The article “’There Was Nothing to Help Me’: How the Pandemic Has Worsened Opioid Addiction” discusses the problems faced by people struggling with opioid addiction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the pandemic, many detoxes and addiction treatment centers have closed or turned down patients, and the accessibility and capacity for substance abuse treatment have decreased (Sainato, 2020). Combined with such stress factors as mass layoffs, furloughs, and isolation, it has caused a significant rise in opioid use and overdoses. Drug users are reported to be especially vulnerable in the current situation in terms of increased risk of relapse or misuse, and increased risk for being infected by COVID-19 and having adverse reactions to it (Sainato, 2020). The suggested measures for handling this issue include loosening regulations on opioid disorder medications, increasing access to medication, and increasing funding for harm reduction services.
I think that the problem discussed in the article should be addressed more thoroughly by the government and healthcare organizations. Addicts are a vulnerable group of the population, whose needs are often neglected when providing healthcare. The stigma and social issues related to the problem of addiction lead to addicts being denied the necessary treatment in times of the global health crisis. The article has not changed my views on the subject but has brought to my attention a problem that has previously been overlooked. I did not detect any bias in the article, and I think that the author is consistent in his viewpoint and arguments. The article contributes to the issues that have been discussed in class in bringing attention to a current problem and providing valuable insights into the needs of substance addicts during the pandemic.
Reference
Sainato, M. (2020). ’There was nothing to help me’: How the pandemic has worsened opioid addiction. The Guardian.