Drug Rehab in Maryland
If you have a drug addiction in Maryland, you are not alone. The state, like many others in the country, has been significantly affected by drug and alcohol use. Some of the most commonly abused substances in Maryland include heroin and prescription drugs, which can lead to various health and social problems. Fortunately, drug rehab is available for you to get on the road to recovery and lead a more fulfilling life.
Maryland Substance Use
Alcohol is one of the most frequently used substances in Maryland, and so are cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The latter three are often seized at the Port of Baltimore.
Gangs distribute these drugs at the retail level. Many immigrate from Florida and New York to form distribution networks in the western area of the state.
Opioid addiction includes the abuse of prescription painkillers. People may abuse them alone or in conjunction with heroin. It is more common for people to turn to heroin once they become unable to obtain more prescriptions.
In Maryland, people most frequently consume alcohol in their youth. Binge drinking and heavy drinking are common behaviors among Maryland adults of both sexes.
Many Maryland residents also use opioids, often while consuming alcohol. Primary drug treatment admissions cite heroin as the most common drug that people enroll in rehab for.
Maryland Substance Use Disorder Risks
Alcohol use disorder has several risks associated with it. Accidental injuries, poor decision-making, engagement in risky behaviors, and violence are a few examples, along with long-term health risks. Opioids and cocaine have their own unique short-term and long-term risks.
People who are most at risk for alcoholism are youths aged 18 to 24. It is most common in Native Americans (12.1%), followed by Whites (8.3%) and Hispanics (6.1%).
It is necessary to consider other substances a person may be addicted to, which in Maryland is often opiates. For heroin use disorder, non-Hispanic Whites, those 18-25 years old, individuals with an annual household income of less than $20,000, Medicaid recipients, and the uninsured are the most at risk.
The same age group is most at risk for prescription opioid abuse. However, the greatest use is among adults aged 26 and older.
African Americans are most at risk for cocaine use disorder. Females report higher rates of childhood emotional abuse, childhood sexual abuse, and stress reactivity than males.
Factors that can contribute to substance use disorder are family history, having an existing mental health illness, socioeconomic status, drug availability, and taking a highly addictive drug. For youth, early use, peer pressure, loneliness or social isolation, and a lack of family involvement are especially significant.
Why Get Drug Rehab?
It is common for people with substance use disorder to believe they first need to experience extreme interference with their daily functioning or hit rock bottom before drug rehab becomes necessary. However, a substance use disorder always has a negative effect on a person’s life and relationships. Professional help is necessary for many addictions, including opioids and alcohol.
These 11 criteria can help you judge whether a substance use disorder is mild, moderate, or severe. Meeting any two to three of these criteria means it is mild:
• Devoting a lot of time to getting the substance
• Being unable to quit even though you want to
• Craving the substance
• Experiencing a lack of control
• Experiencing a loss of interest in normal life, hobbies, and interests
• Increasing difficulty in being responsible
• Experiencing relationship problems
• Having a higher tolerance than usual
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
• Going through worsening situations
• Using the substance in risky or dangerous ways
For many people, addiction to alcohol has significant and obvious effects that make those around them notice and let them know. But high-functioning alcoholism also exists and is hard to spot. About 20% of all alcoholics are high functioning, meaning they can keep a job, could be married or have children, and have social lives. For them, they are able to hide hangovers and other issues behind a facade of other causes that seem normal to outsiders or anyone who does not know them well.
A high-functioning alcoholic can eventually experience a significant decrease in performance, but it is not obvious to the casual observer. Some signs of a high-functioning alcoholic are drinking a lot, always drinking while socializing, using alcohol to cope or as a reward, experiencing several rough mornings, and experiencing less interest in hobbies.
High-functioning alcoholics also tend to be middle-aged and highly educated. Professions that have the highest numbers of high-functioning addicts are the food service industry, healthcare professionals, and pilots.
It is never too late to consider drug rehab. Substance use disorder treatment is important for having a better quality of life. You are not restricted to just one type, but an array of options to choose from depending on the substance and your needs.
There are serious penalties in Maryland for the illegal possession of any controlled substance, with the exception of marijuana, which penalizes with a misdemeanor charge of up to one year in jail. Drug rehab is also a much better alternative for people struggling with addiction than jail time. Once people with substance use disorder are on the way to recovery, they reduce their risk of drug charges as well as a worsening disorder due to jail time.
The stages of recovery from drug addiction are:
• Precontemplation
• Contemplation
• Preparation
• Action
• Maintenance and recovery
The seven stages of the cycle of addiction are:
• Initiation
• Experimentation
• Regular usage
• Risky usage
• Dependence
• Addiction
• Crisis/treatment
Recovery can take place as early as the regular usage stage but often happens during the addiction or crisis stage.
Family and peer support are very important, but it is not enough to recover from substance use disorder. Many people also don’t have enough of the support network they need, so drug rehab can help them develop one.
There are some common issues that can deter people from making a complete recovery, but it is easy to avoid them once you’re aware of them. Having the right rehab setting and treatment takes care of most. Staying long enough lowers the risk of relapse. Also, the right rehab addresses relapse, which happens often, but does not mean recovery is impossible.
Fortunately, the statistics are promising for clients who go into drug rehab. Three out of four people eventually recover. People who go through both drug and alcohol detox have a rehab success rate of 58%.
How to Get Into Drug Rehab
Many people seek drug rehab in the state as residents. A few people decide to travel to Maryland for drug rehab in order to avoid the people and places that remind them of the substances they want to recover from.
Getting into drug rehab is a process involving a few steps to evaluate your substance use disorder and find a treatment that’s right for you. After making the initial contact, there is an intake process or screening interview, assessment or evaluation, and orientation. It is important to be as honest as possible in answering questions, so you can get a custom plan that’s perfect for your recovery.
The detox process is the hardest part of drug rehab. Some clients receive medication to better manage withdrawal symptoms or treat mental health issues.
There will also be therapy sessions for you to attend. Group therapy, individual therapy, family counseling, or a combination are all possible options.
In group therapy, every person talks about themselves and their experiences. They become familiar with and support each other and may even become friends. This type of therapy has a 12-step program as its basis.
There are two main types of individual therapies, both of which are behavioral. They are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. Most substance use disorder involves negative behaviors and coping mechanisms, so this type of therapy is meant to change them.
There’s also family counseling, which involves family and friends talking about their experiences with you. They also learn about how they possibly contributed to or enabled your substance use disorder, the dynamics of addiction, and how to best support you once you complete rehab.
Aftercare planning is the last part of rehab. Also called continuing care, during this stage, you and your counselor will review your progress and create a plan with social and medical support services. They may include a sober living home, follow-up therapy or counseling, and/or medical evaluations.
Although it’s just as important to stick with your aftercare plan as it is with therapy sessions to reduce the risk of relapse, it is important to remember that relapse does not mean failure. Relapse only means your addiction treatment must be reinstated, modified, or perhaps replaced with another type of treatment.
Maryland has 368 centers for drug and alcohol use disorder treatment. It includes 15 free treatment programs, 69 inpatient rehab centers, 15 outpatient, three luxury residential, and 92 drug and alcohol detox centers.
Types of Drug Rehab in Maryland
Substance use disorder treatment as a standalone option is desirable for people who are already undergoing therapy or seek therapy separately from rehab. It is also a good option for people who become addicted from experimentation and do not have high-risk factors, such as self-medicating for anxiety or depression.
There is also drug rehab that includes mental health care. Some drug rehab centers offer additional specialties such as gender-specific treatment and dual diagnoses.
Residential detox services, hospital residential detox, or outpatient detox are for people who need detox services for any substance. An alternative is to go through residential or hospital residential detox and then transfer to outpatient detox.
Other possible options are residential care, intensive outpatient care, and outpatient treatment. You can choose from short-term residential care with a 12-step program or long-term residential care with 24-hour care ranging from six to 12 months. Physical activities, nutrition, and other educational courses are included. Outpatient treatment allows clients to attend the same therapy sessions throughout the week but while living at home. For people with physical health issues that need monitoring in a hospital setting, partial hospitalization or hospital residential treatment is best.
Regardless of your particular treatment needs, you can find an appropriate rehab program to help you get on the road to recovery. The first steps involve admitting you have a problem and reaching out for help from a trusted Maryland drug rehab.
