Substance Abuse Stats in Newark, NJ
Newark has historically been a prime spot for drug activity on the East Coast, so it’s no surprise that the city has a substance abuse problem in 2019.
Shockingly, 23% of all Newark drug admissions are for intravenous (IV) drug use, putting those users at increased risk of bloodborne diseases such as HIV or hepatitis C.
Surprising substance abuse stats in Newark and Essex County include:
- 44% of treatment admissions were for heroin in 2017
- 23% of treatment admissions were for alcohol in 2017
- 3% of teens abused opioids between 2015 and 2016
- 2% of teens needed drug or alcohol treatment (but didn’t receive it) between 2015 and 2016
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Whether you choose outpatient or inpatient rehab depends on:
- Your substance abuse history
- Your support system
- How stable your condition is
It’s a good idea to choose inpatient rehab if you can, even though it’s a larger commitment.
That’s because inpatient rehab offers an environment that’s:
- Designed for recovery
- Supportive
- Intensive
When you can fully immerse yourself into a treatment- and recovery-focused environment, you’re more likely to learn from the experience and recover more fully.
That being said, outpatient rehab is a great choice for patients who need to recover while taking care of their families and responsibilities.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Rehab program lengths come in a few standard lengths with 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day recovery being the most common.
If you can, it’s best to choose the longest rehab length possible. That’s because statistics show that you’re more likely to have a good treatment outcome if you stick with treatment for at least 90 days.
Shorter treatment is better than no treatment at all, but it’s worth it to stay in treatment as long as you can. Some patients stay in outpatient treatment indefinitely and report great outcomes.
What to Expect at Rehab
Your care team will give you a full rundown on what to expect at rehab. Every treatment center is different, and so is every patient, so no two treatment plans are exactly the same.
Some common treatment strategies include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Known as CBT, this kind of treatment uses talk therapy to teach you to understand your thought patterns and how they relate to drug abuse.
- Dialectical behavior therapy: DBT is another kind of talk therapy that treats substance abuse through mindfulness.
- Group therapy: Social connection is an important part of recovery, and group therapy can be part of that from day one.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
You should consider going to detox if:
- You abuse alcohol: Alcohol dependence causes severe symptoms in withdrawal that can lead to death.
- You abuse opioids: Opioids aren’t dangerous in detox, but they do cause pain and discomfort, which can lead to relapse.
- You have a complicated drug use history: If you’re using many different substances, then they can affect your detox period.
It’s very important to attend detox if your care team recommends it. Detox gives you support and care through the most difficult part of your recovery so you can succeed.
How Long is Detox?
Talk to your care team to get an idea of your ideal detox period. It varies from patient to patient depending on factors such as:
- The drug in question: Every drug has its own detox length, from alcohol to opioids. The same detox period might not work for two different drugs.
- Your drug use history: If you’re detoxing from multiple drugs, then that could affect how you detox.
- Your health and metabolism: People with healthy digestive and metabolic systems process drugs more quickly. That means you might detox faster, but this isn’t something you can control.