Substance Abuse Stats in Rhode Island
It’s clear there’s a war on drugs in Rhode Island. The number of overdose deaths per year fell from 336 in 2016 to 208 in 2019.
That data is encouraging. Still, it’s important to keep up the fight, as current stats show that there’s still a drug problem in the state.
Some examples include:
- 51 opioid prescriptions were written for every 100 Rhode Islanders in 2017
- 22% of new HIV cases in Rhode Island men were caused by injection drug use in 2015
- 4% of Rhode Island teens abused pain relievers in 2015
- 5% of Rhode Island teens needed drug rehab but didn’t get it in 2015
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
There are big differences between outpatient and inpatient rehab in Rhode Island, including:
- Inpatient is residential while outpatient is not
- Inpatient offers structure while outpatient offers freedom
- Inpatient may offer medical detox while outpatient does not offer detox
Both kinds of rehab have aspects in common, including:
- Access to medical and mental healthcare
- Behavioral therapy
- Drug testing
- Family involvement
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Regular monitoring
You don’t need to commit to one type of rehab forever. It’s common for people to start their journey with inpatient rehab and switch to outpatient once they’re stable.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Your treatment length depends on the drugs you use, any conditions you have, and other factors.
Ideally, you should commit to 90 days of treatment or more. Even longer is better, with 12 months being the recommendation for opioid treatment.
Longer treatment lengths have better outcomes, including fewer relapses. Many patients choose to continue outpatient treatment for years after they finish inpatient rehab.
That’s why it’s so important to choose a rehab program in Rhode Island that you can commit to finishing—and stay open to the idea that there might never be an end date. (And it’s okay if there’s not.)
What to Expect at Rehab
It’s hard to describe one experience that everyone has at rehab because there isn’t one.
Every treatment plan is individual because every patient is an individual. Your drug abuse history isn’t the same as the patient before you. The strategies that worked for her won’t necessarily work for you (or the next person).
However, your care team can use your history and health status to help you choose a plan that’s right for you.
There’s no “typical” drug rehab plan, but yours could include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Inpatient stays
- Group therapy
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Regular check-ins
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
You need to go to detox if you have withdrawal symptoms that are dangerous or too hard to manage on your own.
It’s more likely that you’ll need to go to detox if you:
- Abuse more than one drug
- Abuse alcohol or opioids
- Feel too sick to skip doses of a drug
- Have abused drugs for months or years
- Have withdrawal symptoms that you can’t manage alone
It’s very important to listen to your care providers if they recommend medical detox. Detoxing from alcohol alone can cause delirium tremens, a life-threatening condition.
How Long is Detox?
Detoxing from drugs can take days or weeks depending on the kind of drug. The length of time varies from seven days to 10 weeks.
Factors that affect the length of detox include:
- The types of drugs you use
- The dosage and frequency of use
- Your general health
- Your mental health
When you’re considering drug rehab in Rhode Island, it’s important to stay open-minded about the length of your stay. Even if detox is quick, actual recovery takes time. Your treatment outcome is likely to be better if you stay as long as your care team recommends.
Sources
- Rhode Island Department of Health: Drug overdose deaths occurring in Rhode Island by month and year
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Rhode Island summary
- Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs: Rhode Island adolescent substance abuse facts
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioid-involved overdose deaths
- Verywell Mind: Drug and alcohol programs for beginners
