Stress from the Coronavirus Could Cause Relapse

Stressful times can often lead to stressful situations. If you’re in recovery, you likely know this. Stress can be a major trigger for relapsing into substance abuse and addiction. Sometimes you can minimize the stress you experience, but there are also times when stress comes from areas outside our control. As one might expect, the coronavirus pandemic caused a great deal of stress–and continues to impact us some five years after it first touched our lives.

How Did COVID-19 Stress Cause Relapse?

The COVID-19 pandemic created an almost perfect storm of stressors that significantly increased the risk of relapse for people in recovery. Some of these impacts we’re still feeling today.

• Increased anxiety and depression. The pandemic caused widespread anxiety for many people. Health concerns, economic uncertainty, and social instability–to name a few reasons– all took a heavy toll on people’s mental health.
• Social isolation and loneliness. Lockdowns and social distancing measures led to increased isolation, which is a major trigger for relapse.
• Disruption of routines and support systems. The pandemic disrupted everyone’s daily routines, including going to meetings or therapy sessions. This lack of structure and support made it more difficult for individuals to maintain their recovery.
• Changes in access to healthcare. In some cases, the pandemic caused disruptions to everyday healthcare access, making it more difficult to obtain needed medications or go to therapy.

How to Minimize the Risk of Relapse

It’s important to understand that setbacks can happen in recovery, but that doesn’t mean that treatment has failed. In fact, addiction recovery specialists often see these moments as part of the process rather than a fork in the road, and those who keep moving forward often achieve even greater success.

We’ve gained some valuable insights from the pandemic about minimizing your risk of relapse, even in the midst of stressors that are beyond your control. A strong plan involves a multifaceted approach that addresses various aspects of an your life.

Maintain Your Routines

With your usual coping mechanism for stress disrupted, it’s going to be important to find new coping mechanisms in order to avoid a slip or relapse. These methods can be largely holistic. For example, taking time to meditate or reflect can be a good way to detach from stress and consider things in perspective.

It may also help to get into a routine. Even when not in the midst of a pandemic, routines can help build a strong foundation for not just recovery but building a vibrant and healthy life. Routines do not have to be complicated. They can include simple things like waking up and going to bed at the same time can be a good way to minimize stress through getting adequate sleep.

Destress by Talking to Someone

Oftentimes one of the best ways to overcome stress is to talk to a friend or loved one. This human contact can come in many forms, but most likely you’ll reach out to somebody in your support network.

Additionally, many who are in recovery may attend recovery meetings. During the pandemic large gatherings are discouraged and many meetings shifted to virtual gatherings. While in-person meetings are back, one of the benefits of virtual meetings was increased access. For some people–especially those living in more rural communities–meetings weren’t always accessible. Now they are simply a click away.

Get Outside

It can be tempting to stay indoors and avoid social situations. However, staying inside can increase stress, isolation, and mental health issues. Getting outdoors offers a wide range of benefits for both physical and mental well-being, including:

• Improved physical fitness.
• Boosted immune system.
• Better sleep.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduced stress and anxiety.
• Improved mood.
• Increase creativity.
• Improved attention, focus, and memory.

Get Support for Your Recovery

American Addiction Centers (AAC) is dedicated to providing addiction-focused healthcare to help you get on the road to recovery–or get back on it if you’ve experienced a relapse. If you want to learn more about your treatment options, our admissions navigators are on hand to listen to your story and provide compassionate and understanding guidance.

Our alumni network spans the nation, connecting individuals in recovery. AAC is hosting virtual support meetings, that are free for anyone to join. If you’re struggling with stress know that help is just a call away. So reach out today at