Substance Use and Abuse, COVID-19-Related Distress, and Disregard for Social Distancing: A Network Analysis
TAGS: pandemics, covid-19 ·Authored by: Steven Taylor, Michelle M. Paluszek, Geoffrey S. Rachor, Dean McKay, & Gordon J. G. Asmundson
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased substance consumption and abuse for coping with anxiety and pandemic-related stressors. Anxiety and worry about the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond infection concern, especially for those with COVID stress syndrome (CSS). CSS is characterized by worry about the danger and possibility of contracting COVID-19, concern about socioeconomics, fear of foreigners as carriers of the virus, traumatic stress responses such as night terrors, and frequent reassurance seeking and checking behaviours. Other research has provided evidence of another syndrome that is slightly different, known as COVID Disregard Syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by: (1) the belief that one’s physical health is greater than the threat of COVID-19, (2) belief that the potential harms of COVID-19 have been overstated, and (3) lack of adherence for social distancing measures. The purpose of this study was to determine how COVID stress syndrome and COVID disregard syndrome may be related to the consumption and abuse of substances. Data were obtained via a survey completed by over 3000 American and Canadian adults and led to the discovery that although syndromes are not the same, they both are positively associated with substance abuse. Individuals who experienced COVID-19 related stress symptoms tended to not adhere to social distancing, which was also related to substance abuse. The impact of these relationships on public health and mental health at the population level was discussed.
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