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The Hidden Cost of Lockdowns
One doctor’s fight against an overlooked and growing epidemic.
The original rationale for COVID-19 lockdowns was to “flatten the curve”; a strategy designed by public health and safety officials to prevent U.S. hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. As the epidemic continued, lockdowns and social distancing have been encouraged, sometimes mandated, in order to continue saving lives by keeping individuals at home, isolated from others.
Health experts have repeatedly assured the public that taking these measures is helping slow the spread of the virus, but what if these measures are causing another overlooked epidemic?
The toll of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated “mitigation activities, including the impact of physical distancing and stay-at-home orders” have contributed to a rise in mental health and substance abuse problems, the CDC acknowledged back in June.
“Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation,” the statement from the CDC reads.
A new study done by Quest Diagnostics Health Trends, a nationwide diagnostic testing and information services company, indicates the misuse of fentanyl, heroin and…