Plymouth Addiction Treatment Resources
When you or a loved one falls into addiction, knowing where to turn can be difficult. It is important to find resources that can kick-start recovery and sobriety. Fortunately, help does exist, and it is closer than you think.
Addiction is defined as a complex condition in the brain that causes a person to compulsively use substances (i.e. drugs and alcohol) despite the harm they cause. In fact, an addictive person is so focused on the substance of choice that it becomes disruptive to their life.
People often begin using substances because they are curious or pressured into it, want to chase the pleasure of a high, hope to relieve stress or desire an improvement in overall performance (like in the case of steroids or Adderall). Other factors, such as environment and genetics, may play a part in addiction too. If you want to get help, the most important points to remember are you are not alone and you should not attempt the recovery process on your own.
The key to beginning your recovery is to know the signs of addiction and when to seek help. Typically, symptoms of addiction can be grouped in the following four categories:
- Impaired Control: An intense craving or urge to use the substance with an inability to cut down on it.
- Social Problems: The use of the substance causes failure to complete tasks and makes the user cut back on leisure activities.
- Risky Use: The substance is used in risky settings and despite past issues.
- Drug Effects: The user experiences negative issues with drug tolerance and/or withdrawal.
It’s also important to watch for when a friend or family member does out-of-the-ordinary things, such as:
- They borrow or steal money to pay for drugs.
- They hide the drug use or the effect it is having from others.
- They are suddenly having trouble getting along with co-workers, teachers, friends, or family members. They complain more about how you act or how you have changed.
- They sleep or eat too much or too little compared to their previous lifestyle.
- They look different and may have bloodshot eyes, bad breath, tremors, frequent bloody noses, or experience weight loss or gain.
As you may know, one of the biggest risks of substance use is overdosing. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 70,000 people overdosed in 2017, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Of those deaths, about 68% involved a prescribed or illicit opioid. Therefore, many experts say the U.S. has an Opioid Epidemic.
Opioids
Examples of opioids include painkillers such as morphine, methadone, Buprenorphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. The illegal street drug heroin is also an opioid. Opioid drugs are sold under the following brand names: OxyContin, Percocet, Palladone (taken off the market in June of 2005), Vicodin, Percodan, Tylox and Demerol. In Plymouth, Mass., in 2017, 189 people died of drug overdoses. Though this only makes up a fraction of the overdose deaths in the nation, it is still a harrowing statistic.
Alcohol
Though it may seem like harmless fun, alcohol consumption can lead to addiction too. The organization Lifeline Connections states that “Alcohol has physiological effects on the human brain. When someone consumes alcohol, the alcohol changes the balance of chemicals, such as dopamine, in their brain.” Since alcohol is a depressant, it is especially dangerous for people who suffer from psychological problems such as high stress, low self-esteem or depression. At first, an alcoholic beverage may lead to confidence and a loss of anxiety. This is due to an effect on the part of the brain associated with inhibition. Eventually, drinkers can build a craving for alcohol as they seek to replace negative emotions with pleasurable feelings.
Risky Behavior and Long-Term Effects
As discussed, drug and alcohol use can lead to risky or out of character behavior. When affected by drugs or alcohol, you can have the following physical effects:
- You are more likely to have an accident and get injured.
- You may be vulnerable to sexual assault.
- You may engage in unprotected sex.
- You could commit a violent act.
- You may find it hard to sleep, think, reason, remember and solve problems.
Drug use can also result in long-term health outcomes that include:
- Harm to organs and systems in your body
- Cancer
- Infectious disease
- Harm to your baby if you are pregnant
- Acne or skin lesions
- Needle marks and collapsed veins
- Baldness
- Male pattern hair growth in women, such as facial hair
- Mood swings and erratic behavior
- Addiction
- Psychosis
- Accidental overdose
- Higher risk of mental illness, depression, and death
Many times, drug use comes as a dual diagnosis with mental illness. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Many people who are addicted to drugs are also diagnosed with other mental disorders and vice versa.” Individuals who are addicted to drugs are about twice as likely to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders. In 2015, roughly 43.4 million (17.9%) adults over age 18 dealt with some type of mental illness that was not a developmental or substance use disorder. Out of this group, 8.1 million had both a substance use disorder and another mental illness. While substance use disorders often coincide with other mental illnesses, it is difficult to see which issue came first.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
If you recognize you have a substance use issue or suspect you may have a mental illness, you should begin searching for help by using a resource such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The SAMHSA website is a great resource because it is informational, easily accessible, and concise. On it, you will find the phone number (1-800-662-4357) to its free, confidential National Helpline where you can get information and treatment referrals for individuals or families facing substance use and mental health issues. You may contact them at any time (even on holidays or late at night).
From there, they can discuss what options are best for you. Often, you have the choice of doing detox, an inpatient program, an outpatient program (the patient stays at home), counseling and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) or AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings. Unfortunately, a person is not successful in staying sober unless he or she wants to be. Namely, you can’t force a loved one into going to a rehabilitation facility because it will cause issues and heartache down the road.
Types of Recovery Options
As mentioned, the types of recovery options are rehab, counseling, and meetings. To see which best meets your needs depends on your substance of choice. For example, someone addicted to heroin should consider detox and inpatient rehab. Granite Recovery Centers provides medical detoxification for people who do not need immediate medical intervention, are not a danger to themselves, and are capable of self-evacuation in the event of an emergency.
You may be wondering if rehab is worth the cost. Can it really help you finally achieve sobriety? The answer to that depends on you. Rehabs.com is an excellent resource. There, you can click on the rehab facility in your desired location and read reviews, see a quick list of everything the facility has to offer and read about its area of expertise. The website also has facility highlights, bios of the staff members (including their experience), social media links and links to the facility’s blog or website. There is even a phone number so you can call each facility without hassle.
Once you find the facility that is right for you, there is still the question of how to pay for it. Fortunately, many (if not all) rehabilitation facilities take private insurance or Medicaid. If you were to pay out of pocket, it would cost an estimated $6,000 for a 30-day program. However, the good news is most inpatient facilities offer financial aid, accept insurance or have financing options.
Inpatient Programs
You can expect structure and organization in an inpatient setting. You will start the morning with breakfast and often have group meetings (divided by gender), activities, meals, snacks and free time to socialize and read or reflect.
At Green Mountain Treatment Center, you can also expect tranquility. Set on 72 acres in the mountains of New Hampshire, the facility has received high ratings for Treatment Effectiveness, Accommodations and Amenities, and Meals and Nutrition. Also, it provides the following:
- Inpatient drug rehab or outpatient programs (IOP)
- Structured 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day drug rehab programs
- 12-step program, clinical treatment, or both depending upon the needs of the client
- Holistic or experiential programs
- Medical detox on-site by an experienced and professional staff or referred
- Co-occurring disorder treatment (such as mental illness)
- Gender-specific or gender-separate treatment
- Safe and peaceful drug rehab environment
- Focused programs
- Skill-building sessions
- Group and individual therapy
- Community-based exercises
- Clinical psychotherapy
- Exercise therapy
- 12-Step curriculum
Green Mountain can even provide extended care for life after rehab. The goal is to provide clinically-backed treatment from caring professionals who can help you achieve lasting recovery.”
Another great area rehab option is New Freedom Academy. This facility is set on 17 acres of serenity. New Freedom Academy provides drug and alcohol treatment to adults in a beautiful property on the rolling countryside. Its staff takes a thoughtful and grounded approach to rehab through emphasizing a lifestyle change. While they believe MAT, or Medication Assisted Treatment, can assist, they focus on changing lives through healthy habits. This center uses yoga and exercise and has an on-site chef to prepare healthy meals. Furthermore, New Freedom Academy specializes in Residential Treatment and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In the reviews, the clients praise the tailored treatment and the staff’s dedication to the clients. This could be because of the low client-to-clinician ratio.
It also features:
- Gender-separate living accommodations
- Evidence-based clinical treatment for addiction and co-occurring disorders
- Access to weekly off-site Family Recovery Workshops
- 24/7 on-site medical staff
- Nutritious chef-prepared meals
- Meditation and yoga
- Workshops and educational programs
New Freedom Academy stresses the strength to recovering and battling addiction comes from healing the whole person — mind, body and spirit. Hence, they offer yoga, meditation and exercise to reduce stress, boost endorphins, increase confidence and improve mental health.
Get the Help You Need
As you can see, help with your substance use issue — whether it be drugs or alcohol — is not far away. In fact, you can get more info in just one click. To experience sobriety, simply take the first step and begin looking for a rehabilitation facility near you. You will find that sobriety is attainable. You will also discover allies that are ready to help you battle your addiction… and win.
