Alcohol treatment during pandemic

When businesses shut down because of the pandemic, liquor sales skyrocketed.

For those struggling with substance abuse, they may feel like they have no where to turn.

THE PANDEMIC...LIQUOR SALES SKYROCKETED ACROSSTHE COUNTRY.BACK IN MARCH...STATISTICS SHOW SALES UP54-PERCENT OVER THE PREVIOUSYEAR.BUT FOR THOSE ALREADYSTRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCEABUSE...IT COULD FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN.SCRIPPS REPORTER DEANNA FALZONELOOKS AT ALCOHOL TREATMENTDURING THE PANDEMIC."THIS IS THE PERFECT TERRIBLESTORM, NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVETHE STRESS OF THE DISEASE, YOUHAVE THE FINANCIAL STRESSESTHAT ARE GOING ON, YOU HAVEADDED STRESSORS FOR ALL OF USIN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER...ANDEVERYONE FINDS DIFFERENT WAYSTO COPE..."WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE ABSOLUTEAMOUNT OF ALCOHOL USE HAS GONEGONE UP SUBSTANTIALLY" IT'S AREALITY MARK MACALUSO KNOWS ALLTOO WELL...STRUGGLING WITHADDICTION FOR YEARS, GETTINGDUI'S AND EVEN HAVING TO GETGOT AROUND IT.UM,YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST DRINKMORE AND I'M THE WORST DRUNKTHERE IS/// I PRETTY MUCH BEENDRINKING FOR ALMOST LET'S SEE.I'LL BE 47, ALMOST 30 YEARS.IWAS A PERSON ONCE I STARTEDDRINKING, I WOULDN'T STOP UNTILI BLACKED OUT.AND MY BODY SO BAD, I JUSTBLACKED OUT CONSTANTLY." "THEREARE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE THATCAN BE VERY HELPFUL.IT IS ACHRONIC ILLNESS.IT IS NOT A PERSONAL WEAKNESS.IT IS A BIOLOGIC PROBLEM JUSTLIKE DIABETES.JUST LIKE HEART DISEASE, JUSTLIKE CANCER, IF YOU WANT TOTHINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY,BECAUSE IT WILL KILL YOU.IF YOU DON'T GET SOME HELP" FORMARK, IT'S A BATTLE HE'S BEENFIGHTING FOR YEARS, THAT HEKNOWS COULD HAVE TURNED A LOTWORSE DURING THIS PANDEMIC...."AND THEN COVID HIT, AND MY JOBCLOSED.IT WAS PROBABLY THE WORST THREEMONTHS OF MY LIFE EVER, EVER.AND SOMEHOW, I DIDN'T DRINK YOUBUT I DID.I WENT BACK TO MYNEW WORK YEARS AGO.SO I'VE BEEN SOBER EVER SINCEI'M GOING ON FOR MONTHS.I DON'T KNOW THE DATE.EXACTLY.BUT IT'S AROUND FOUR MONTHS."HE CREDITS THE HELP HESRECEIVED..."I'M GOING TO COUNSELING PROUDOF IT.ACTUALLY, EVERYONE SHOULD GOSEE A COUNSELOR SHOULD BEMANDATORY ACTUALLY.UM, BUT I'M GETTING MY LIFEBACK TOGETHER SLOWLY"IT'S WHY DR.WILLIAM BEECRAFT, MEDICALDIRECTOR FOR BEHAVORIAL HEALTHAT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OFMICHIGAN SAYS IT WAS SOIMPORTANT TO ADAPT TO THESETIMES AND WORK WITH PROVIDERSTO LAUNCH HOME BASED SUBSTANCEUSE DISORDER TREATMENTS..."SO IT'S NOT NEW STUFF, BUTBEING ABLE TO ADD THETELEMEDICINE TECHNOLOGY TO IT,AND THE ABILITY TO DO SOME OFTHESE INTERVENTIONS AT HOMEWITH HOME INFUSION." ALLOWINGPATIENTS TO UNDERGO DETOX ANDTREATMENT AT HOME...THROUGHWORKING WITH DOCTORS, SOCIALWORKERS, VITAL SIGNS CHECKS,AND VIRTUAL GROUP THERAPYSESSIONS...DR.BEECROFT SAYS IT COULD REALLYCHANGE THE STATUS QUO FORSUBSTANCE USE DISORDERTREATMENT IN THE FUTURE..."WITH TELEMEDICINE SERVICES,EVEN WITH OPIOIDS, WE CAN NOWDO THE ASSESSMENT OVERTELEMEDICINE SERVICES.WE CAN START MEDICALLY ASSISTEDTREATMENT,WE CAN GET THEM INTO THE IOPPARTIAL HOSPITAL PROGRAMMING,DO THE DETOX EVEN AS ANOUTPATIENT IF WE NEED TO."OPENING UP MORE OPPORTUNITY FORPEOPLE TO GET THE HELP THEYNEED..."YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE AMINDSET TO DO IT.ANYONE CAN STOP DRINKING, BUTYOU HAVE TO PUT THE MINDSET TODO IT."FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN BORROWERSARE STRUGGLING...