“Pain and Isolation Are Driving America’s Lockdown Overdose Surge.”

Shannon Monnat, associate professor of sociology and Lerner Chair for Public Health Promotion in the Maxwell School, was interviewed by VICE for the article “Pain and Isolation Are Driving America’s Lockdown Overdose Surge.” Monnat, who has worked on a variety of public health research topics throughout the pandemic, says she believes addiction is about a need for connection, as people want a connection with something greater than themselves, but when they lack that they can face challenges. “Work, family, and community are the three arenas where we derive meaning and purpose from our lives. If we don’t have those connections, we might seek it out elsewhere, for example with drugs,” Monnat says.