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Associations Between Substance Use Problems and Stress During COVID-19
Erin A Vogel1, Amy Chieng1, Athena Robinson2
1Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
|November 11, 2021
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened substance use problems, depression, and anxiety. Pandemic disruptions exacerbated mental health issues and increased stress, impacting individuals with problematic substance use.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant life disruptions and increased stress.
- Understanding the impact of pandemic-related stress on substance use is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore associations between pandemic-related stress and substance use problems.
- To examine how pandemic disruptions affect mental health and substance use.
Main Methods:
- 180 adults with problematic substance use were recruited online.
- Measures included substance use problems (SIP-AD), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-8), and pandemic-related stress.
- Multivariable linear regression analyzed associations, adjusting for demographics.
Main Results:
- Struggles with home responsibilities, greater mental health impacts, and frequented bars were linked to higher substance use problems.
- Mental health impacts, home responsibilities, and child-related worries correlated with increased anxiety and depression.
- Job/income loss was associated with higher depression scores; mental health impacts predicted higher scores across all measures.
Conclusions:
- Worsened mental health symptoms during COVID-19 correlated with increased substance use, depression, and anxiety.
- Pandemic disruptions may exacerbate pre-existing substance use problems.
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