Substance Abuse Stats in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is Vermont’s most populous city. At the time of the 2010 census, it had about 42,000 people. Although Vermont is a very small state, it has some of the nation’s most shocking substance abuse statistics:
- In 2013, Vermont had the highest rate of illegal drug use in the country. This was largely due to marijuana use, although the state’s numbers were high for many drugs.
- In 2016, 18% of Vermont residents were users of marijuana. This is twice the national average of 9%.
- One in four of Vermont’s 63 fatal car crashes in 2017 involved THC – the mind-altering compound found in marijuana.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
If you are in the Burlington area and you need substance abuse treatment, you will have many different types of care to choose from. The two main levels of care, under which fall many sub-levels, are inpatient rehab and outpatient care.
- Inpatient rehab is also simply referred to as ‘rehab’. This is what people usually think of when they think addiction treatment. Patients live full-time in the facility and receive treatment for many hours each day.
- Outpatient care means living at home, but attending substance abuse treatment sessions for a number of hours per week. This option is suitable for people who need less support, or who are transitioning out of inpatient care.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
There is no set amount of time that everyone attends rehab for. Many treatment centers offer programs that are as short as a few weeks, but patients with more need for support commonly stay for several months.
It is generally recommended that you stay at rehab for at least 90 days. Patients who do so have less relapses and experience more long-term success.
Other considerations to think about when you are choosing a length of stay are:
- Your budget
- Logistics and time away from home
- The severity of your substance abuse
What to Expect at Rehab
Rehab is all about finding the balance between challenging you and helping you relax and recharge. Rehab is definitely hard work, and you can expect to spend a lot of time addressing your substance abuse and uncovering its root causes – but you will also be given space to heal naturally.
Most rehab programs incorporate some or all of the following:
- 12-step programs
- Therapy
- Medication
- Healthy diet
- Life skills classes and coaching
- Activity therapy (meditation, art, dance, yoga)
Treatment centers that offer patients a personalized treatment program are best. Start rehab with an open mind and trust that you are in good hands.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
Before many patients are able to start treatment, they have to go to detox. Detox takes place in a hospital-like setting. The goal is to provide addicts with a safe place to go through withdrawal from the substances they have been abusing.
Withdrawal can range from mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening, and it is difficult to predict how severe symptoms will be. Some common symptoms are:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Heart rate changes
Everyone’s detox is different. If there is any chance that you are going to go through withdrawal, or if you are currently experiencing withdrawal symptoms, you need to go to detox when searching for treatment in Burlington.
How Long is Detox?
Detox is just the process of monitoring a patient who is going through withdrawal and keeping them safe and comfortable. How long this takes depends entirely on how long the withdrawal symptoms last for.
There is no safe way to speed up the detox process; you just have to let your body do what it needs to do. The process may take longer if you:
- Are unhealthy
- Are overweight
- Have been abusing drugs heavily
- Have a slow metabolism
When your symptoms subside and you are mentally and physically stable enough to start treatment, detox staff will clear you to leave.