Drug overdose deaths in New Jersey have leaped 20% this year amid a pandemic that advocates fear has exacerbated drug abuse and made it harder for those with addictions to secure treatment.
The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown order and social distancing have led to loneliness experiences that can exert profound effects on physical, mental, and social well-being (the three pillars of health as defined by the World Health Organization). This begs for urgent attention.
"It's not as much going out and incorporating alcohol into a dinner or time spent with family or friends," Johnson says. "Lots of people are sitting home drinking alone now, and historically, that's been viewed as more of a high-risk drinking behavior."
