Georgia Drug Rehabilitation: Rehab and Recovery
Drug abuse is becoming a major epidemic in the United States. This is happening everywhere, including Georgia. Because it is in a central location, many illegal substances are prevalent in this area. Luckily for those that live there, a variety of treatment options are available. Let’s take a look at the substances that are in this area as well as the Georgia drug rehabilitation programs.
Georgia is located in an area that is prime ground for a variety of drug trafficking. Arrests have been made and numerous kilos of Columbian Cocaine have been seized at the ports of Wilmington, Charleston and Savannah. Cocaine has also been transported into the area in tractor trailers with hidden compartments as well as private vehicles. Once into the state, dealers have converted the cocaine to crack. Heroin is widely available and while statewide use has remained stable, it is on the rise in major metro areas such as Atlanta. Methamphetamine has increased in the population, and the presence of laboratories has sprung up throughout Georgia. It is becoming a large problem in Atlanta, Dalton, and Gainesville.
Ecstasy and vitamin K have been found in groups of young adults, mainly during school functions, night clubs, gyms, and college campuses. LSD has been coming in from the West Coast by packages shipped via the United States Post Office. Marijuana is the most commonly abused substance and is generally brought in from Mexico and the south border, although many outside crops have sprung up as well. Not only that but prescription drug abuse is a major issue, with people shopping around to find doctors that will prescribe pain pills. These would include narcotics such as Valium, Xanax, Percoden, and Demerol. With the a large amount of drugs available there is a need for Georgia to have a variety of drug rehabilitation programs.
Ninety percent of patients that receive treatment due so in an outpatient capacity as there are not enough room in the Georgia drug rehabilitation centers. There are several treatment options available. The most known one is the 12 step program. This program is used by both alcoholics and drug addicts. The focus is on faith and willpower with meetings available every day all over the country. When a person slips or relapses they must repeat the steps until they are on the right path. Forgiveness is part of the process and this helps to free one from negative relationships from one’s childhood that cause stress into the adult years.
Dual Diagnostic Disorder centers operate under the belief that addiction is a mental health disease of the brain and is caused by chemical imbalances found there. The goal is to restore this balance with the use of very strong medications. These drugs can have severe and dangerous side effects. Another option is Drug Replacement Therapy. This is used mainly for opiate abusers; opiates are found in heroin and narcotic pain medications. The drug methadone has commonly been used, although newer drugs are becoming available. The goal is to use the medication during the detoxification process and then to wean the individual off. The most recent treatment option is Biophysical Treatment. This program believes that addiction is both a physical and emotional issue. It is an inpatient program that offers drug free detoxification and counseling to help addicts overcome their addiction.
The goal of all Georgia drug rehabilitation programs is to get the individual off the drugs and back to a normal life. Programs should be chosen on an individual basis to see what works best for that person. Illegal substances are wide spread in the United States. If people weren’t using the drugs there wouldn’t be a need for them. Stop the drug trade, stop the addiction, and start living.
Dual diagnosis is pretty common for drug addiction patients because at my job I’ve seen a lot of people that also have a bipolar or major depressive disorder diagnosis in the charts.