Substance Abuse Stats in Connecticut
Waterbury is the 5th largest city in Connecticut, and the second-largest in New Haven County. Its population was 110,366 when measured during the 2010 census.
The state of Connecticut has a major substance abuse issue, with thousands of lives affected every year. The rate of deaths from opioid-related overdoses in Connecticut is nearly double the national rate. Heroin use appears to be responsible for much of the opioid abuse in the state, as a third of all people admitted to substance abuse treatment in 2018 in Connecticut were heroin abusers.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Anyone beginning treatment in Waterbury for substance abuse must choose a level of care that suits their needs. Two of the main choices that will be available to you are inpatient rehab and outpatient care. These two levels of care offer some of the same forms of treatment, but inpatient care involves living full-time at a treatment center.
If you need addiction treatment in Waterbury, but inpatient care is out of your budget or not possible logistically speaking, outpatient care might be a suitable choice. During outpatient care, patients continue to live at home and go to work or school. During their off-hours, they receive weekly treatment sessions for their substance abuse disorder.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
If you do decide that inpatient care in Waterbury is right for you, the next step is to choose how long you will stay at the treatment facility. Commonly, rehab centers offer treatment programs in one, two, or three-month increments – although many patients stay far longer if their needs call for it.
The goal of inpatient care is to help patients reach a point in their recovery process where they can transition to outpatient treatment without relapsing. This process takes time, and each individual’s treatment journey is different. If you are undecided between two program lengths, choosing the longer one may be wise as it will give you ample time to stabilize and regroup.
What to Expect at Rehab
So, what exactly happens during rehab to help patients regain stability and control over their lives? Each treatment center operates a bit differently, but the concept remains the same—by immersing patients fully in the recovery lifestyle, they are able to focus entirely on their sobriety.
Usually, patients follow a daily schedule while they are in rehab. This schedule will contain components that are all designed to support your recovery process. Elements of your schedule at rehab will include some combination of formal substance abuse treatment, healthy lifestyle changes, and relaxing activities to calm and recenter yourself.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
Detox is a process that often gets confused with substance abuse treatment, but which is actually separate. Anyone beginning treatment who still has drugs or alcohol in their body needs to go to detox.
The goal of detox is to give you a controlled, safe environment where you can undergo withdrawal symptoms. You might not end up experiencing any major symptoms, but since withdrawal is unpredictable and potentially dangerous, detox is needed. You will be medically monitored and kept as comfortable as possible during the process.
How Long is Detox?
Detox ends when medical staff are sure that no more withdrawal symptoms will present themselves, and that the patient is stable. This process usually takes between 3 and 10 days, but could be shorter or longer depending on the specific situation at hand.
There are a few factors that influence how long and severe an individual’s withdrawal period is. First and foremost, the substance(s) abused, and how heavy the abuse was usually directly correlate to the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Other factors, such as a person’s age, weight, and gender may also influence what their withdrawal looks like.