鈥淚solation is one of the core symptoms when it comes to addiction, when it comes to depression,鈥� said Mark Sigmund, outpatient therapist with Retreat Behavioral Health.Because of that, a holiday season amid a pandemic is an especially vulnerable time for people in drug abuse recovery. Sigmund is worried about what he is seeing in patients.鈥淲e鈥檝e seen an increase in relapse on substances. We鈥檝e seen an increase in depression and anxiety,鈥� he said.Sigmund said many recovery programs have moved online. And, the CDC鈥檚 recent warning against gathering for Thanksgiving could leave people who desperately need family support, all alone. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e at home and they just start drinking more. They just start leaning on alcohol. So, I think we鈥檙e going to see a lot of ugliness over the next couple years,鈥� he said.Edwin Novak is six-and-a-half years clean. 鈥淚n early recovery I always say, don鈥檛 be alone on the holidays,鈥� he said. Novak did not relapse, even while missing his family as they held big holiday gatherings without him in Pennsylvania.鈥淚t was tough seeing pictures of my entire family all together, and I鈥檓 down here,鈥� he said.And, therapist Mark Sigmund says reaching out for help is not limited to those in recovery. Anyone who鈥檚 going through difficult times should follow the same advice.鈥淎 lot of people are struggling with self-destructive thoughts, so you want to keep your family, keep your friends as close as you can,鈥� he said.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
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — 鈥淚solation is one of the core symptoms when it comes to addiction, when it comes to depression,鈥� said Mark Sigmund, outpatient therapist with Retreat Behavioral Health.
Because of that, a holiday season amid a pandemic is an especially vulnerable time for people in drug abuse recovery. Sigmund is worried about what he is seeing in patients.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen an increase in relapse on substances. We鈥檝e seen an increase in depression and anxiety,鈥� he said.
Sigmund said many recovery programs have moved online. And, the CDC鈥檚 recent warning against gathering for Thanksgiving could leave people who desperately need family support, all alone.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e at home and they just start drinking more. They just start leaning on alcohol. So, I think we鈥檙e going to see a lot of ugliness over the next couple years,鈥� he said.
Edwin Novak is six-and-a-half years clean. 鈥淚n early recovery I always say, don鈥檛 be alone on the holidays,鈥� he said.
Novak did not relapse, even while missing his family as they held big holiday gatherings without him in Pennsylvania.
鈥淚t was tough seeing pictures of my entire family all together, and I鈥檓 down here,鈥� he said.
And, therapist Mark Sigmund says reaching out for help is not limited to those in recovery. Anyone who鈥檚 going through difficult times should follow the same advice.
鈥淎 lot of people are struggling with self-destructive thoughts, so you want to keep your family, keep your friends as close as you can,鈥� he said.
