Corona has consequences, some of which are as far-reaching as they are different.
The pandemic also has a direct impact on people's addictive behavior.
District of Freising -
During the Corona crisis, the addiction problem in the district has worsened significantly. On the one hand, the long isolation and psychological stress caused by the pandemic drove many people into addiction again or again: "On the other hand, our support system was blocked," reports Bärbel Würdinger, the head of Prop addiction counseling in Freising. “We saw the need and couldn't help the way we wanted.” At the same time, more people than ever before got caught up in a new addiction - excessive media consumption. The internet has literally devoured a lot of people.
The “hit list” of addictive substances in the Freising district has remained unchanged for years: 1. Alcohol, 2. Cannabis, 3. Opiates and opioids, 4. New psychoactive substances (fashion drugs), 5. Cocaine and 6. Painkillers and sedatives.
Despite Corona - although there were hardly any opportunities for personal advice - more people affected contacted Prop.
The reason for the increasing number of people who turned to the advisors in emails or by phone was the fear of Corona and the consequences of the Corona restrictions, as Würdinger reports.
With the addiction, the accompanying disorders such as domestic conflicts or psychiatric illnesses (mostly depression) also increased sharply. “The children of parents with addiction problems in particular suffered extremely from this,” says Würdinger, describing the situation. “Even healthy parents reached their limits during the lockdowns due to the crampedness at home and the multiple stresses,” recalls the prop manager. "Of course, the parents' addiction made the conflicts even worse."
In addition, the addiction counselors could not care for those affected as usual: Self-help groups were closed, as many detoxification facilities as hospitals.
On the one hand, Corona made people sick, Würdinger describes the "double burden", and on the other hand prevented help for those affected.
A vicious circle.
"Good addiction treatment depends on a functioning treatment system," says Würdinger.
“But if everything is put on hold, no further progress is possible.” Now it will show whether the addiction symptoms will disappear again with the relaxation or at least be reduced.
When the internet becomes an addiction
This is particularly true of the excessive media consumption that many citizens fell into during the pandemic.
Twenty-six affected people turned to Prop because they realized that the extent of their Internet activity had exceeded any healthy level - especially in the area of games.
A distinction is made between gambling (online gambling) and gaming (computer games).
"We know that there is more problematic Internet consumption," reports Würdinger.
“Problematic” means that there are more domestic conflicts because other things in the family are neglected in favor of an Internet game.
“But we don't yet know whether these people have already developed a disorder that requires treatment” - whether they are now getting away from the Internet.
Drug supplies always worked
The development does not surprise the addiction counselors.
“We all had to rely on the internet.
It was our medium to the outside world. ”The question now is whether the behavior - surfing, playing games and other uses such as shopping - has become so entrenched that this disorder needs to be treated.
The addiction counselors will certainly not run out of work.
By the way: During the corona pandemic, almost everything was down and trade routes were blocked.
The exception: “The drug supply worked the whole time,” reports Würdinger, and there was never a shortage of cannabis in Freising.
Freising newsletter: Everything from your region!
Our brand new Freising newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the Freising region - including all the news about the corona crisis in your community.
Sign up here.