Four Biggest Trends In Addiction And Behavioral Health In 2023

What employers should know

Substance use disorder (SUD) continues to be a major problem in the U.S.; we are seeing growing numbers of overdose deaths from opioids, and significant issues with alcohol addiction. A new study showed that death caused by alcohol use spiked during the pandemic, and it has been reported that opioid overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, surpassing even motor vehicle accidents.
 

While we’re hoping the worst of the pandemic is behind us, people are still struggling with SUDs and employers will need to put comprehensive wellness programs in place.

Based on the work we at Quit Genius have done with employers, healthcare and insurance providers, here are the four major trends we see developing around addiction and behavioral health in 2023.

1. Three years into the pandemic, telehealth adoption rates for behavioral health will continue to be strong. We saw a big peak in telehealth during COVID, then a reduction as things opened up and physician offices re-opened. We can, however, expect continued strong growth in the behavioral health segment of telehealth in 2023, including for the treatment of SUDs. A powerful push for permanent legislative and regulatory changes to telehealth will increase demand for and access to behavioral health that will extend beyond the end of PHE and the grace period. While overall healthcare appointments are on the decline for telehealth, there is evidence that telehealth will continue to grow in the behavioral health segment. Telehealth has permanently changed the healthcare landscape, bringing desperately needed care to rural and underserved populations while lowering barriers, including the stigma associated with addiction. Telehealth continues to be a very attractive option for seeking help from professionals from the comfort of one’s home.

2. The fourth wave of the opioid crisis will hit hard in 2023. A study came out from Northwestern indicating that we are in the fourth wave of the opioid crisis, which began with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and has been more lethal than previous waves, because of the mixing of synthetic opioids with stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine. This study also indicates that the rates of fatality and use are going way up in both rural and urban communities. Employers and healthcare organizations will need to brace for this next wave with digital and in-person treatment programs in place as part of a benefits package. Raising awareness around SUDs, reducing stigma, increasing access and building a recovery-friendly workplace are all important steps that human resource professionals should adhere to in the coming year.

3. Increased use of opioids among young adults will help fuel the opioid crisis. Early drug misuse correlates with substance abuse problems later in life, and the most significant increases in destructive behavior appear to take place among older teens and young adults. Young adults have some of the highest rates of substance misuse and dependence with data showing that overdose deaths due to opioids have increased 500% among 15- to 24-year-olds since 1999. Unfortunately, habits developed  in formative years can follow people into adulthood. In an April 2022 paper, McCabe et al. reported that people who had severe SUDs in high school still had two or more SUD symptoms in midlife. Employers will need to help manage a public health crisis among young adults whether they are employees or dependents of employees. Opioid addiction affects the health, productivity and safety of their workforce and has significant financial implications on their overall healthcare costs.

4. Employers will expand SUD treatment for employees. For example, Cigna more than doubled Evernorth’s Behavioral Health Network in recent months, and employers are now the ones driving demand for better behavioral health benefits for their employees. Employees with substance use disorder have become a financial risk for companies and businesses can no longer afford to ignore the issue. For example, opioid misuse costs employers $21,281 per affected individual per year. This doesn’t even take into account the other massive challenges and costs caused by addictions. Impaired employees pose a safety hazard to themselves, their co-workers and their work environment, they lower workplace productivity, and they also raise workers’ compensation claims. This next year will see a major expansion in options available for SUD treatment within behavioral health benefit programs.

With SUDs continuing to be such a major problem in the U.S., employers will need to take proactive steps with a holistic approach to benefit programs that will help improve the lives of their employees.

Author Bio

Yusuf Sherwani is the CEO and Co-Founder of Quit Genius, the world’s first technology-enabled digital clinic for multiple addictions. Together with his colleagues Maroof Ahmed and Sarim Siddiqui, Dr. Sherwani developed a vision for the technology-driven addiction treatment platform. Today the company has helped over 750,000 people quit their addictions and improve their lives. A medical doctor by training and a technology enthusiast at heart, Yusuf is seen as an innovator operating at the intersection of healthcare, technology and design. Connect Yusuf Sherwani