.

How do I continue my sobriety during recovery on lockdown?

While quarantine can appear daunting during isolation, there are a few basic guidelines you can follow which will help you manage during these uncertain times.

Here are some useful tips to help you stay sober during the lockdown:

1. Stay connected: Social distancing doesn’t mean pure isolation. Instead, try to reach out to as many friends and members of the family if you need help. Additionally, there are plenty of resources online that can help you prevent complete isolation. The feeling of isolation and loneliness can worsen the addiction. There are online meetings with Google Hangouts, Zoom, and you can stay in touch with phone calls or even text
2. Find a routine: Create a schedule for each day and stick to it. It’s crucial that you establish a routine, even if you’re at home during these times. If you were used to a routine beforehand, it can be so easy to fall out of the routine and indulge in substances again
3. Start reading: Reading materials that can help you with recovery can be very beneficial. You’ll feel like you’re not alone, and you’ll get a good sense of how to combat addiction. Additionally, read books that will make you feel at ease and take your mind off of substances. This can be fiction or non-fiction books, whichever you prefer
4. Get outdoors: Go outside as much as you can. This doesn’t mean going to the city park or town park. Instead, go outside and tend to your garden, or do things that need to be done around your house. If you don’t live in a house, then you can go into nature and take a walk. Go somewhere where you’re unlikely to meet people and remember to adhere to social distancing rules
5. Go on virtual adventures: Listen to good podcasts that can help you continue the recovery. There’s plenty of great podcasts about just everything you can think of. And there’s plenty of materials for staying sober. We’ll provide you with some of them later on

Managing alcohol addiction during the Covid-19 pandemic

If you’re suffering from alcohol addiction, then it’s crucial that you try to control your alcohol intake during coronavirus. If you have a severe alcohol dependence, cutting down gradually, or tapering off is recommended.

For more information on how alcohol can affect mental health, read our blog post on how alcohol affects the brain.

Stopping drinking suddenly after weeks, months, or years of abuse might lead to severe withdrawal symptoms, which, without proper guidance and support, can have serious consequences and can even be fatal.

After you stop drinking suddenly, you’ll start to feel withdrawal symptoms after a couple of days. In some cases, these symptoms will be more severe and will require immediate medical attention.

That’s why it’s better to reduce your alcohol intake with the correct support and care – such as an alcohol detoxing service, or with the encouragement and support from a close family member or friend. If you experience seizures, hallucinations, double vision, and confusion, contact 999 immediately.

The right course of action during the lockdown is to cut down on alcohol gradually by setting goals. But this is easier said than done, and you’ll need a great deal of self-control. You can try the following.

• On a daily basis, set yourself goals of how much alcohol you can take in. Things can go out of control, so try to stick to these goals as much as you can
• Keep a diary of your goals and of your alcohol consumption
• Do not consume all the alcohol at once. Instead, spread the intake throughout the day to ease the symptoms
• Start cutting down on alcohol slowly; start with a 10% cut each day, or you can be more aggressive if you feel you can handle it
• Take care of your diet and drink lots of water. Sleep is also crucial
• Contact 999 if you experience an emergency

Useful resources to staying sober during the lockdown

Below we have listed some helpful virtual resources to help curb alcohol or drug cravings during the lockdown. These include:

• Hosting an online meeting with Zoom – it’s a great way to reach out to people and talk to people who are struggling with the same problems as yourself
• Life Process Programme – start your recovery, or continue it from the comfort of your home
• Fight Addiction Now – another resourceful programme tailored to curbing cravings which can help you fight addiction during the lockdown
• Counselling Online – for those who are looking for counselling, or are missing one-on-one sessions. Speak to experts from your home
• Drink Coach – a good resource for people trying to reduce alcohol consumption and to start or continue rehab
• Recovery Posse – connect to other people that are trying to recover during these tough times. You can read resources that can help you stay clean. It’s a blog-like resource
• SMART Recovery Online Meetings – if you need a support group or you want to take part in online meetings, this resource is ideal. Speak to others in the same position as you, and talk to experts face-to-face
• Soberistas – a forum-like community where everyone can contribute and discuss to related topics surrounding drug and alcohol use
• Sober Recovery Forums – another forum community where people can connect and share their experiences about recovery
• We Are With You – an online chat community where you can chat with an expert – it’s all confidential
• Alcoholics Anonymous – a good community for alcoholics where they can reach out for help. This is highly recommended among recovery experts

Useful Resources for Families

Families that need to support their family members on the road to recovery will find these resources useful.

• Al-Anon UK – a great resource for families that will help the family members stay clean
• NACOA – a good support resource that will help families during COVID-19
• Scottish Families – support for families during COVID-19 and with recovery

Sobriety podcasts to listen to during isolation

Podcasts can be extremely helpful during isolation, as they can give you a sense of support and make you feel less isolated. Here are some of the best sobriety podcasts to listen to during isolation:

• The Bubble Hour – Adrienne Enns shares her experiences about rehab and will give you great tips about staying on the right path
• The Addicted Mind – various experts of recovery share their experiences about recovery and help you with some useful tips
• Breaking Free – continue and enhance your recovery with this podcast
• Recovery Happy Hour – listen to some inspiring stories every Tuesday to let you stay on track