When most people think of help for addiction in Massachusetts, they picture detox or a residential rehab facility. While detox is a form of treatment, it only addresses physical withdrawal symptoms program and a rehab program is just one of many addiction treatment options.
Treatment for substance use disorders may occur in a variety of settings and at a range of levels of intensity. A person’s treatment regimen typically addresses their physical, psychological, emotional, and social issues in addition to their substance use. Before you make any choices, familiarize yourself with what treatment is and isn’t, as well as the options available.
Addiction in Massachusetts
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data from 2016, Massachusetts still has one of the highest substance-use rates in the country. In excess of 955,000 Massachusetts residents reported using illegal or illicit substances in the prior month, including marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, heroin and other opioids, methamphetamine, designer drugs, synthetic substances, and prescription abuse.
In 2017, a total of 82,942 individuals were admitted into Massachusetts drug rehabs, based on the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Of those seeking treatment in 2017, 67.8 percent were men, and 32.2 percent were women. Within that same year, Drug overdose deaths accounted for 2,168 fatalities whereas firearms deaths accounted for 262 deaths and homicides accounted for 171 deaths.
How to Help Someone with an Addiction
When you spot the signs of addiction in your loved one—for example, an alcohol or opioid Addiction—you must know how to approach them in a beneficial and supportive manner. There are various approaches to do this, some of which are simpler to apply than others and require a bit more of your time and comprehension.
Be Compassionate
Normally, we wouldn’t fault someone with a physical disease, such as diabetes or cancer—rather, we would be compassionate and eager to assist them survive. It is crucial to understand that addiction is not a character flaw or a choice, but rather a disease. Similarly, we should be compassionate and understanding when dealing with persons with substance use disorders. An addiction may be the result of external factors, such as stress or mental illness. Addiction is frequently a method of coping with stress, providing short-term relief. The fleetingness of the satisfaction may be why individuals seek out destructive habits like alcohol or opioid abuse, which over time build into an addiction.
Avoid Shaming Them
There’s never just one thing to blame for addictions, so it’s important to understand why they occur. We often shift the blame because it’s simpler to grasp a problem if we know its source. The cause of addictions is not so black and white, so there’s never just one thing to blame. The individual with an addiction is not responsible for the condition. It’s important to avoid blaming your loved one for their addiction. Shame and criticism are often detrimental to an individual’s recovery if they have an addiction. This is not the time to employ tough love with an alcoholic spouse.
Learn About Addiction
Addiction and treatment information, when used to assist someone in recovery, gives you the power of knowledge. If you want to assist an alcoholic son, study alcohol addiction. You should also familiarize yourself with the symptoms and treatment options for alcoholism. In addition, you should educate yourself on the unique type of rehabilitation that your son is undergoing so that you can better comprehend how he feels and the type of support he is receiving.
Do Not Enable Them
While attempting to help an addict, we may in fact be enabling them to continue engaging in potentially damaging behavior. We may think we are protecting a beloved one from the consequences of their addiction, but often we are actually enabling them to continue with risky actions. Driving an alcoholic home, for example, is helpful because it may save their life and the lives of others. However, if you are always available to drive them home when they are too drunk, you are setting up a situation in which you constantly need to rescue them.
Encourage Them to Seek Help
Before you discuss your issues with your loved ones, understand that they may not be ready to hear what you have to say; they may deny that there is a problem; they might refuse your help. The very best thing you can do in these instances is to listen, asking guiding questions if necessary to keep the discussion going, but also allowing your loved ones to express what is on their minds. Reestablishing lines of communication might help your loved ones feel less alone and provide them the motivation to accept that they have a problem and that professional addiction treatment is necessary.
Signs Addiction Treatment is Needed
It is important to note that participation in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program is a critical first step for many people struggling with addiction. Many individuals try to quit on their own without the assistance of a rehab program, believing that they can do it on their own. However, substance abuse is extremely challenging to overcome without professional assistance, particularly as it progresses. If drug use has gotten out of hand, you or your loved one may require assistance. Look for these signs to determine if you or your loved one need help.
Using is your Main Priority
If drug or alcohol use has become your main priority, you may have become addicted. Drug and alcohol addictions typically consume your thoughts throughout the day, and you expend increasing amounts of time, effort, and resources to acquire and consume them. As drug or alcohol addiction progresses, your interests, actions, and associations are eventually relegated to substance use. You may neglect your home, job, and/or school commitments. Addiction treatment programs are usually beneficial if you have noticed that you no longer spend time with the people you care about or participate in activities you previously enjoyed.
Developing a Tolerance
When you first take a drug, you experience its effects intensely because you’re not used to them. As you continue taking the substance, your body becomes accustomed to it and requires it more frequently or in higher quantities to have the same results. As you continue consuming a substance to increase the desired results or high, you increase your risk of drug or alcohol overdose by taking more of it. Heroin, for example, is a depressant drug that may dangerously slow your breathing and pulse rates if you consume high amounts. Coma and death are common consequences of this type of overdose.
Negatively Impacting Your Life
Drug and alcohol addiction can negatively impact your life in a variety of ways. You might, for example, share needles to inject drugs or drive while intoxicated, both of which are risky situations. You may experience serious accidents or injuries as a result of substance misuse, as your coordination, vision, and judgment are impaired when you consume substances. You may also experience alcohol-related blackouts if you consume too much alcohol, which leads to memory gaps. Having an addiction to drugs or alcohol can also lead to problems at home, at school, or at work, where increased interpersonal conflict is likely. Arguments may be more common, but self-isolation or the avoidance of certain friends or family members may also occur.
Tried and Failed to Quit
Addiction is a chronic condition marked by periods of relapse and rehabilitation. When drug or alcohol use is resumed or continues, a recommitment to abstinence in new ways will be required to return to recovery. If you have tried to quit using drugs or alcohol and have been unsuccessful, this indicates that you may require rehab or additional rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation can provide the safety, structure, medical care, counseling, and stability required to manage and treat addictions.
Treatments for Substance Use Disorder
An individual’s family, work, and community lives can all be positively impacted when they stop using drugs and substance abuse treatment is provided. Addiction treatment for substance abuse can range from simple to intensive interventions, depending on the type of substance(s) being abused, the individual’s medical and mental health needs, and other issues.
The level of care and time period in addiction treatment varies depending on an individual’s needs. According to the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM), there are several levels of addiction treatment care, including:
- Outpatient care
- Intensive outpatient/partial hospitalization care
- Residential/inpatient care
- Medically-managed intensive inpatient care.
Treatment providers may formulate a treatment plan based on a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s risks, supports, and other treatment requirements based on these levels of care. During treatment, medication, individual and group therapies, or a combination of these methods may be utilized.
What Does Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts Cost?
The cost of addiction treatment is determined by a number of factors. Rehab centers in Boston, for example, offer treatment for as little as $2,000, while other prestigious programs charge as much as $2,000 per day. Despite the wide range of costs among addiction treatment centers, clients may be able to pay for the services they require in a variety of ways.
Under the Affordable Care Act, addiction treatment services must be at least partially covered by insurance. To find out exactly how your or a loved one’s treatment will be covered, contact the facility of interest and ask them to verify your insurance on your behalf.
How Long Does Addiction Treatment Last?
The process of seeking treatment for an addiction can feel daunting. You may be concerned about how your loved ones will react, how long it will take, and how much treatment will cost. Every addiction has its own set of treatment options, so there is no single approach. Rehabilitation programs typically last between 30 and 90 days, depending on your specific needs.
Individuals who are addicted usually require at least three months of treatment to become sober and establish a plan for continued rehab. Longer treatment durations are the most effective at producing the best outcomes, according to research. When selecting a program, you should concentrate on what will provide you with the greatest chance of long-term success. Longer treatment programs might appear intimidating at first, but they may provide you with the greatest benefits.
Help for Addiction in Massachusetts
Choosing the right rehab program is vital if you or a loved one want to overcome addiction and improve your health. East Coast Recovery Center serves Massachusetts residents with addiction issues. If you or a loved one requires help with addiction, contact East Coast Recovery. East Coast Recovery’s Cohasset treatment center offers individualized treatment plans that meet the demands of all of our clients.
East Coast Recovery provides a range of treatment programs including intensive outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs, and aftercare, as well as therapeutic and holistic treatment solutions. With the help of evidence-based and multidisciplinary treatment solutions, we help individuals recover from the physical, mental, and psychological problems associated with addiction and mental illness.
Contact the professionals at East Coast Recovery to learn more about our many programs and services. You no longer have to face addiction alone. We are here with you every step of the way.
