The pandemic brought along a rise in alcohol and substance use and while that may not come as a surprise – what may is that trend has continued.
Dr. Lisa Lefebvre of U of T says COVID-19 sped up the already growing concern surround substance abuse, but it’s the pressures people are seeing now post-pandemic that is keeping usage high.
What doesn’t help the ongoing mental health crisis, which plays a large role in the uptick of substance abuse, is that often times the only place available to assist someone during a mental is in overcrowded ERs, putting further strain on the healthcare system.
(Written by: Grant Deme)
