The Pandemic’s Impact on Addiction Treatment

COVID-19 has created added challenges in life for all of us. For those seeking addiction treatment during the pandemic, the burden can be even greater. With limited or no access to in-person services, being at home is creating unexpected hardships and challenges for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders.

Tens of millions of adults have a substance use disorder. With treatment centers, outpatient services, support meetings, and individual therapy being a key part of their ongoing treatment and recovery, it can be challenging to offer online options that meet everyone’s needs.

At the Addiction Recovery Institute of America, we are able to offer in-person and telehealth consultations through our residential treatment center in Florida. The added stress of living amid a pandemic can create new triggers and cause old triggers to resurface. The ways that individuals battling addiction may choose to get help may differ, but the important thing is that they take steps to get the treatment they need.

How Does Online Treatment Work?

Addiction specialists have been challenged to meet the demands of those still addicted and those who are trying to stay healthy in the midst of incredibly stressful times. Many support groups, organizations, and treatment centers have shifted to an online model of providing services to help facilitate treatment and recovery efforts.

At the Addiction Recovery Institute of America, online treatment can take the form of a virtual video chat, conference call, live video meeting, or individual virtual counseling session. With the availability of various easy-to-use technology options in the marketplace, people dealing with addiction and substance abuse can continue to get help while waiting for social distancing orders to be lifted. It’s also essential to stay virtually connected with supportive family and friends as much as possible through Zoom calls, Google Meet-Ups, Facetime, and Skype sessions.

Benefits Of Telehealth Addiction Treatment During A Pandemic

Telehealth gives patients and health professionals the ability to conduct appointments by phone or video. Telehealth can be used to provide services to clients at a distance as well as to residents under quarantine within the same facility. It can also provide education and group services while maintaining physical distancing between clients in the same facility. Learn more about telehealth treatment options today by calling 844.973.2611.

The benefits are many, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

  • Promoting the practice of physical distancing to reduce the spread of a virus-like COVID-19
  • Addressing COVID-19 by limiting exposure to infection for compromised individuals and health care workers
  • Expanding the reach of resources to communities that have limited access to needed services
  • Allowing monitoring of patients to identify potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases without person-to-person contact
  • Enabling quarantined treatment providers to continue to offer treatment remotely safely
  • Reducing the risk of contracting COVID-19 in high-volume or high traffic areas such as residential treatment center common rooms
  • Reducing the number of group and individual face-to-face sessions
  • Enabling treatment providers to continue engaging with clients and residents while reducing the potential for compromised individuals

Learn More About Our Residential Treatment Center In Florida

Our goal is for our treatment professionals and our clients and residents to maintain access to vital addiction treatment while minimizing their risk for exposure to COVID-19. This means a combination of telehealth-based treatment and using our residential treatment centers to support patients during quarantine. We are pleased to be able to provide both options.

At the Addiction Recovery Institute of America, your safety and well-being are paramount. Due to the added anxiety, social isolation, and stress associated with the pandemic, addiction treatment services must remain accessible throughout this crisis. Our goal is to protect our clients’ and employees’ health and do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining treatment services in a caring and therapeutic environment. If you or someone close to you struggles with addiction, consider consulting with a professional about your addiction treatment program options.

Contact us online today or call 844.973.2611 to discuss online and telehealth treatment options during the pandemic and beyond.