Substance Abuse Stats in Essex, Vermont
Essex is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont. It has a population of around 22,000 people making it the second-most populous area in Vermont, after nearby Burlington. Essex’s proximity to Burlington means that the town’s residents are exposed to most of the state’s major substance abuse issues.
Check out these interesting facts about substance abuse in the state of Vermont:
- Vermont has one of the nation’s highest rates of marijuana use.
- One in four fatal car accidents in Vermont in 2017 involved THC.
- In 2013, Vermont had the highest rate of illicit drug use in the U.S.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
People seeking substance abuse treatment in the Essex area will have many options. You will quickly realize that not all addiction treatment is the same. There are many different levels of care, including both inpatient rehab and outpatient care.
- Inpatient rehab is suitable for most substance abuse patients. Inpatients reside in the treatment center and engage in recovery-based activities throughout the day, each and every day.
- Outpatient care is a more hands-off form of treatment. Outpatients continue to live at home, go to work or school, and carry out their daily responsibilities and activities. They attend treatment sessions for around 9 hours per week during their off-hours.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
Treatment centers offer inpatient rehab programs that vary in length from weeks to several months. Some patients stay for upwards of a year. Overwhelmingly, the data suggests that stays of 90 days or longer result in lower rates of relapse and greater long-term success.
It is usually more or less up to the patient how long they want to stay at rehab in Essex. While a longer stay might seem daunting, remember that every aspect of your life depends upon your sobriety.
Patients tend to have less success when they choose longer programs because of their budget or logistics.
What to Expect at Rehab
Every patient has a different experience at rehab. In fact, the treatment centers with the best reputations are often the ones that offer the most personalized treatment plans.
Overall, you can expect to have an experience that is both challenging and rejuvenating. Living with an addiction is draining for the body and mind, so treatment plans tend to strike a balance between recovery work and relaxation.
The following elements find their way into many patients’ inpatient rehab programs:
- Medication
- Therapy
- Group meetings
- 12-step meetings
- Healthy dieting
- Exercise
- Activity therapy (Art, yoga, meditation, dance, writing)
- Skills coaching
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
Detox is a separate process from treatment itself, but many patients begin their path to recovery by going to detox. Detox is actually a natural process, but complications can occur so extra support during this time is a must.
When someone is physically dependent on a substance, they will experience withdrawal when they quit using. Withdrawal can be both uncomfortable and dangerous. This is where detox comes in.
At detox, patients will have access to:
- 24/7 medical monitoring
- Medication, if necessary
- A controlled environment where relapse is not an option
Detoxing at home is completely unsafe and can result in relapse and other complications.
How Long is Detox?
The length of time that someone spends in detox depends mostly upon how severe their withdrawal process is. Withdrawal varies greatly from person to person. The following factors can influence the severity and duration of withdrawal:
- What substance(s) were abused, how much, and for how long
- Genetics
- Age
- Weight
- Metabolism
- Health
Alcohol and most narcotics are processed primarily in the liver and kidneys, so the health of these organs is particularly important in making withdrawal quicker and smoother.
Once a patient is stable, they will be cleared by detox staff to move on to treatment.