Substance Abuse Stats in Huntington, WV
In Huntington, residents worry that the opioid crisis will keep getting worse. One single day in 2016 saw 26 overdoses in less than 4 hours.
Sara Lindsay from Catholic Charities West Virginia says “It’s hard to know any person who has not had experience with the opioid crisis” locally.
Cabell County reports that 178 people die per 100,000 residents due to drug overdoses. A career readiness program found that 69% of people applying for services had substance abuse problems.
Choosing Between an Outpatient and Inpatient Rehab
Most clients go to inpatient rehab first. Inpatient is an intensive, 24/7 treatment experience. You’ll have access to your care team every day for support and answers. Addiction often responds best to this kind of treatment environment.
Other clients choose outpatient rehab for the added flexibility. It can be hard to leave work and school behind for rehab. With outpatient rehab, you can attend part-time without giving up other activities. Talk to your care team if you think outpatient might be right for you.
How Long Can Treatment at a Rehab Last?
You should go to rehab for at least 3 months. That’s the shortest length of time that’s proven to work. When you cut rehab short, your risk of relapse increases.
It’s best to stay in rehab for as long as you can. That 3-month guideline is only a minimum. The longer you can stay in rehab, the better you’ll feel when it’s time to leave.
In fact, stays of 12 months are common for clients who recover from opioid use.
What to Expect at Rehab
Not sure what happens at rehab? There’s no single rehab treatment that works for everyone. Instead, it’s common for treatment centers to build a custom treatment plan for each client.
Those treatment plans usually combine multiple treatments for the best effect.
Some common treatments for addiction include:
- Therapy: Talking with a professional can help you understand what you’re feeling. The more emotionally in touch you are, the better you can cope without drugs.
- Medication: Sometimes drugs like Suboxone are a good treatment method. These are typically used in alcohol or opioid addiction.
When Would You Need to Go to Detox?
Your care team will ask you to go to detox if you are addicted to drugs. Addiction causes withdrawal syndrome when you stop using drugs. During withdrawal, you’ll experience strong cravings that can be hard to ignore.
Needless to say, relapse is common during withdrawal. Going to detox helps you stay supported and safe during this time.
It’s very important to go to detox if it’s necessary. Skipping detox increases the risk that you’ll relapse.
How Long is Detox?
The length of detox depends on:
- The drug in question
- Your drug use habits
- Your health history, including prescriptions you take
Your history of relapse is another factor that sometimes affects detox length. If you’ve relapsed before, a longer detox may be safer.
It’s common for detox to last 3 to 7 days. In some cases, it can take longer—10 to 14-day programs are available. Talk to your care team about the detox length that’s right for you.