The experts at The Recovery Village, a leading treatment center with locations across South Florida, surveyed hundreds of South Florida residents about their mental health and substance in order to get a better understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting residents, with income level being a predictor used in the study.

Not only did 80% of participants say COVID-19 had impacted their mental health but we found increased use of substances across the board, and almost half reported their substance use as being their way of coping with stress and poor mental health during this time. Across all households, stress, mental health symptoms, and boredom were big drivers of substance use. We also found that middle-income households in South Florida reported significantly higher rates of drug use including…

• 95% more likely to use meth than lower-income households and 116% more likely than high-income households.

• 80% more likely to use prescription opioids and 145% more likely to use heroin or fentanyl than lowincome households

• 19% more likely to use prescription opioids and 52% more likely to use heroin or fentanyl than highincome households.

• 95% more likely to use prescription stimulants, like Adderall and Ritalin, than lower-income and 16% more likely than high-income households.

• 84% more likely to report using benzodiazepines, like Xanax and Ativan, than the lower-income households and 26% more likely than high-income households.

The Recovery Village® Drug and Alcohol Rehab delivers comprehensive treatment services for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. With locations across the country, The Recovery Village® Drug and Alcohol Rehab offers patients a full continuum of care, including medical detox, residential services and outpatient programs.