Delaware Addiction Treatment and Info

Substance abuse and addiction continue wreaking havoc all over Delaware. Research studies have also shown that the rates of drug abuse in this state are higher than similar rates at the national level.

Addiction in Delaware

According to SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - more than 80 percent of the entire population, 8000 adolescents, and 30000 adults in Delaware struggle with various substance use disorders.

Among these people, synthetic drugs, club drugs, LSD, ecstasy, methamphetamines, and cocaine are the primary substances of abuse. However, many more also struggle with addictions involving drugs like prescription medications such as Vicodin and OxyContin as well as alcohol.

Consider the following figures linked to the rates of drug use in this state:

  • A survey sponsored by the state showed that 17 percent of all adults had engaged in binge drinking the 30 days before the study
  • More than 6 percent of the entire population of the state reported that they drank heavily on a regular basis
  • The rates of binge drinking in Delaware are much higher among people between the ages of 18 and 24 - at about 30 percent - as well as among people aged between 24 and 34 years at 28 percent

Due to these rates of substance abuse, Delaware has been experiencing a wide variety of problems. For instance, there has been an increase in the number of drug overdoses reported involving opioids - at a rate of close to 17 deaths for every segment of 100,000 people. Further, the state has seen an increase in the total number of meth labs that were seized and closed by the DEA - the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The latest findings from SAMHSA have further shown that fewer than 10 percent of the people who are dependent on alcohol were able to get addiction treatment in this state. An additional 30 percent received help for abusing other substances.

Commonly Abused Substances in Delaware

There are many different intoxicating substances being abused in this state. However, the following are the primary drugs being reported among people checking into drug rehabs in Delaware:

1. Alcohol

In 2009, TEDS - the Treatment Episodes Data Set - reported that a total of 1935 people were enrolled in a drug rehab program for abusing alcohol. the same year, 40 percent of all teens in the 11th grade reported attending a party in which the parents were responsible for buying the alcohol being drunk.

2. Cocaine

The Department of Justice reported that cocaine is among the major drug threats in this state. By 2009, a total of 668 people were enrolled in drug rehabs across Delaware for abusing cocaine.

3. Marijuana

The same year, a total of 1813 people enrolled for drug rehab services in Delaware for abusing marijuana. This makes it the 2nd most commonly abused substance among local residents.

This is not exactly surprising considering that cannabis is widely available - but in varying qualities - across the state. It is also abused by people from every socio-economic background and ethnic group.

However, it seems that people in high schools and colleges across the state abuse this drug recreationally on a regular basis. This is despite the fact that adults are the predominant users of marijuana.

4. Heroin

Close to 1700 people received help from a professional addiction treatment and rehabilitation center in Delaware in 2009. This drug was also in the same position as marijuana in terms of the rates of substance abuse.

Most of the heroin being abused in Delaware is found in the northern part of the state. Over several years, heroin distribution and trafficking organizations have relocated. As a result, this has led to an increase in the availability of the drug even in areas that were predominantly associated with crack cocaine and powdered cocaine.

5. Prescription Drugs

There has been an increase in the number of prescriptions being written in Delaware. As a result, the governor signed the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to help control all drugs or substances that are in schedules V, IV, III, and II of the Controlled Substances Act passed by the federal government across the state.

In 2009, slightly more than 1400 people checked into a drug rehab program for abusing prescription opioids other than heroin. Among these people, more than 25 percent were between the ages of 26 and 30.

Drug Related Injuries and Fatalities in Delaware

The rates of death induced by drugs are lower in Delaware than at the national level. In 2005, however, more than 18 percent of all the cases that were federally sentenced in this state were for a drug offence. Of these drug cases, 44 percent involved (crack) cocaine.

In 2009, the state made 3804 arrests involving drunken or intoxicated driving. Among these people, 314 were juveniles while the remaining 3490 were adults - showing just how serious this problem has grown in Delaware.

In 2006, the state had a total of 7 drug courts. At the time, it was not planning to establish any other drug courts. Four years later in 2010, Delaware had 1456 beds for both adults and teens in its prison system for people who were addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Drivers between the ages of 25 and 54 years were responsible for 55 percent of all the traffic accidents reported in Delaware in 2009. Of these crashes, 58 percent turned out to be fatal.

The same year, the state made more than 3800 arrests for a driving while drunk or intoxicated offense. Most of these arrests involved drugs like cough syrups, Percocet, Valium, Xanax, and codeine.

In 2007, the state lost a total of 102 lives as a direct result of substance abuse. Two years later, 10 percent of all the fatal crashes that were reported in Delaware were linked to this same problem.

Addiction Prevention in Delaware

There are several services in place designed to reduce and prevent the substance use and addiction crisis affecting so many residents. For instance, Delaware works with SAMHSA's Promoting Optimal Mental Health for Individuals through Supports and Empowerment program to offer comprehensive support to addicts and people with mental health disorders.

Through this program, the state has been working in conjunction with treatment providers to ensure that everyone struggling with substance use disorders and other co-occurring disorder is receiving the treatment that they need to achieve full recovery.

The state has also been working with SAMHSA to focus on various prevention strategies. These include education, training, and intervention programs targeted at preventing substance abuse before it begins as well as ensuring that addicts are in rehabilitation centers.

Finally, the state has been providing addiction education and other strategies to reduce the rates of addiction at health fairs and other events. It also offers training programs that people can take to qualify as addiction prevention specialists who are certified by Delaware.

Addiction Treatment in Delaware

A total of 7814 people enrolled in a professional addiction treatment program in Delaware in 2009. Of this number, about 27 percent were female while the remaining 73 percent were male. Further, this number was comprised of close to 30 percent of African Americans and 70 percent of Caucasians.

Of all the facilities offering addiction treatment and rehabilitation services in the state, about 58 percent only help people overcome substance use disorders. Another 25 percent are focused on dual diagnosis treatment for addiction and co-occurring medical and mental health disorders. About 23 percent of these facilities also have detox services being provided in-house.

There is more to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction than ending physical dependence. You also need to work on going back to a lifestyle of health, wellness, and productivity.

The NIH - the National Institutes of Health - reports that most addiction treatment programs are successful when they combine long term goals with evidence based recovery therapies.

If you attempt to quit cold-turkey, there is a high risk that you could succumb to your withdrawal symptoms. Further, your drug cravings could lead to a relapse that might turn out to be fatal if you take the same dose of drugs that were used to before you reduce your tolerance levels.

To this end, it is recommended that you seek professional addiction rehabilitation services from a certified facility. There are many such centers scattered all over Delaware and they can help you overcome your addiction in a safe and effective way.

These programs offer a wide variety of recovery services, including but not limited to:

a) Medical Detoxification

When you first check into rehab, you will be evaluated thoroughly to discover the true nature and extent of your substance abuse. This assessment will also help the recovery professionals to uncover any other co-occurring medical and mental health disorders that you also need to manage.

After that, they will provide you with medically supervised detox services. Through detox, your body will be able to get rid of all the traces and toxins of drugs that you were abusing while you work on overcoming your physical dependence.

In this process, you might experience some withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms will vary in duration and intensity based on your favorite substances of abuse, as well as on the extent of your addiction.

Medical detox will minimize or even prevent these withdrawal symptoms through supplemental treatments and the use of medications - also known as medication management.

b) Inpatient Drug Rehab

Once you complete the detox stage of your treatment, the drug rehab center could offer you inpatient or residential services. This way, you will live in the recovery facility for anywhere between 30 and 90 days - or even longer depending on the severity of your substance use disorder and the existence of any other co-occurring disorders.

Through inpatient drug rehab, you will get the opportunity to participate in a thorough ongoing treatment program. During this time, you will also be separated from the external environment to reduce your risk of encountering triggers and stressors that could cause you to relapse.

c) Outpatient Drug Rehab

You can also go straight from detox to an outpatient drug rehab program. This would ideal if you have a mild or relatively new substance use disorder that does not require inpatient treatment, or you have not been diagnosed with other co-occurring disorders. Otherwise, you would first be advised to complete an inpatient drug rehab program.

Outpatient treatment is different in the sense that you would not be required to live at the recovery center. Instead, you can visit the center a few times every week for some hours to get help with your addiction. You can them spend the rest of your time meeting your daily obligations before going back home or to a sober or transitional living center in the evening.

Outpatient drug rehab might work well if you have various responsibilities at work, home, or school that would make it complicated for you to get help with your substance abuse at an inpatient recovery center.

Whether you choose inpatient or outpatient drug rehab, the following are some of the recovery services that you may be able to receive to get you started on the road to complete abstinence and sobriety:

  • 12 step support group meetings
  • Addiction education
  • Aftercare programming
  • Behavioral healthcare services
  • Complementary therapies such as mindfulness meditation, yoga, acupuncture, massage therapy, journaling, and art therapy
  • Couples counseling
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Dual diagnosis addiction treatment
  • Exercise and physical workouts
  • Family therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Individual therapy
  • Nutritional counseling
  • Sober living or transitional living services
  • Specialized addiction treatment
  • Vocational training

Getting Help

In case you have been abusing drugs and drinking alcohol more heavily than you used to, there is a high probability that you might already be tolerant to these substances. Your tolerance will later give rise to the development of dependence - at which point you could be said to be addicted.

The recommended way to overcome your growing substance abuse, tolerance, dependence, and addiction is by checking into a professional addiction treatment and rehabilitation center. There are many such facilities in Delaware and they can help you get started on the road to full recovery.

CITATIONS

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

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

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

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

https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/dpc/alcoholuse2015.html

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/delaware-opioid-summary

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


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