Virginia Addiction Treatment and Info

Substance abuse and addiction are prevalent themes all across the world, but especially so in the land of the free, the United States and such states as Virginia. With over 5.8 million residents, it is no surprise that the state has experienced elevated rates of drug and alcohol abuse over the past several decades.

Addiction in Virginia

Virginia, one of the original 13 colonies, is a state rich with cultural history. From the Chesapeake Bay to the Appalachian Mountains, the beauty and culture of Virginia enrich the lives of its 8.5 million residents.

But for many Virginia residents, addiction brings destruction and pain upon their lives. The rates of drug and alcohol addiction in the state reveal the need for comprehensive treatment options.

Virginia drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs have the capacity to help a person regain true control over their life. These programs and services aid individuals and their families in healing, coping and rebuilding healthier lives.

Commonly Abused Substances in Virginia

There are numerous substances used and abused in the state of Virginia. However, some of these are admittedly more prevalently abused than others. The information that follows highlights the most common drugs here:

1. Opioids

In the year 2016, over 1,420 people died of drug overdosing in the state of Virginia. This represented an increase of 38% from the year before. State health officials believe this upward trend is largely due to heroin, prescription Fentanyl, and increased instances of synthetic opioid abuse.

Opioid overdose deaths have increased dramatically since 2010, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Heroin-related overdose deaths have increased tenfold, rising from 45 to 450 deaths. Synthetic-opioid-related deaths are nearly 7.5 times more frequent, having climbed from 87 to 648 deaths.

Prior to the year 2013, most Fentanyl-related fatalities in the state of Virginia were as a result of prescription Fentanyl. Fentanyl and Fentanyl analogues are now appearing in toxicology screens a lot more frequently. One such substance is the deadly carfentanil, a deadly Fentanyl analogue which is actually 100 times more potent than base Fentanyl.

Opioid overdoses affect all ages, but Virginia residents aged 25 to 34 admittedly experience this toll a lot more heavily than others. This age group visits the emergency department more frequently for opioid overdoses, has higher rates of heroin and Fentanyl overdoses and higher rates of HIV, a disease which is transmittable via sharing needles to inject opioid drugs.

2. Alcohol

Almost half a million Virginians aged 12 and above struggled with alcohol abuse or addiction. At 7.1% of this age group, this number is slightly higher than the national average for this same period.

Available data on alcohol consumption patterns among adults indicate that Virginia is similar to the United States as a whole. In the year 2015, 5.9% of adults in Virginia and the United States reported heavy alcohol consumption within the past 30 days (BRFSS). This figure has remained fairly steady since 2011 at both national and state levels.

This figure is cause for concern because heavy drinking over a prolonged period of time is highly correlated with chronic liver disease and other negative health and social consequences. In the year 2015, just over half of all adults in the state of Virginia and the United States reported drinking alcohol within the past 30 days. This figure has also remained steady both statewide and nationally since 2011.

In 2015, 16.4% of adults in the state and the U.S. reported binge drinking within the past month. This figure was comparable to U.S. adult binge drinking percentages. Binge drinking is highly correlated with acute alcohol deaths and motor vehicle accident deaths.

The measurable effects of alcohol use and abuse on families are limited by sparse available data, yet surveillance of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been collected in varying capacities since 1987. According to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), the percentage of Virginia mothers who report drinking alcohol in whatever amount during pregnancy has risen and fallen throughout the years that were surveyed, yet there is an overall increasing trend demonstrated by the initial figure of 9.3% in 2009 and the final figure of 12.1% in 2013

3. Cocaine

According to Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), there were 2,513 individuals who entered drug rehab for smoking cocaine in 2009. An additional 928 people went to drug treatment for cocaine addiction that ingested cocaine by means other than smoking it.

4. Marijuana

Marijuana was the most commonly abused drug for those who were admitted for treatment in 2009. 6,284 people went into drug treatment for marijuana addiction in Virginia. 12-17 year olds and 21-25 year olds were the two largest demographics entering drug addiction treatment in 2009. Males consisted of 74.9% of all receiving treatment.

5. Heroin

Heroin was the third most commonly abused drug for people entering drug rehab in 2009, according to Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). 2,426 individuals entered drug treatment for heroin addiction, of that number 60.4% were men and 39.5% were women. There has been an ongoing increase over the last decade of heroin addiction.

6. Other Drugs

In 2009, 2,426 people entered drug treatment for addiction to opiates other than heroin. The largest demographic entering treatment for opiates other than heroin was the 26-30 year olds with 60% of that number being male.

4,100 people were admitted for drug rehab for other drugs in 2009. This category includes hallucinogens, inhalants, amphetamines and all other drugs including steroids, ecstasy, etc.

Drug Related Injuries and Fatalities in Virginia

Over 710 residents died in the state of Virginia as a direct result of drug overdose compared to 1,081 people who died as a result of motor vehicle accidents and 825 people who died as a result of firearms incidents.

There were 539 drug-related arrests in 2006 down from 640 arrests in the year 2005. In the year 2006, the DEA seized 16 meth labs in Virginia. That figure was down from 640 seizures in 2004.

In 2007, there were 19,726 arrests for marijuana offenses making Virginia 25th in the nation for these arrests. Based upon first time offenses, Virginia ranked 49th in the nation. Marijuana possession arrests accounted for 89% of all marijuana arrests in 2007.

Addiction Prevention in Wisconsin

Virginia has several initiatives in place that are designed to curb the growing rates of substance abuse among the locals. Especially with Fentanyl and Fentanyl analogues claiming more lives by the year, the state has come up with several efforts aimed at suppressing drug use and abuse among its residents. Some examples of these programs include:

a) State Funding Against the Opioid Epidemic

Virginia received $9.76 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the spring of 2018. These funds are to be used to fight the opioid epidemic by strengthening partnerships between public safety and public health officials, in addition to other preventative measures.

b) Drug Education Projects

Additionally, the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) grant provides funding for a youth-based outreach campaign. As part of this initiative, Virginia adults are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, a continuum of care which helps to prevent and identify substance abuse so the appropriate treatments can be administered.

c) Needle Exchange Programs

In April 2018, Wise County became the first Virginia County to be approved for a needle exchange program. Needle exchange programs aim to reduce the spread of transmissible diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS by providing people that inject drugs with sterile needles and supplies. This approval comes after the federal government deemed the county one of eight Virginia localities at high risk for these diseases.

Addiction Treatment in Virginia

In addition to the initiatives in place, the state has a vast variety of addiction treatment and rehab programs available. These programs offer unique and highly personalized recovery services to admitted clients.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2009, there were 30,119 people admitted into drug and alcohol addiction treatment facilities in Virginia. In 2009, there were 196 drug and alcohol rehabs in operation. At last count, 42 facilities offered residential care but only 20 facilities were able to treat opioid addiction.

18-25 year olds are among the largest demographic in Virginia with unmet treatment needs. In 2008, the last year of published data, 12 million prescriptions were collected in Virginia which fell under Schedule II, III, and IV drugs.

Some of the services that you may expect when you are enrolled any 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 categories of substance abuse treatment and rehab services that are available in Virginia:

i) Medical Programs

Without professional help and medical support, withdrawal symptoms and cravings may push an addicted person to relapsing. A medical detoxification program provides round the clock medical support as the person's body works on healing. This treatment helps to protect a person from relapsing and it prepares them for the very next stage of treatment.

To help a person so that he or she is more comfortable and to minimize or even prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings, the appropriate medications may be administered as is needed. Due to withdrawal symptoms that may be potentially dangerous, even lethal, individuals addicted to opioids, benzodiazepines and alcohol ought to consider a detox program.

ii) Intervention Services

A professional interventionist attends to persons who are close to the person experiencing addiction in a bid to design an intervention. An intervention outlines the toll that drug abuse has taken on the addicted person and those who love and look out for them. It outlines an appropriate plan of treatment, with the ultimate objective of motivating them to actively seek assistance.

iii) Inpatient Addiction Treatment

After a person has completed any necessary detox, it's time to address the psychological and behavioral aspects of addiction in an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

Virginia inpatient drug rehab programs offer a residential setting and intensive therapies that help a person address the social, mental, emotional and even spiritual impact of addiction. These tailored therapies help a person to adopt the relapse-prevention and sober-living skills that work best for their needs.

Living on-site at a treatment facility gives each client the chance to be immersed in a therapeutic community. Throughout the course of their day, residents have the chance to build meaningful relationships with staff and fellow treatment participants. These bonds both enhance and inform the recovery process.

iv) Outpatient Addiction Treatment

While the traditional outpatient and intensive outpatient programs effectively provide standalone services for dependency treatment, these programs tend to be more valuable when they are used to support inpatient rehab.

In this capacity, outpatient programs may help a person to adjust to sobriety after receiving treatment. As a step-down service, the outpatient programs assist the person to successfully adjust to changes in lifestyle which are associated with sobriety.

v) Aftercare and Alumni Services

Virginia aftercare and alumni services of dependency support may help a person to remain inspired and completely focused on their goals of recovery.

Aftercare and alumni services in Virginia may include:

• Community outreach programs
• Online recovery resources and support groups
• Mentorship programs
• Peer support groups
• Self-improvement classes
• Sober-living homes

Regardless of the drug rehab type you settle for, there is a high probability that you will find the following therapy kinds in place at the addiction recovery facility of your choice:

• 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 vital that you get aid as fast as possible once you realize you are suffering from substance addiction. The earlier you are able to access a Virginia rehab program and start your treatment, the higher your chances of completely readjusting to sobriety and normal function are.

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.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

https://datadashboard.omni.org/VASIS/ExportFiles/Epi%20Profile_Alcohol.pdf

https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescents-and-substance-abuse/virginia/index.html

https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2019/2/vas-drug-abuse-stats-are-sobering

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