Substance Abuse Stats in Scranton, PA
Scranton is a hotspot for substance abuse in Pennsylvania thanks to its close distance to Wilkes-Barre, New York, and Philadelphia.
Substance abuse stats in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area include:
- Scranton was rated the unhappiest city in the United States due to heroin abuse in 2014 along with nearby Wilkes-Barre
- Heroin prices in nearby Luzerne County reached double those in New York City in 2017 due to demand
- 137 people (or 0.04%) of the population died from drug overdoses in Luzerne County in 2017–four times the rate in New York City that year
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Choosing a rehab in Scranton involves thinking about whether inpatient or outpatient is right for you.
You should think about:
- How severe your drug problem is
- Your level of independence
- Whether you need to go to detox
- Your stability
- Your support system
Having a high level of stability can mean outpatient treatment is right for you. This allows you to continue your routine, including childcare and work.
On the other hand, if your condition is severe, then inpatient treatment could be the right choice.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
The length of treatment is an important part of whether your rehab succeeds when searching for a Rehab in Scranton. Research shows that treatment is more effective when you commit to it for at least 90 days.
Less than three months of treatment results in:
- More relapses
- Worse long-term success
It’s better to commit to more than 90 days of treatment if you can. For opioid abuse, it’s recommended to stay in treatment for a year.
For some people, treatment is always a part of recovery. That can mean staying in outpatient treatment for years or lifelong.
What to Expect at Rehab
Your rehab experience is hard to predict because everyone has different needs.
For instance, someone with a long-term opioid problem could get medication-assisted treatment or drugs that help prevent withdrawal and cravings. However, that same treatment wouldn’t work for someone who abuses cocaine.
Similarly, cognitive-behavioral therapy is a popular choice when treating stimulant abuse, but it’s useless to treat alcohol or opioid abuse.
Other experiences at rehab can include:
- Daily check-ins
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Psychotherapy
- Regular drug tests
- Symptom control
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
You should go to detox before rehab if you have a:
- Long history of drug abuse
- History of alcohol or opioid abuse
- History of abusing drugs that cause dependence
Consider detox anytime that you’re worried about withdrawal symptoms that are dangerous or too hard to handle on your own. You should plan to arrive at rehab after the detox stage is over.
During detox, it’s safer to receive medical supervision to handle dangerous symptoms, such as seizures and vomiting. Choosing detox can help you succeed and stay safe.
How Long is Detox?
Detoxing takes different times for different drugs, but that’s not all. Other factors affect how long detox takes, including:
- Other drugs that you use
- The length of time that you’ve used the drug
- Your metabolism
- Your health
It’s common for the detox phase of opioids to take anywhere from a week to 10 days—but it can be shorter if you haven’t used opioids heavily or for long.
At the same time, it could be longer if you’ve used opioids chronically and combined them with other drugs.
Sources
- NBC News: Wilkes-Barre faces heroin scourge turning it into the “unhappiest place in America”
- The Times-Tribune: Scranton, Wilkes-Barre ranked number one in unhappiness
- Help.org: 90-day rehab programs
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Medication and counseling
- MedlinePlus: Opiate and opioid Withdrawal
