Drug Overdose Deaths Increase during Pandemic in Los Angeles County
Coronavirus Increased Drug Overdose Deaths in 2020
In 2020, drug overdose death rates rose by 30% in the United States, reaching the highest number ever, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
And according to provisional data provided by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the National Vital Statistics System, more than 93,000 people died from drug overdoses that same year.
This data suggests that the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the devastating tragedy of our time that directly caused deaths, also increased drug overdose deaths.
“This is the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, and the largest increase since at least 1999.”
-Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Copyright: The American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
Source: https://abc7.com/meth-overdose-los-angeles-county-drug-overdoses-and-covid-pandemic/10906565/
Drug Overdoses in Los Angeles County
In January 2021, the Department of Public Health’s Division of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control released a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s death data report to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on accidental drug overdose deaths up to July 2020 in Los Angeles.
There was a 52% increase in accidental drug overdose deaths in Los Angeles County during the ten months (March to December 2020) of the Coronavirus pandemic, compared to the same period in 2019, in addition to 11-year trends.
An average of about four people died every day in 2020 from an accidental overdose of meth.
The number of deaths peaked in July 2020 among people aged 25-64. Drug overdose deaths involving methamphetamine and fentanyl were the most common drugs responsible for overdose deaths across Los Angeles County.
Our own Northridge Addiction Treatment Center’s substance abuse counselor, Crystal Sanders, knows the isolation from addiction and saw it fueled by the pandemic first-hand.
Crystal saw the devastating and harmfully wide-ranging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’ mental health in recovery.
With her own long, 25-year battle against meth addiction, Crystal recovered in 2018 and still believes others can safely find substance abuse treatment even during a pandemic.
Copyright: The American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
Source: https://abc7.com/meth-overdose-los-angeles-county-drug-overdoses-and-covid-pandemic/10906565/
By embracing meaningful connections with others, Crystal teaches us that the opposite of addiction is connection and reassures us that “there is a way out, and we do recover.”
Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Northridge, California
Northridge Addiction Treatment Center‘s residential treatment facility in Northridge, California, is a serene sanctuary offering medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction and alcohol use disorder.
Because mental health and addiction are intertwined, our dual diagnosis program ensures all co-existing disorders and repressed trauma is addressed to heal the entire person for life.
Our licensed medical staff and certified substance abuse counselors collaborate with you to create a unique and specialized treatment plan tailored to your needs for success.
NATC accepts most insurances, so your insurance may cover the entire cost of treatment. Fill out our confidential insurance verification form to get a call back from one of our specialists to find out.
A better life is a phone call away. Our admissions specialists are eager to answer any questions and help you start your journey to lasting recovery. Reach out today.
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Our caring and compassionate specialists are eager to help you comfortably navigate this journey to recovery. Our individualized treatment plan, programs, and therapies may be a perfect match for you or your loved one. Let us assist you in living the happy life you deserve. It starts with a phone call.
