Coronavirus restrictions bring tough times for those battling addiction

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - May of 2020 was the deadliest month in Ohio for drug and alcohol overdoses in the last 14 years. This is according to data from the Ohio Department of Health.

In Northwest Ohio, treatment centers are packed.

“We’ve been at capacity," says Matt Bell, CEO of Midwest Recovery. "We’re busier than we’ve ever been. We could probably use another 100 to 150 beds right now. The waiting list is longer than it’s ever been.”

Ongoing restrictions in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic are forcing centers to shut down badly needed support services for their clients.

Deb Flores is the CEO of the Zepf Center and says one of the biggest increases they’re seeing is women seeking help for alcohol dependency. That dependency itself can be largely linked to pandemic restrictions.

“We know that women are at home, they’re drinking more, they are socially isolated, they don’t have the support of family because of social distancing,” says Flores.

Matthew Rizzo, CEO of A Renewed Mind says getting people in the door for treatment isn’t the challenge, it’s keeping them there and engaged in treatment.

“You need support, you have to be around people that share those same goals," says Rizzo. "And unfortunately with COVID-19, that’s been limited. And so people are not getting to sober meetings or having meetings with sponsors.”

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