A Guide to Managing Mental Health & Sobriety During the Coronavirus Pandemic
In This Guide
Over the last few months, the world as we know it has changed.
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic, and we’ve all been forced to face a new normal. This is uncharted territory for most people. In our lifetime, we’ve never experienced anything like this before. During these last few weeks, we’ve made significant sacrifices in hopes of slowing the spread of a highly contagious virus.
As of mid March, health organizations have recorded over 122.6 million cases of coronavirus worldwide. That number is expected to climb over the next several weeks and months. Even more alarming than the number of cases are the number of deaths. Over 2.7 million people have succumbed to this illness, with over 552,000 deaths in the United States alone. China, Italy, and France have also suffered large numbers of casualties due to the coronavirus.

Avoiding contact with other people also has real consequences for our mental health. It doesn’t matter if you have a pre-existing condition or not. Being forced to stay home and avoid other people can quickly turn into depression if you don’t find ways to keep yourself occupied, and try to maintain a normal daily routine. Low levels of stress can escalate and become a serious anxiety disorder if you don’t prioritize your mental health during this period of quarantine.
For people who suffer from pre-existing mental health disorders, the coronavirus may be making their condition worse. Not only are people worried about getting sick, but there’s also anxiety around the uncertain future we’re facing. Once-harmless activities, like going to the grocery store or pharmacy, can trigger a full-on panic attack for some. For OCD sufferers, the threat of germs can make obsessions and compulsions much more severe.
The same goes for people who deal with substance abuse issues. Being in isolation for so long is a threat to their sobriety. If you’re stuck at home all day, it means you’re also alone with your thoughts. This might make someone more likely to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with their feelings. Not to mention, some people currently in treatment aren’t able to visit their therapist or attend group meetings that are essential tools for their recovery.
In addition to physical cravings, someone with an addiction issue will also spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about their drug of choice. These thoughts become a compulsion and impossible to control, which leads to drug-seeking behavior that can sometimes be criminal.
Feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety, despair, and the like are often at the root of substance abuse. The substance might temporarily mask these feelings, but they return once the high wears off, creating a vicious circle of drug abuse.
Taking a substance will temporarily stop the cravings and compulsion for it, but soon the same feelings return. In time, it takes more and more of the same substance to achieve the same effect it once had.
People addicted to drugs and alcohol may feel like they have no control over their drug use. Refraining from using or stopping seems to be an impossibility for them. The substance controls them, rather than the other way around.
Someone addicted to drugs or alcohol will continue to seek them out even if their addiction has made them lose friends, family, spouses, and jobs. Drug-seeking behavior can even lead to diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Depression
School-aged kids and college students are learning virtually, so they’re not able to play on sports teams, go to prom, or even experience graduation. The social situations that make people happy and give them something to look forward to are suddenly gone.
Anxiety
It’s important to stay informed and be diligent during this time, but it’s also easy to become consumed by fear and anxiety. There are so many unknowns right now, and that can easily lead to extreme stress or panic attacks in people who suffer from pre-existing anxiety disorders.
Trauma
Trauma disorders, like PTSD, affect roughly 3.5% of the population. This group of people is also heavily impacted by the coronavirus. Trauma disorders are caused by harmful experiences in the past, which can make people feel threatened in similar situations in the future. For example, if you know someone who got very sick or died of the coronavirus, you may be more likely to believe that you too will become sick. This type of situation can invoke a lot of anxiety to even leave your house for essentials like groceries.
Healthcare workers on the front lines of the coronavirus see extreme sickness and death every day. They are likely to be at a higher risk of trauma than others when this is over. For people who suffered from trauma-related disorders before the coronavirus, this situation could make their mental state worse. When left untreated, that trauma could lead to depression or anxiety.
OCD
OCD affects roughly 1% of American adults, but that translates to over 2 million people. OCD sufferers experience obsessions—which are triggered by anxieties—and compulsions, which are actions perform to cope with those anxieties. Many people who have OCD are triggered by germs, which is why the coronavirus can be a very difficult situation to deal with. To calm their fears around germs or potential sickness, some people will excessively wash their hands or constantly clean their homes.
It seems like the coronavirus is lurking everywhere, from the grocery store shelves to our front door knobs. While cleanliness is very important right now, people with OCD often can’t control their cleaning rituals, even if they try to stop.
Even when we’re not facing a global pandemic, people experience mental health disorders at very high rates, and when you throw isolation into the mix, people with those disorders often get much worse. When you’re feeling stressed or sad, sometimes a hug can make you feel better. When you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed, visiting with your therapist can help clear your mind.

In addition to physical cravings, someone with an addiction issue will also spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about their drug of choice. These thoughts become a compulsion and impossible to control, which leads to drug-seeking behavior that can sometimes be criminal.
Feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety, despair, and the like are often at the root of substance abuse. The substance might temporarily mask these feelings, but they return once the high wears off, creating a vicious circle of drug abuse.
Taking a substance will temporarily stop the cravings and compulsion for it, but soon the same feelings return. In time, it takes more and more of the same substance to achieve the same effect it once had.
People addicted to drugs and alcohol may feel like they have no control over their drug use. Refraining from using or stopping seems to be an impossibility for them. The substance controls them, rather than the other way around.
Someone addicted to drugs or alcohol will continue to seek them out even if their addiction has made them lose friends, family, spouses, and jobs. Drug-seeking behavior can even lead to diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
Not only is the coronavirus affecting people with mental health issues, but it’s also affecting individuals who have substance abuse disorders.
- Almost 20 million Americans over age 12 battled a substance use disorder in 2017.
- Alcohol, drug and tobacco use costs the United States more than $740 billion every year, due to costs related to crime, lost work, and health care.
- Drug overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990.
When you break down the statistics around specific addictions, it’s alarming how widespread the effects really are. These are the rates of abuse and overdose for some of the most common addictions we’re seeing today.
Alcohol
- 300 million people around the world have an alcohol use disorder.
- Roughly 88,000 people die of alcohol-related issues every year in the United States.
- Globally, alcohol-related issues cause 5.3% of deaths—about one in 20—each year.
Opioids
- Over 2 million Americans suffer from an opioid use disorder.
- Roughly 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.
- 20-30% of people who take prescription opioids misuse them.
Heroin
- 494,000 Americans over age 12 regularly use heroin.
- Roughly one-quarter of people who try heroin once will get addicted.
- In 2017, more than 15,000 Americans died from a heroin overdose.
Marijuana
- Between 30-40 million Americans use marijuana every year.
- 30% of people who regularly smoke marijuana have a marijuana use disorder.
- Roughly 43% of American adults have admitted to trying marijuana at least once.

Cocaine
- 5 million Americans use cocaine regularly.
- In 2017, cocaine was involved in 1 out of every 5 overdose deaths.
- The number of cocaine-related overdose deaths went up 34% from 2016-2017.
Specifically, alcohol abuse is at risk of increasing because it’s easily accessible, while some drugs are not. In most states, liquor stores are considered an essential business and are able to stay open during the quarantine. However, some pharmacies are in short supply and aren’t able to give extra refills of certain pharmaceuticals that could be abused. During the lockdown, some people may be more hesitant to buy drugs illegally in-person for fear of getting sick.
The coronavirus pandemic is also hard for people who are already sober and are working to maintain their sobriety. Staying sober is a daily battle. When you can no longer see your therapist in-person or attend group meetings, it can be extra difficult to stay committed. Isolation isn’t good for your mental health, and it can lead to relapse if you’re not prioritizing your mental wellbeing while in quarantine.
It’s also important to note that people who don’t have pre-existing addictions could also develop new substance abuse issues during this period. If you’re dealing with depression or anxiety around the coronavirus, you might want a drink or two at the end of the day. Or maybe you’re having trouble sleeping, and are using your sleeping pill prescription more than just “as needed.” If you make these things a daily practice, it can turn into something much worse.
For the foreseeable future, we’re all stuck at home.

Get Ready for the Day
Stay Connected
Exercise Your Body and Mind
Get Outside
Join an Online Support Group
We’ve also put together an entire list of resources here.


- Having no more than 8 clients in the building at a given time.
- Clustering clients into small “pods” with distance between each other to prevent exposure.
- Conducting individual sessions via telehealth to allow for distancing.
- Regularly disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and practicing good hand hygiene.
- Staggering shifts to keep the number of staff on-site to a minimum.
For those who are within 25 miles of Nexus Recovery, we’re also pleased to announce that we’re now offering telehealth services. If you’d prefer to continue or start treatment from the comfort of your own home, we have therapists and counselors ready to meet with you via phone.
During the coronavirus, mental health treatment can still be provided in-person, and it can be done safely. If you’re healthy, and interested in receiving treatment at Nexus Recovery, visit our website to learn more about our programs.