How TeleHealth Can Save Addiction Treatment and Recovery During COVID-19 Quarantine

TAMPA, Fla., April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The last few months have been a curveball for the world. For many of us, the repercussions of the coronavirus have extended far beyond health concerns. With increasing stay at home orders now covering 80% of the nation, businesses have suffered. In addition to this, non-essential businesses in many places have been told to close indefinitely until this outbreak passes. Due to both of these circumstances many businesses have experienced massive lay-offs and shut-downs leaving millions of people without jobs.

These unconventional circumstances have created stressful environments for many Americans - both with jobs and especially those without. This will have a dramatic negative impact on the addiction recovery community. Additionally, those in active addiction will lean harder on their substances to numb the stress and pain during these times.

It can be difficult to maintain sobriety during a normal week, but during these times, an individual's recovery will be put to the test like never before. News headlines, routine changes, added responsibilities, and daily uncertainty increases stressors and triggers each day. Adding to this complexity are a lack of local recovery resources, as group therapy meetings like AA and SMART Recovery close their doors to the public for the foreseeable future. While some access to group meetings are still available online, many public medical care and housing options are limited due to public facilities closing their doors and stopping admissions.

With all this confusion and stress, group meetings, therapy, and treatment are even more essential. We need to enforce these types of resources more now than ever, but unfortunately, due to the virus outbreak we can not.

Of course, the treatment centers still open have set in place strict procedures regarding the admissions process and day-to-day activities. Medical personnel understand the necessary steps for diagnosing virus symptoms prior to admission as well as the proper steps needed when an active patient displays symptoms. However, there is one precaution that goes even further - telehealth.

Telehealth (or tele-treatment) is a surefire way to ensure the outbreak remains contained and also provide treatment and therapy to individuals who present symptoms and/or are in quarantine.

Active cases of COVID-19 in Florida are expected to increase at dramatic rates as testing becomes more available and existing tests are processed. As a result, many people can be denied access to in-person addiction therapy for displaying symptoms related to the coronavirus.

This is a big problem. Addiction (substance use disorders) are chronic; meaning without ongoing treatment and therapy, people are vulnerable to relapses - especially during early recovery and especially during these nerve-racking times.

According to Alexander Ronzino, CEO of Coalition Recovery, an addiction treatment center in Tampa, Fl, "Social distancing has disconnected everyone from necessary support groups, their families, and their place of employment. These things decrease one's sense of purpose and promote isolation - a formidable obstacle for anyone, but specifically for those in recovery. As one of the first providers of tele-health treatment in Florida, we strongly believe in tele-health as a viable option for people to pursue. The importance of this technology is now more significant than ever as individuals are able to enter a full treatment program from the safety of their own home."

Advantages of Tele-Treatment During COVID-19 Outbreak?
Thanks to modern advancements in technology, HIPAA-Compliant video software is increasingly available, affordable, and simple. Due to its accessibility, telehealth was initially targeted towards individuals who do not have access to treatment facilities due to location and physical limitations. Now, amid the corona crisis, tele-treatment can be a vital solution for:

Those who wish to participate in addiction treatment from their home
Those suffering from COVID-19
Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms
Any individual who wishes to remain quarantined
People with travel limitations
People with physical limitations
Areas where treatment is not readily available

People should not be denied medical treatment because of a cough and have to live with their addictions until this outbreak is over. Telehealth for addiction treatment can be a viable solution during these hard times.

How does Tele-Treatment Work?
Tele-treatment offers all of the advantages of normal treatment but through HIPAA compliant online video conferencing software.

Prior to entering into an online drug rehab program, individuals undergo a pre-screening assessment and a face to face evaluation (through software) with a licensed psychologist to establish the appropriate level of care. Next, a medical evaluation is required. Patients meet with a staff nurse and psychiatrists to undergo a medical and psychiatric evaluation establishing a diagnosis and medical treatment plan.

Once these initial assessments are done, patients are assigned individualized treatment plans going over their therapy session schedule. Most treatment centers offer a variety of levels of care and depending on this level is how many hours of therapy a person participates in each week.

Patients will sign into a video-conferencing software during their scheduled times and either have an individual session with their therapist, an individual session with their psychiatrist, or attend one of the many group sessions available.

A large part of group therapy sessions is the continual communication of everyone in the session. For this reason, everyone participating is able to see and interact with everyone else in the session. Therefore, online group therapy sessions provide all of the same opportunities and advantages as in-person sessions at treatment facilities.

TeleHealth for Addiction Recovery
The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a lot of us to sacrifice things in our lives: your therapy (and therefore your recovery) should not be one of those things.

This is an undoubtedly stressful time for all of us. Parents are now left caring for their children while maintaining their work schedule. Millions of people are losing their job everyday. Adding to all this commotion, we also have to fear for our own health and the health of our parents and loved-ones.

We need therapy to help guide us through these times and keep us resilient now more than ever! Unfortunately this is the exact time when we are told not to participate in these types of events. No more choosing between your physical health and your mental health. Technology has once again come to save the day by offering these services from the protection of your home.

If you have lost your job or are currently quarantined at home, make some lemonade and use this time to build a better you. If you know a loved-one in recovery who is going through a hard time, tele-health for addiction treatment can be a viable answer. Don't let these stressful times break your recovery - let it strengthen it.

SOURCE Coalition Recovery