It is an unfortunate truth that many Americans today, some of them merely adolescents, are addicted to hard drugs, or at least use them habitually. This is a major part of public American health, and many surveys and studies are done to see how often Americans abuse drugs and alcohol, and why. Fortunately, even someone who is addicted to opioids or an alcoholic can get treatment at a clinic. A heroin detox center or a methadone clinic is a fine way to get free of drugs, and methadone rehabilitation may take place after an intervention. Methadone rehabilitation can ease a patient out of a drug addiction by use of over the counter drugs, and methadone clinics have expert doctors on staff who can help. The same is true of a rapid detox center, many of which can be found with an online search. What is there to know about methadone rehabilitation and the quest to become free of drugs?
Drug Use Today
Many statistics are being kept to see how often Americans are using hard drugs. Many statistics from 2015 to 2017 illustrate the overall scene. In 2015, 20.5 million Americans aged 12 and over had a substance abuse disorder, and among them, two million were abusing prescription pain relievers while another 581,000 were using heroin. Many drug addictions, in fact, begin with the use of legal, over the counter prescription drugs, and the abuser starts using them improperly. The overall number of people using heroin for the first time grew from 2006 to 2016, climbing from 90,000 to an all-time high of 170,000 or so. Overall, it is safe to say that drug or alcohol abuse can greatly damage a person’s well being, whether or not they experience an overdose. Abusing substances like these puts a major strain on the user’s finances, and it can even lead to job loss. What is more, the abuser’s personality may shift, and they may alienate themselves from others. Finally, take note that accidental drug overdose ranks first among the causes of accidental death in the United States. Fortunately, this is why methadone rehabilitation and other medical intervention can step in and help an addict get clean first.
Seeking Recovery
It is never too late to find methadone rehabilitation centers or begin the detox process, and some drug addicts or alcoholics might even seek treatment on their own accord. Others may experience an intervention, where concerned friends and family may address their grievances with the abuser’s drug habit and urge them to get treatment.
To get clean, a heroin abuser may try methadone rehabilitation, and this means visiting a methadone clinic and getting a legal prescription for methadone. This legal drug has been used for decades for this very purpose, and when used in proper amounts, it can help dampen the abuser’s cravings for heroin and similar drugs. Statistic show that methadone treatment has a 60-90% success rate, and outcomes are better the longer the patient remains in treatment. Back in 2011, according to SAMHSA’s OPT Survey of the time, some 270,000 people were receiving methadone treatments across the nation.
Another route is to detox, and allow the drugs to naturally flush out of the body. Doing so is an essential first step toward recovery, but it should not be attempted alone at home. Why not? The withdrawal symptoms can be severe in some cases, and the detoxing addict may give in to temptation to relapse. In the worst cases, the patient may suffer life-threatening complications, and no one will be around to help them.
Instead, an addict may look up rapid detox centers, and check themselves in as a patient there. That patient will stay for a few days and nights, and medical staff will monitor them and intervene if anything dangerous happens. After a few days of this, the patient is fully clean, and they can move on to therapy and counseling to figure out how to begin a drug-free lifestyle. A recovering addict or alcoholic may also join anonymous support groups, which may go a long way toward enforcing their newfound clean lifestyle and preventing relapses. Some recovering addicts might also seek professional help with finding gainful employment, secure housing, and more.
