First responders and public health officials in Beaver County are bracing themselves. Overdoses and overdose deaths are down substantially in Beaver County this year, officials said, and the county stands to see unprecedentedly low numbers of opioid-related deaths in 2018 — but it’s these last months of the year when expectations and stress of the holiday can prove too much for the thousands of people dealing with substance-abuse issues.
Kate Lowery, an administrator with Beaver County Behavioral Health, says it’s not uncommon around the holidays to see an uptick in services, if not right after.
For those in recovery, whether it be drugs or alcohol, the holiday season can be a big hurdle to cross. Part of it can be that people return to the people, places and things that were a part of their past,” Lowery said.
Bill Pasquale, operations manager for Medic Rescue in Bridgewater, said his department deals with mental health issues and overdoses on a nearly daily basis. That won’t change on Christmas Day, he expects.
“We have a culture of drinking around the holidays, and it’s a holiday of excess,” Lowery said. “Addiction is not necessarily specific to the drug you’re using. If your brain is addicted, you’re addicted.”
According to District Attorney, David Lozier, “Suicides can go up.” too.