Arkansas Addiction Treatment and Info

Although substance abuse is a national problem, it has also affected various states, including but not limited to Arkansas. In fact, the rates of drug and alcohol use in this state are similar to rates reported at the national level. However, it seems that opioid pain relief medications and methamphetamine are the main drugs of abuse in Arkansas.

About Arkansas

According to the latest estimates from the US Census Bureau, the state of Arkansas has about 3 million residents. Among these people, there are some who struggle with substance use disorders of various kinds. As such, the state has been implementing various policies to help these residents overcome their addiction.

Further, there are several programs that offer professional addiction treatment and rehabilitation services in Arkansas. These programs can help you overcome your substance abuse and addiction.

Drug Trends in Arkansas

Recent research studies have reported that Arkansas is ranked lower than the rest of the United States in terms of the rates of drunken driving and alcohol abuse. However, many more people in this state abuse methamphetamines and prescription drugs.

It is, for instance, estimated that more than 2 percent of the total population of this state is struggling with addiction to various drugs. these substances that are most commonly abused in Arkansas include marijuana, heroin, prescription opioid pain relief medications like morphine and OxyContin, as well as methamphetamines.

In the same way, the state was ranked 2nd in terms of the rates of prescriptions written in the entire country. In 2016, for instance, doctors wrote an average of 114.5 prescriptions for every 100 people in the state. That year, the national average was set at about 66.5 prescription written for every 100 people.

Additionally, more than 1,000 lives were lost in Arkansas due to a drug overdose. This is according to reports from 2013 through to 2015. Further, it was reported that more than 50 percent of the adolescents in the state reported that it was easy for them to get access to prescription medications simply by going through the medicine cabinets kept by their parents and grandparents.

Commonly Abused Substances in Arkansas

But which substances are most commonly abused in this state? Considers the following information relating to the drugs that people most often take here:

1. Alcohol

In 2015, it was reported that 5 percent of the residents of Arkansas abused alcohol. This number was lower than the national average that totaled to about 6.5 percent. Additionally, the rates of drug driving incidents in this state were lower than those reported at the national stage.

Even so, research studies continue finding that more teenagers are apprehended in Arkansas for drunk driving. In 2017, for instance, 17 percent of teens in the 12th grade stated that they had engaged in binge drinking at least once that year.

The year preceding, the US Department of Transportation reported the following statistics:

  • 304 drivers lost their lives as a result of an alcohol involved incident
  • 221 of these 304 drivers had a high blood alcohol level
  • 67 drivers had a blood alcohol level that was higher than 0.08 percent

According to the TEDS report for 2011, it was reported that fewer than 305 people among every 100000 in Arkansas were admitted into an addiction treatment program for alcohol as their primary substance of abuse.

The BHB - the Behavioral Health Barometers for 2014, on the other hand, reported that 124000 people above the age of 12 abused or were dependent on alcohol from 2009 through to 2013.

The same profile but for 2012 and 2013 reported that there were 132000 people above the age of 21 in this state who had engaged in heavy alcohol consumption at least once during that period.

2. Amphetamine

Over the past few years, the rates of amphetamine abuse and addiction in Arkansas have been growing. In 2008, for instance, a total of 4334 people checked into an addiction treatment program in the state for abusing this class of drugs.

however, this number does not include the people who are addicted to methamphetamine. The following year, about 10 percent of all admissions into addiction treatment programs in the state were linked to methamphetamine abuse and addiction.

3. Cocaine

The rates of cocaine abuse in this state are lower than the total national averages. However, it seems that people aged between 18 and 25 years continue abusing this drug in high rates.

The TEDS reports for the years running from 2009 through to 2011 showed that the state reported a reduction in the rates of people enrolling in addiction treatment programs for cocaine as their primary substance of abuse.

4. Marijuana

The 2011 TEDS report for Arkansas released by the NSDUH - the National Survey on Drug Use and Health - reported that fewer than 123 individuals for every segment of 100000 people were enrolled in a drug rehab program in Arkansas for abusing marijuana as their primary substance of choice.

Two years later in 2013, about 25 percent of the entire state population between the ages of 18 and 25 years abused this substance. The Arkansas State Legislature Report for 2014 also showed that marijuana was sited among the top 3 substances mentioned in all cases of arrests for drug possession.

5. Prescription Drugs

36.77 people among every 100000 were enrolled in a drug rehab program in Arkansas in 2011 for abusing prescription medications. The Drug Control Update for the state for 2010 and 2011 also reported that Arkansas was among the leading 10 states in terms of the rates of prescription drug abuse for a non-medical purpose among people aged above 12 years.

Drug Related Fatalities and Injuries in Arkansas

In 2010, the State Crash Summary for Arkansas reported that the state suffered a total of 261 fatalities linked to drugs and alcohol. The same year, there were a total of 4086 crashes involving these substances in the state.

Further, 9 of the total 72 boating accidents reported in Arkansas involved drugs and alcohol as the primary or contributing factor. Of these accidents, a total of 3 turned out to be fatal.

The state has a total of 79 drug courts. Of this number, 43 are for adults while 13 are for juvenile cases. There are also 3 for veterans and 9 for driving while intoxicated or drunk, 4 for domestic violence cases, and 1 for drug misdemeanors.

Addiction Prevention, Outreach, and Awareness in Arkansas

There are several programs in place in Arkansas designed to deal with the growing rates of substance abuse and addiction among local residents. Examples of these programs that continue contributing to a reduction in these rates include:

a) Prescription for Life

The Prescription for Life program was created by the office of the Attorney General of Arkansas. The goal of this program is to provide education to the high school students in the state.

This free educational program was launched in 2017 with the primary aim of reducing the rates of substance abuse and addiction - especially when reports showed that more than 40 percent of all adolescents in Arkansas reported that they had abused prescription drugs at least once in their lives.

b) Take Back Days

Also instituted by the office of the Attorney General, the Take Back Days has created mobile units for collecting prescription medications. The program partners with local law enforcement officials to collect unused over the counter and prescription medications that are voluntarily surrender by the residents of Arkansas.

This program is part of the larger Monitor - Secure - Dispose program. It holds collection days twice every year (during the fall and spring). All drugs that are collected are disposed of by the authorities in charge.

Addiction Treatment in Arkansas

Apart from these preventative programs, the state has a wide variety of addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in place. These programs offer unique and highly personalized recovery services to the patients who choose to seek help with their substance abuse and dependence.

According to the NSSATS state profile for Arkansas reported by SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the state had a total of 62 facilities providing alcohol and drug addiction treatment services. That year, these facilities enrolled a total of 3939 people.

Of these facilities, 33 were providing treatment for substance use disorders - and enrolled 1785 residents. There were also 14 centers providing dual diagnosis treatment for both addiction and co-occurring mental health and medical disorders. These facilities enrolled a total of 1444 patients.

53 facilities offered treatment to 2024 people who were addicted to both drugs and alcohol while 53 of them offered treatment to 1350 patients struggling with drug abuse alone. Another 49 programs helped 562 patients who were only addicted to alcohol.

Some of the services that you can expect when you are enrolled in one of these programs include, but are not limited to:

  • Aftercare programs
  • Alumni programs
  • Detox programs
  • Inpatient programs
  • Intensive outpatient programs
  • Intervention services
  • Outpatient programs
  • Sober living homes

Consider the following general categories of substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation services available in the state of Arkansas:

a) Detox

When you first check into an addiction recovery center in Arkansas, you will be taken through a thorough evaluation and assessment. The goal of this process is to determine the extent and severity of your addiction, as well as the need for other additional recovery services, such as dual diagnosis treatment.

After your evaluation, you will be provided with medical detox services. Through these services, you will be able to get the medical assistance, monitoring, and supervision to ensure that you do not succumb to your withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings as your body tries to overcome its physical dependence on your favorite substances of abuse.

This service is particularly useful if you are addicted to substances that lead to the development of painful, uncomfortable, severe, or even life-threatening symptoms of withdrawal. Examples of these drugs include opioids, meth, alcohol, and benzodiazepines.

b) Inpatient Addiction Treatment

Inpatient addiction recovery services are useful if you need to immerse yourself in the sobriety program so that you can get started on the road to full abstinence. There are a total of 120 drug rehabs in Arkansas that offer this type of treatment.

These programs are quite effective especially because they will protect you from the external environment that might have caused you to relapse and start abusing drugs and drinking alcohol again.

Further, you will be provided with round the care monitoring and support to ensure that you are able to focus on your ongoing recovery. Added to the medications that you might be offered, there is a high chance that you could fully overcome your substance dependence through an inpatient drug rehab program.

c) Outpatient Addiction Treatment

The other alternative involves receiving addiction treatment services but on an outpatient basis. This type of program would be ideal if you are already stable enough and can continue managing your day to day life without risking a relapse while also seeking help for your substance abuse and dependence.

You might also be able to benefit from an outpatient drug rehab program if you need to continue working through your addiction while also meeting your other obligations and responsibilities outside the recovery center.

d) Specialized Addiction Treatment

Finally, there are some specialized drug and alcohol rehab programs in Arkansas. These programs are focused on particular populations - including people who might not always feel comfortable or able to recover fully through a regular drug rehab center. They include:

  • Dual-diagnosis treatment programs
  • Gender-specific programs
  • Medication-assisted treatment programs
  • Alternative or holistic addiction treatment programs

Addiction Treatment Therapies

Irrespective of the type of drug rehab you choose, there is a high probability that you will be able to find the following kinds of therapies on offer at the addiction recovery center that you pick:

  • 12-step and non-12 support groups
  • Addiction education
  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Complementary therapies, including equine therapy, yoga, meditation, biofeedback, massage therapy, and journaling
  • Coping techniques
  • Couples counseling
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Exercise therapy
  • External support groups
  • Family therapy
  • Group therapy meetings
  • Individual counseling
  • Life skills training
  • Nutritional therapy
  • Relapse prevention
  • Stress management
  • Vocational training

Getting Help

It is recommended that you check into an addiction treatment and rehabilitation program in Arkansas as soon as you realize that you have a growing substance abuse and addiction problem.

CITATIONS

https://afmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/OADAP_SEOW-2017-State-Report-Book_v3.3PRINT.pdf

https://www.carnevaleassociates.com/our-work/emerging-drug-trends-prevention-issue-brief.html

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-11/DIR-032-18%202018%20NDTA%20final%20low%20resolution.pdf

https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/news-statistics/emerging-drug-trends

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234579/

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/2015_Arkansas_BHBarometer.pdf

https://www.shadac.org/publications/50-state-analysis-drug-overdose-trends-evolving-opioid-crisis-across-states

https://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2010/2.0_Drug_statistics_and_Trends.pdf


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