Like the rest of the Netherlands, addiction care institutions are bound by restrictive measures. In order to guarantee the 1.5 meters distance, the capacity of almost all rehab centers and addiction clinics has been limited to a maximum of 75 percent of the regular capacity for months.
Online help now standard
Almost all addiction care has been converted to online help, virtually no physical meetings have been organized. One-on-one sessions with therapists and psychologists mainly take place via Zoom and group therapies in treatment centers are almost impossible anymore. Only people with an acute need for care can still be admitted to treatment in rehab clinics. “The distance between those seeking help, fellow sufferers and practitioners has literally increased, which jeopardizes the effectiveness of care,” says Jeroen Neef of AfkickkliniekWijzer.nl.
Foreign clinics unreachable
A significant proportion of Dutch people who want to tackle their addiction problem go to Dutch clinics abroad. There are many large treatment centers in South Africa and Thailand in particular. Both countries are currently completely locked, so these clinics have had to close their doors. The result is that the total capacity of Dutch addiction care has decreased further. This increases the pressure on practitioners. Waiting lists are also increasing. Currently, the average waiting time for outpatient treatment is 6 to 8 weeks. A clinical admission to a clinic currently takes about 8 to 10 weeks.
Corona creates additional problems
Due to corona we are more at home and that is a problem for more and more people. Monotony, boredom and increasing loneliness increase the likelihood of falling into old patterns and destructive behavior. “For people with serious addiction problems, waiting every day is one too many,” says Neef. “Drinks and drugs are ways to control their emotions. Emotional stress and tension is now extra high in many people and increases the risk of relapse. We must ensure that the corona crisis does not turn into a crisis in addiction care. ”
By: Nationale Zorggids
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