Substance Abuse Stats in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city of around 71,000 people in Providence County, Rhode Island. As the fourth-largest city in the state, Pawtucket sees its fair share of Rhode Island’s critical substance abuse problems.
Some stats pertaining to drug and alcohol abuse in RI are as follows:
- Rhode Island had the highest rate of illicit drug use in the nation and the third-highest rate of alcohol poisoning deaths in the nation in 2015.
- 277 people died of opioid overdose in 2017 in the state.
- 201 of the aforementioned opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
If you are seeking substance abuse treatment in the Pawtucket area, you will need to choose between outpatient and inpatient care.
- Inpatient rehab is the more structured and intensive option of the two. It requires that patients live full-time in the treatment center and spend their days entirely focused on their recovery.
- Outpatient care involves receiving treatment for a set number of hours per week, while continuing to live at home and go about your daily life.
Choosing between these two levels of care comes down to your needs for treatment and the environment you have at home. Many patients begin with inpatient rehab and transition to outpatient care.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Rehab times can vary greatly. Ideally, patients remain in rehab until they are genuinely prepared to transition into outpatient care. This process takes different amounts of time for every patient. In general, longer stays at rehab are considered more effective.
When choosing a length for your rehab program, remember that you are investing in your life. Cutting corners is not a strategy that pays off when it comes to substance abuse treatment. The longer the program, the better your chances of making a full recovery!
What to Expect at Rehab
At rehab, you will be immersed in an environment that is likely to feel like the opposite of the one from which you came. You will have full support and be encouraged to focus on nothing but your sobriety and wellbeing.
Every individual’s recovery journey looks different, but some standard aspects that will likely be found in your treatment plan include:
- Therapy
- Group meetings
- 12-Step programs
- Activity therapy (art classes, yoga, meditation, etc.)
- Medication
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
Inpatient detox offers a safe place to go through withdrawal. Therefore, anyone at risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms should visit a detox center before beginning treatment.
Drugs that are likely to result in withdrawal include:
- Alcohol
- Opioids
- Prescription stimulants
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine
- Heroin
Withdrawal can be dangerous and even life-threatening. Detox offers medical monitoring and intervention if needed. Never try to detox at home.
How Long is Detox?
Detox is a natural process that your body undergoes when you stop taking drugs or alcohol that you are dependent upon. Everyone takes a different amount of time to complete this process.
For some, detox might take a couple days. For others, they will spend 2 weeks or more at detox. Some things that can influence how long it takes your body to process toxins are:
- Your health
- Your metabolism
- How severe your substance abuse was
- Your age, weight, gender, and genetics
In general, younger, healthier people are able to detox faster than people with slower metabolisms.