Woonsocket Addiction Treatment Resources
Residents of Woonsocket have easy access to Providence, Worcester and Boston nearby. It’s great to be able to catch a Boston Red Sox game whenever you want! Those larger cities also offer access to a lot of nightlife. Most areas are built for people to just have a good time; however, people can also gain access to drugs that could cause major issues in their life. This could include cocaine, heroin or even fentanyl. All of these drugs are becoming easier to access in New England. In addition, alcohol and prescription opioids are also readily available in this part of Rhode Island and all over New England.
It may seem that family members or other people you care about may not be understanding of your addiction issues. However, you should realize that addiction is a disease that can be treated just like a disease in your body. Wounds can be healed, and so can addictions. Addiction is something that should be effectively overcome with the help of professionals. Reading this article is a great first step toward recovery.
The first important thing to note is that people all over Rhode Island, New England and the country are dealing with this very same issue.
You’re Not the Only One Struggling With Addiction
Opioid overdose is the number one cause of accidental death in all of Rhode Island. Recent increases in deaths were shown to be related to a rise in synthetic opioids outside of methadone, mainly fentanyl. There were 201 deaths related to fentanyl in 2017, which is up from only 12 in 2012. Statistics on 2019 or 2020 are not yet available, but available information says they have not changed very drastically.
Recently, the National Institute on Drug Abuse published a very interesting survey, the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This survey is a significant source of relevant data nationwide when it comes to the use, abuse and dependence of substances among Americans who are 12 years of age or older. The survey indicates that illicit drug use is on the rise among Americans aged 12 or older. About 24.6 million Americans had used an illicit drug as of the time of this large national survey in 2013. This represents 9.4% of the population, which is up from 8.3% in 2002.
When it comes to alcohol poisoning, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that more than 20 people in Rhode Island die from alcohol poisoning every year. This means that Rhode Island is third in the nation when it comes to alcohol poisoning deaths in the United States each year.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or NIAAA, drinking too much can have an adverse effect on your body in many ways. This is even if you only drink heavily one time. The effects can cause issues with your heart, liver, brain, pancreas and immune system.
In addition, the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is cited by the NIAAA as disclosing in its Report on Carcinogens that there are strong scientific correlations between certain types of cancer and drinking alcohol. These include liver cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and head and neck cancers.
According to the NIDA, prescription opioids have also been shown to have strong effects on the body. They can affect the brain and cause drowsiness, confusion, nausea, constipation, euphoria and slowed breathing.
Reading all of this information and all of these statistics, at the very least, you should understand that you are not alone if you are dealing with addiction.
How to Get Help With Drug and Alcohol Addiction
As you or your loved ones begin to come to terms with addiction, it’s vital to know that it is indeed possible to get help with your drug or alcohol addiction. Some people think that because nothing has worked for them, or for their friends or family members, going to rehab is not worth the effort. However, rehab is effective for many people.
For example, the NIAAA cites research that shows that one-third of all of those who get professional help and are treated for alcohol problems actually have no symptoms at all one year later. This is a fantastic statistic.
When figuring out how to get help for drug or alcohol addiction, the first thing you have to do is get information on available treatment programs so that you can figure out which one is the best for you.
The next thing you need to do is to be brave and understand that millions of people are in your situation. It is not a shameful thing to seek help for addiction; others are doing it all of the time. As we mentioned above, you’re not alone.
The third thing to realize is that these treatment programs actually have shown over decades of studies that they are indeed effective. This means that they can work for you.
After taking in all of the information that we are sharing with you here, figure out which treatment program may be best for you. After that, take action. Make the first call to whatever treatment program facilitator you select, and you’ll be on your way to recovery.
What Types of Treatment Programs Are Available?
In terms of the types of treatment programs available for drug and alcohol addiction in Woonsocket, you can look into the following options.
Behavioral Treatment Programs
Counseling is the cornerstone of effective behavioral treatments. Essentially, what you are going to do in this type of program is work on changing your behavior so that you do not drink as an unhealthy coping mechanism. The NIAAA says that there are many studies that show this type of program can be effective. Qualified, trained health professionals lead these types of programs.
Mutual Support Groups
Combined with a personalized treatment that is led by qualified health professionals, mutual support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous can offer much-needed support for someone who is recovering from addiction. AA, along with other 12-step programs, is an effective way to get support from your peers. You’ll communicate with others who are working on quitting or cutting back.
These groups are anonymous. This is good for a lot of people because it helps them feel more open when it comes to sharing their stories and getting help. However, the anonymity does make it more difficult to track when it comes to the exact effectiveness in terms of statistics.
Medications
The NIAAA indicates that three medications are currently approved in the United States to help people stop drinking. These medications can help prevent relapse when a physician prescribes them. These medications may be relied on alone as a treatment, or they can be used in conjunction with counseling within behavioral treatment programs.
When dealing with opioids or other drug addictions that are serious, there are additional treatment options you might consider.
Outpatient Treatment Programs
Outpatient programs allow you to continue with your regular daily schedule. They are flexible in that they will allow you to get guidance to help you break your addiction while you continue working or going to school. You can go to your treatment center at night, for example, after work. Also, the number of days during the week that you do go to your treatment center for your outpatient program can vary. This flexibility is hugely beneficial to many people.
These programs are also often used for people who would like continued support after completing one of the treatment programs outlined below.
Residential Treatment Programs
Residential treatment programs are for people who very seriously need help. With this type of program, people who are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction are hosted within a treatment facility full-time. This enables them to receive care 24 hours a day, seven days a week if necessary.
Participants in residential rehab live at the facility, eating and sleeping there. This is extremely helpful if someone has a major addiction problem that they are trying to deal with. This is because they get away from their home environment and always have support nearby. This support can include a variety of methods such as counseling, mutual support group therapy and more.
These programs can last anywhere from one month to one year depending on the severity of the addiction and what program you select. Also, some programs offer job training or assistance completing your GED so that you can have a much better chance of success after you graduate.
Partial Hospitalization Treatment Programs
Partial hospitalization programs are less intense than residential treatment programs. These programs allow graduates of a residential program to sleep in their beds at night, for example. The appointments are often during the day.
The NIAAA recommends that the first step in evaluating what treatment program would work for you is to visit your primary care physician. Your physician can help you by evaluating your situation, helping create a treatment program or referring you to a specialized facility that can help you further.
The cost of these treatment options above can vary greatly. It can be anywhere from free or relatively inexpensive to very expensive, costing thousands of dollars per month. It is best to talk to the program provider directly to get an idea. That being said, some people need serious treatment, so it is worth it for them to spend more money because their life is at stake.
Recommended Treatment Centers for Drug or Alcohol Addiction
If you’re a Woonsocket resident, two recommended treatment centers for drug and alcohol addiction include Green Mountain Treatment Center and New Freedom Academy.
Both of these centers offer in-depth residential treatment programs. They include a 12-step curriculum that’s very closely intertwined with clinical therapies based on scientific evidence. Masters-level and licensed clinicians, experienced 12-step facilitators and licensed clinicians all work together to give you appropriate one-on-one care to help with your addiction.
You are given high-quality, individualized attention and a treatment plan that will work for you specifically for whatever addiction you are struggling with. The facilities also both offer holistic therapies in addition to the comprehensive 12-step curriculum. These include yoga, meditation, gym work and exercise.
The staff offers 24-hour medical detox as well so that you can be sure you are being monitored around the clock if the situation is extremely serious and you need help now.
Both of these facilities are secluded, serene and beautiful. This provides you with a soothing backdrop as you do very important work to become healthy again.
Green Mountain Treatment Center is in Effingham, New Hampshire, and New Freedom Academy is in Canterbury, New Hampshire. Reach out to us today to get help for yourself or a loved one.