Illinois Addiction Treatment and Info

Research studies from recent years show that the rates of drug abuse in Illinois are growing each year. As a result, there has been a rise in the number of lives that the state has lost to a drug overdose.

In 2016, for instance, a total of 2411 people died in Illinois due to substance overdose. With each new year, these issues continue causing problems among the residents of the state.

Addiction in Illinois

Like in the rest of the United States, opioids have been contributing to the drug crisis in Illinois. These substances include drugs like heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and U-47700, and prescription medications like Vicodin and OxyContin.

Between 2013 and 2016, for instance, there was an increase of 82 percent in the rates of drug overdoses involving opioids. By the end of this study period, the state had lost 1946 lives.

The following year in 2017, 2109 fatalities involving opioids were reported. Of this number, more than 1100 were linked to heroin abuse and addiction. The same year, 13395 people were admitted into a hospital suffering an opioid overdose but they survived.

Other figures relating to the rates of substance abuse and addiction in Illinois include:

  • Among people checking into drug rehabs in the state, marijuana is the substance that is most commonly cited
  • Illinois seized 394 meth labs in 2007, which increased to 799 seizures by 2012 - about 103 percent
  • In 2010, more than 35 percent of all admissions in addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in the state were linked to heroin
  • In 2011, more than 8 percent of the residents of Illinois reported that they had used illicit substances in the previous month when the national rates were at 8.82 percent
  • The rates of deaths linked to drugs in this state are below similar rates at the national level

Commonly Abused Substances in Illinois

Although opioids are a growing epidemic in Illinois, there are many other addictive substances that continue plaguing the residents of this state. They include but are not limited to:

Alcohol

Alcohol is among the most commonly abused substances in Illinois. For instance, the state made a total of 38822 arrests in 2014 for a drunk driving offence. The same year, the United States lost 11731 residents in motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol - or about 1 life lost after each segment of 53 minutes.

Illinois loses anywhere between 9000 and 10000 lives every year. Of this number, more than 40 percent are linked to alcohol abuse. Other studies have shown that the state has been spending more than $3.5 billion every year in expenses linked to alcohol abuse - as well as the abuse of other intoxicating substances.

In terms of treatment, a total of 12430 people checked into a rehab center in Illinois in 2010 for abusing alcohol. another 10506 people were admitted for abusing alcohol with another secondary substance of abuse.

Cocaine

The same year, Illinois reported that more than 8400 people checked into addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in the state for smoking cocaine. An additional 1626 people received similar recovery services for abusing cocaine through other alternative routes of administration, such as snorting it.

Heroin

The rates of heroin abuse continue climbing with each new day. In 2010, for instance, this drug was responsible for 19245 admissions into addiction rehabs in the state. Of this number, 41 percent were female while the remaining 59 percent were male.

Marijuana

Like anywhere else across the United States, marijuana is among the most affordable and available substances in Illinois. This is why it is not surprising that the rates of abuse of this drug are quite high every year.

In 2006, the ONDCP - the Office of National Drug Control Policy - released a report showing that more than 36 percent of the teens in the 12th grade had abused marijuana at least once in their lives. Another 14.5 percent of teens in the 8th grade had also engage in similar substance abuse.

Prescription Drugs

Hydrocodone drugs are among the most commonly abused prescription medications in Illinois. However, the state has also seen a rise in the rates of OxyContin availability and abuse. In recent years, there has been a shift to methadone from OxyContin - probably due to increasing media reports about the dangers of OxyContin abuse.

That said, addiction treatment facilities in the state reported that 1668 people were admitted for a prescription drug abuse and addiction problem. Of this number, 50.4 percent were male while more than 90 percent were Caucasian.

Methamphetamines

The rural segments of Illinois have high rates of meth abuse and addiction. That said, more than 1000 people checked into a drug rehab center for abusing this substance in 2010.

Drug Related Injuries and Fatalities in Illinois

Illinois made a total of 112368 arrests linked to drugs in 2006. The following year, it had a total of 20 drug courts but was planning to add 8 more of these courts. In 2006 also, the ONDCP reported that the state had a total of 778 meth lab seizures and closures.

The same year, more than 33 percent of all the drug cases that were federally sentenced in this state were linked to cocaine. The DEA - the Drug Enforcement Administration - also seized and eradicated more than 7000 plants of marijuana.

Between 2007 and 2009, the state saw an increase of 9 percent in the total number of meth labs that were seized - from 364 labs to a total of 395 labs at the end of the study period.

Addiction Prevention in Illinois

The state has been spearheading various efforts to reduce and eradicate the substance abuse and addiction crisis affecting its residents. For instance, it has many needle exchange programs in place. 3 of these programs are located in Chicago while there are others in Belleville, Champaign, Kankakee, and Springfield. Through these programs, Illinois has been reducing the spread of various blood borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C among intravenous drug users.

In 2015, Illinois passed a law that effectively increase the accessibility and affordability of the Narcan and Evie versions of naloxone across the state. This medication is useful in reversing the adverse effects of opioid overdose situations.

Typically, naloxone is sold as a prescription medication. However, the state has a standing order in place that now allows pharmacists to sell it to people who may have a high risk of suffering an opioid related overdose - as well as their loved ones and friends.

Addiction Treatment in Illinois

Even with these prevention efforts, addiction continues destroying lives, careers, and relationships all across Illinois. Luckily, there are professional drug and alcohol addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in place designed to deal with this crisis before it continues getting out of hand.

SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - reported that addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in this state made a total of 70378 admissions in 2010. Of this number, 33 percent were female while the remaining 67 percent were male.

The previous year in 2009, the N-SSATS - the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services - released a report showing that more than 67 percent of all the addiction treatment centers in Illinois were focused on helping addicts overcome their substance use disorders. Another 30 percent offered some form of dual diagnosis treatment for both addiction and other co-occurring medical and mental health disorders. 16 percent of thee center also provide medical detoxification services.

These programs offer the following types of recovery services:

i) Intervention

The goal of intervention is to ensure that an addict understand the consequences of their actions. Loved ones gather together - with or without a professional interventionist - to talk about the addictive disorder, as well as to convince the person affected that the time has come for them to seek treatment.

However, since interventions that are not professionally managed may not always work, it is recommended that the loved ones of addicts use professional intervention services. By so doing, they will be able to plan and host the meeting, as well as ensure that the addict agrees to check into a pre-chosen addiction treatment and rehabilitation program.

ii) Medical Detox

When you first enroll in a drug rehab center, you will be provided with medical detox. However, the need for these services will largely depend on the severity and duration of your addiction, as well as various types of addictive substances that you used to abuse.

Detox is an essential service because it will manage any of the withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings that may arise as your body tries to overcome its physical dependence on the substances you used to take.

This is important because the symptoms of withdrawal can vary widely from headaches that are mildly unpleasant to coma and seizures. In some extreme cases, withdrawal could even lead to death.

iii) Inpatient Drug Rehab

After you have completed your detox and achieved full physical stability, you will still need to continue working to overcome your psychological dependence on your favorite substances of abuse. You can do so in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Inpatient drug rehab, also known as residential treatment, is one in which you will move from home and into a supportive and immersive recovery center. During your time in the program, you will be required to participate in support group meetings, go for therapy, and engage in other activities to help you achieve full recovery.

iv) Outpatient Drug Rehab

You can, however, also opt for outpatient treatment. This form of rehab is more flexible and offers more freedom. This is because you will not have to live at the recovery center. Instead, you can schedule your treatment sessions to take place at certain times of the week.

Outpatient Tremaine is recommended if you have already been through inpatient drug rehab. However, it might also work if your addiction is not deemed severe or long standing enough to require inpatient rehab. You can also opt for outpatient recovery if you have other responsibilities and obligations that would make it difficult for you to seek help from an inpatient center.

Irrespective of whether you choose inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment - or even both - the following are some of the recovery services that you will be able to enjoy:

  • Addiction education
  • Aftercare programming
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Complementary therapies, including meditation, yoga, massage, acupuncture, animal therapy, equine therapy, art therapy, biofeedback, and adventure therapy
  • Couples counseling
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Dual-diagnosis addiction treatment for co-occurring medical and mental health disorders
  • Family counseling
  • Gender-specific treatment
  • Group therapy
  • Individual counseling
  • Life skills development
  • Medication assisted treatment
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Relapse prevention
  • Sober living programs
  • Trauma informed care
  • Vocational training

Getting Help

There are many reasons why you should seek help with your substance use disorder. For starters, you might end up losing your health, wellness, important social and professional relationships, your home, source of income, and even life if you continue abusing drugs.

In Illinois as in the rest of the United States, drugs and alcohol continue claiming lives every single day. These lives are lost in drunken and intoxicated driving incidents, fights that start while people have taken substances, as well as turf wars among drug trafficking organizations.

There is also a risk that you could ruin your health permanently in the course of your addiction. If you are a smoker, for instance, you probably already know that you have a high probability of contracting preventable conditions like cancer, heart disease, and more if you continue abusing tobacco cigarettes.

Irrespective of your preferred subspaces of abuse, the only thing that you can do to save your life - and potentially save many other lives and livelihoods - is by agreeing to check into an addiction treatment and rehabilitation program. There are many such programs in the state of Illinois and they can help you overcome your growing substance use disorder before it continues getting out of hand.

CITATIONS

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/traffic_safety/DUI/stats.html

http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27896/documents/OpioidCrisisInIllinois_051617.pdf

http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31787

https://idph.illinois.gov/OpioidDataDashboard/

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

https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.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.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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