Bangor Addiction Treatment Resources
Bangor is the 3rd largest city in Maine, with a population of 32,167 recorded in 2020. Bangor is well-known for being home to the prolific author Stephen King, a giant statue of lumberjack Paul Bunyan from folklore, and its history in the timber and shipbuilding industries.
Drug addiction is a problem in Maine, as it is in the rest of the US. In 2019, the state’s drug overdose deaths reached 380, up from 354 in 2018, making their drug overdose death rate 27.9 per 100,000. The national average was 14.6 opioid-related deaths per 100,000 persons. The city of Bangor had a total of 28 fatal overdoses – about half of Penobscot County’s 53 overdose deaths.
While these numbers are troubling, it’s important to know that there is help available.
Addiction
For all intents and purposes, addiction is a disease, and people from all different backgrounds and walks of life can get addicted to drugs.
Addiction is considered a chronic disease because it changes the chemistry — both the function and the structure— inside the brain. The changes in the brain continue for a long time even after the person stops using their drug of choice.
Addiction affects the use of dopamine inside the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter within the brain that controls movement, emotions and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this neurotransmitter by drugs produces a reaction that motivates people to continue in repetitive and destructive behavior. All in all, substance use disorder will affect a person’s brain with regard to work, family, appetite, movement and pleasure.
There are three stages of addiction:
- Harmful Use: Substance use disorder causes physical or mental damage to a user’s health.
- Overuse: The only thing a user can think about is drug or alcohol use. Daily activities and family time become secondary.
- Dependency: Searching for the drug dominates the user’s life.
Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder
Alcohol is a depressant. Constant use of alcohol can impair brain activity and produce strong withdrawal symptoms of tremors, seizures and heart attacks. In Maine, one in five adults binge drinks alcohol. Men are twice as likely to binge drink alcohol compared to women. One in three driving collision deaths are related to alcohol. EMS services are requested 41% of the time for alcoholic overdoses.
Opioids can give the user a sense of euphoria, but the likelihood of an overdose is quite high. During an overdose, your pulse can rapidly decrease while you lose consciousness. It is difficult to stop the use of this drug without medical attention. The withdrawal symptoms might push the user over the edge with extreme sickness. The most common ailments are fever, nausea and anxiety. It is important to seek professional medical attention.
The Treatment Process
When you are ready for treatment, you will enter a detox program as necessary. This initial part of the treatment program can last up to 30 days. You will be monitored 24-hours a day while a medical professional administers drugs to release your body gradually from drug dependency. Some drugs you may receive could be naloxone for opioid addiction or disulfiram for alcohol dependency.
Next, you will enter a residential facility where you will receive therapeutic counseling. This process can last 30 to 90 days. You may also choose to receive treatment through an outpatient facility. Licensed medical professionals will supervise your recovery, and you will receive intensive counseling and treatment. Most addiction centers specialize in the 12-step recovery process.
Types of Substance Use Counseling
Besides the 12-step treatment process, your psychologist or licensed social worker can employ a variety of specialized treatment plans to help you recover speedily. A private treatment center may employ some of the methods listed below.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy: This consists of treatment that involves psychotherapy and group counseling to help users handle stressful mental health issues like anxiety, depression and suicide.
- Matrix Model: This treatment plan is for users addicted to stimulants like cocaine or crystal methamphetamine.
- Wilderness Therapy: This type of counseling is in an outdoor environment that focuses on mental health and behavioral issues.
- Holistic Therapy: Physical pain causes mental perplexities and emotional distress. It is important to address the needs of the full person — body, mind and spirit for a full and effective treatment.
- EMDR Therapy: Users can sometimes turn to drugs to help them cope with a traumatic life event like sexual abuse, natural disaster or death. This therapy treatment is specifically tailored for users with post-traumatic stress disorder. Therapists will introduce specialized mechanisms to help you cope with the traumatic event.
- Motivational Therapy: This is an interviewing technique to get users to accept treatment. Users may know they need to stop using their drug of choice and that the drug is ruining their life. However, it may be difficult for them to stop using. A mental health professional will discover the underlying reason for drug addiction and help the user accept treatment. Motivation therapy works in conjunction with other cognitive-behavioral treatment.
- Yoga: Yoga promotes well-being, relaxation and spirituality. Mental stress can lead to insomnia, pervasive pain and anxiety disorders. Yoga uses meditation along with the physical and spiritual disciplines to alleviate stress and improve your mood. Thereby, you can decrease your risk of high blood pressure and other health-related issues.
Post Rehabilitation 12-Step Recovery Programs
The last step of the recovery process is maintenance. You can either live on your own or enter a halfway house. Medical professionals recommend attending a 12-step recovery program for at least a year. Some popular programs are listed below:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Smart Recovery
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Crystal Meth Anonymous
- Marijuana Anonymous
Statistics show that you are less likely to relapse if you can maintain sobriety for at least one year.
Types of Facilities
- Subsidized Treatment Facilities: Many nonprofit institutions operate fully subsidized drug and alcohol treatment facilities. You have to abide by the policies of the operating institution. Waiting lists are long, and priority is normally given to individuals who are homeless.
- State Treatment Facilities: States have government-run health facilities and treatment centers. These facilities accept patients with insurance or ones who pay on a sliding scale. Some are completely subsidized. Medical professionals are available to help you recover. Nevertheless, you may not receive individualistic and tailored therapeutic treatment like at a private facility.
- Private Treatment Centers: Rich in amenities, private treatment centers allow you to relax in a secluded environment that is custom made to your needs. You may have your own room. Centers make your privacy their most pressing concern. Inside the secluded environment, you will have the opportunity to heal fully through detoxification, therapeutic counseling and holistic aftercare.
Green Mountain Treatment Center
Green Mountain Treatment Center is a residential facility secluded in Effingham, New Hampshire. Recover in a private therapeutic environment under the backdrop of the White Mountains. There are trained medical staff, counselors and support staff to help you, and you will be under the constant care of medical professionals 24-hours per day. We primarily focus our services on clients who reside in the New England States.
For complete recovery, the whole person must be involved in the healing process. Therefore, we implement a holistic approach to healing and treatment — mind, soul and body. Once you detox in a safe environment, your licensed clinician will use the 12-step curriculum as part of your recovery process. Also, you will receive an individualized treatment plan with psychotherapy.
Residents have access to yoga classes for meditation, personalized chef for nutrition, group counseling and an in-house gym. You will take part in social activities and outings like bowling and mini-golf. The continuum of care with evidence-based treatment is one of the most successful programs in preventing relapse. We accept major forms of insurance.
New Freedom Academy
New Freedom Academy is in Canterbury, New Hampshire, which offers more privacy on a tranquil 17-acre estate. This lovely environment is great for contemplation and as you recover in a therapeutic environment. Our treatment facility is small and intimate, offering 20 beds for residential recovery, with separate facilities for men and women. With a low patient-to-clinician ratio, clients receive individualistic and specialized services.
Our therapists are trained in the psychotherapeutic recovery process. The staff is on call 24-hours per day, and you will receive treatment for cognitive disorders, grief counseling and personalized therapy.
For holistic care, we offer a chef for proper body nutrition, fitness and yoga regimen and group therapy activities. We accept major insurance. Heal in an environment that offers you a time of reflection and discovery so that you can get back to living your life.
If you are suffering from addiction, know that there is help available. Medical professionals are ready to help you on your path to recovery.
