Substance Abuse Stats in Rochester, NY
Rochester is one of the best-recognized cities in Monroe County, but it’s not immune to the drug problems in New York State.
Substance abuse stats in Rochester and Monroe County include:
- Opioid deaths grew among the 50-to-64 age group by 400% between 2014 and 2017
- The oldest person to lose their life to an opioid overdose was 82 in 2017
- 153 people died from opioid overdoses in 2018
Older people were more impacted than others in Rochester and the surrounding area. But don’t be fooled—all age groups are affected by drug abuse in Rochester.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Outpatient and inpatient are both effective in different situations. For most people, it’s best to start your journey with inpatient treatment. After graduating from inpatient, then many people keep going with outpatient.
Inpatient treatment is best if you need extra stability while you recover. Live-in treatment gives you access to 24/7 care so you can focus on getting better.
Outpatient treatment is the right choice if you are ready to get back to your life and have some control over your care. But it’s not the right choice if you’re not stable.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Rehab treatment lasts as long as it needs to. Some people attend rehab for months and others go indefinitely! It’s important to see treatment as a long-term tool.
Research says that you should go to rehab for at least 90 days. Shorter rehab stays are more likely to lead to relapse.
When you’re using medication-assisted treatment for opioids, then 12 months of rehab is the shortest length you should choose.
A year-long rehab stay sounds like a lot—but it takes time to unlearn the changes that drug addiction causes. Shorter rehab stays don’t give you that time.
What to Expect at Rehab
Your rehab stay isn’t the same as anyone else’s. No two substance abuse cases are the same.
Accordingly, you can’t predict what rehab will be like, but some common treatments include:
- Behavior therapy: Addiction changes your behavior and therapy gives you the tools to change it back.
- Group therapy: The power of speaking in groups about a shared experience is healing.
- Medication: Drugs such as Suboxone can curb cravings for alcohol or opioids.
Your experience might also include random drug testing and regular appointments. This helps with accountability in treatment.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
You need to go to detox if you are physically dependent on any drug. Your care team will tell you if you need to attend detox before treatment.
The signs of dependence include withdrawal signs when you stop using the drug.
Those can look like:
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Cravings
- Diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Be honest with your care team when they ask if you’ve detoxed before treatment. Entering treatment without detox puts you at a higher risk for relapse. That’s unless you attend a treatment center that offers in-house detox programs.
How Long is Detox?
Detox programs can range from three days up to 14 days. The right length for you depends on what drugs you’re stopping. It also depends on:
- Your drug use history: If you use drugs heavily, often, or mix drugs, then you might take longer to detox than average.
- Your metabolism: Your metabolism determines how fast you detox from substances. Factors that affect your metabolism can include your genes, diet, exercise habits, health, and more.
It’s important to finish the entire detox program, even if you feel like you’re ahead of the withdrawal timeline. Sticking with detox (and then treatment) helps minimize your risk of relapse.
Sources
- Dahlberg, B. (2018, October). Opioid addiction growing – and death rate spiking – among older Monroe County residents. WXXI News
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). 7: Duration of treatment
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Types of Treatment Programs
- New York State Department of Health. (2018). Opioid annual data report 2018
- Updated statistics show 153 opioid overdose deaths this year in Monroe County. (2018, December 6). Democrat & Chronicle [Rochester]
