Substance Abuse Stats in Edison, NJ
Edison is part of the New York City metro area—which means it has an open pipeline into the city’s drug scene.
In 2016, Middlesex County reported:
- 41% of drug admissions were for heroin
- 32% of drug admissions were for alcohol
- 19% of people entering treatment received Suboxone or methadone
In Edison, many people with substance abuse disorders have social or financial issues. Statistics say that in 2016:
- 70% of people entering treatment had legal issues
- 56% lived in poverty
- 4% were homeless
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Searching for rehab in Edison? The decision between inpatient and outpatient is the first choice that you’ll make.
Most recoveries start with inpatient rehab. This level of rehab provides a live-in drug-free environment.
Some patients finish inpatient rehab and move to outpatient rehab for months or years—or even longer. This type of rehab gives you freedom without sacrificing what you need for recovery.
If you’re not sure whether inpatient or outpatient is the right choice for you, talk to your care team. They’ll help you make the decision that’s right for your recovery.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Your rehab stay should be long enough to develop coping skills to help keep you off drugs.
It’s common for treatment centers to offer 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day rehab. However, research shows that 90 days is the shortest stay for effective drug abuse treatment.
Less than 90 days in treatment is not enough to make the changes your body needs to recover from substance abuse.
If you’re using medication-assisted treatment, then you should attend at least 12 months of treatment.
What to Expect at Rehab
No two rehab experiences are alike because no two patients are alike. Your care team will customize your treatment so that it’s what you need.
Still, some strategies are helpful for treating substance abuse.
They include:
- Activity therapy: Yoga, animal interaction, and art are all used in treatment.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This kind of therapy teaches you to understand why you use drugs. The more you understand, the better you can change your own drug use.
- Daily check-ins: Having a daily check-in gives you a chance to ask questions about your care.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
If you are dependent on drugs, then you should go to detox. Opioids, alcohol, and benzos are some of the hardest drugs to detox from, but any kind of drug withdrawal is hard.
When you’re in withdrawal, you might experience:
- Agitation
- Headache
- Mood changes
- Pain
- Runny nose
- Seizures
- Upset stomach
Withdrawal also makes you crave your drug of choice.
Between cravings and feeling sick, it’s no wonder that it’s common to relapse without help. One study found that people who detoxed without help were:
- More likely to relapse
- Less likely to stay in recovery for three years
How Long is Detox?
It’s common for detox centers to offer:
- Five-day detox from short-acting drugs
- Seven-day detox from alcohol withdrawal
- 10- or 14-day detox from cocaine and other stimulants
Predicting how long your detox will last isn’t easy. You can have setbacks or your body may take longer to detox. Stay open to any length of stay that will help you recover, whether it’s five days or 14.
Factors that affect how long detox takes include your:
- Drug use habits
- Health
- Metabolism
Sources
- New Jersey State Department of Health and Human Services: Middlesex County 2016 substance abuse overview
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: How long does drug addiction treatment usually take?
- National Center for Bioinformatics: Rates and predictors of relapse after natural and treated remission from alcohol use disorders