Substance abuse has a way of isolating individuals, making them believe that they’re climbing an impossible mountain. It is imperative to remember, however, that no matter how discouraging the situation, options are waiting for you when you’re ready. This is why it is so important to be proactive about finding treatment.

Many people struggle with substance abuse in New Jersey. In 2017, 82,000 people were admitted to a substance abuse treatment facility. Not only that but more recently there has been a 700% increase in admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities. Of all of those who are impacted, the percentages include the following:

• 83% are single/divorced
• 22% are unemployed
• 12% are married
• 7% are homeless

Another alarming number also contributes to the madness, and that is some 2,000 students are suffering from addiction. There’s also the fact that the heroin overdose rate in New Jersey is three times the national average. What’s most alarming about all of this is the fact that there have been 14,000 deaths in New Jersey due to drug overdoses since 2004.

If there’s anything that can be gathered from all of this it’s that not all who wrestle with substance abuse come from the same walk of life. That being said, it is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all addiction treatment option.

It is best to do one’s research when trying to find a treatment facility that is best for them. In the digital age, we can look up reviews and testimonials quickly, which helps narrow down the search for a good treatment center tremendously. Not only that, but the right fit will also depend on what kind of programs are offered at a particular rehab facility.

Some treatment resources that are available in Paterson, New Jersey include the following:

• Inpatient treatment
• Outpatient treatment
• Detox treatment
• Anonymous support groups
• Therapy
• Dual diagnosis

Sometimes the one thing keeping someone from getting the help they deserve is the fact that they either aren’t aware of the available treatment options, or they don’t think it’s worth the investment. However, in Paterson, New Jersey there are many treatment resources to choose from.

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient rehab is what is referred to when someone who is struggling with addiction commits to a program in which they live in the care of a treatment facility for as long as they need to recover. This method is meant for more severe cases of addiction, and treatment could last anywhere between 28 days and six months. Patients who participate are given 24-hour access to professional medical personnel and daily/weekly access to professional therapists and psychiatrists.

Outpatient Treatment 

Outpatient rehab, in direct contrast with inpatient treatment, is meant to treat milder cases of addiction. These programs last anywhere between three months to over a year, allowing those who participate to recover while residing in the comfort of their own homes. This treatment method is great for those who either suffer from a less severe form of addiction or need help making a transition from residential care to the world outside the facility.

Detox Treatment 

One of the most difficult parts of substance abuse recovery is withdrawal. Drug and alcohol cravings take an insurmountable effort to overcome, but in addiction treatment, detox allows patients to wean themselves off of drugs or alcohol comfortably with the help of medicine.

Therapy, no matter which kind, has been known to have an enormous impact on one’s recovery journey. For some, it gives them just what they needed to help push them to where they want to go. That being said, it’s safe to assume that it is a significant part of recovery. However, therapy isn’t just someone sitting on a couch with a therapist asking them how they feel; it’s much more than that, and many different kinds of therapy work better for different people.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

To first make strides in any kind of therapy, it is imperative that therapists and psychiatrists alike seek to evaluate the root cause of symptoms they recognize in a patient. Cognitive-behavioral therapy does a great job in that regard. The purpose of this is to analyze someone’s psychological thought processes. This is done because those who can do so can examine how patients view the world around them, which leads them to follow through with whatever action is natural to their worldview.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that usually treats the following:

• Depression
• Substance abuse
• Borderline personality disorder
• PTSD

DBT works to help those who struggle with substance use disorder overcome their illnesses. Identifying a patient’s thought process is crucial to this method. Those who participate are also encouraged to use new coping strategies to combat their addiction.

Individual Therapy

The goal of therapy is to aid individuals who struggle from addiction so that they can improve their coping mechanisms. Therapists in individual therapy do this by providing a space that is safe for patients to disclose any sort of struggle regarding their emotional baggage. The reason this is done is that there are usually external factors that contribute to someone’s substance abuse issues.

Group Therapy

Patients who attend treatment need to call their addiction what it is, and for some, there’s no better way to do that than by surrounding themselves with others. Group therapy provides patients in treatment with a community that helps them feel as though they aren’t alone in their struggle with substance abuse.

During these sessions, like any other sort of therapy, patients discuss that which relates to their addiction. This structure allows each patient to share their thoughts with a facilitator present. This helps them because they can come together with a shared goal in mind, which motivates people to succeed.

Family Therapy 

Loved ones and family members are no strangers to the repercussions of addiction; this disease has a splatter effect that stains those closest to the individuals who are suffering directly. Family counseling is another kind of therapy that is exclusive to family members and loved ones so that they may be able to mend the broken pieces of their once-healthy relationship.

Dual diagnosis is what happens when someone is struggling with substance abuse and a mental health disorder at the same time. This does not mean that they are sequential, but that they are both taking place at the same time; one is not dependent on the other to exist.

This concept is sometimes difficult to grasp because of the likelihood of developing depression as a result of addiction; it is necessary to remember, however, that just because one exists, it does not mean that the other will follow. The origin of these two in a particular case of addiction may be completely unrelated.

Some studies suggest that more people suffer from a co-occurring disorder than the entire population of Georgia. In other words, more than 9 million people are suffering from a co-occurring disorder.

The total population of New Jersey sits somewhere between 8.9 and 9 million people according to a 2019 study. In the last decade, New Jersey has grown in population by 0.41%, meaning 8.7 million people were living in New Jersey in 2010. Newark, New Jersey holds the largest city population, at 281,944 people. Paterson trails behind sitting at 145,627, according to a 2017 study.

Diversity in New Jersey

In 2018, the racial composition of New Jersey was estimated at the following:

• White – 72%
• Hispanic – 20%
• Black or African American – 15%
• Asian – 10%

In Paterson, New Jersey specifically, the demographics are represented as follows:

• White: 29.34%
• Black or African American: 26.48%
• Two or more races: 4.72%
• Asian: 3.76%
• Native American: 0.12%
• Pacific Islander: 0.02%

Addiction is not a circumstance met with ease, and one of the hardest parts can be not knowing where to find treatment. In Paterson, New Jersey, there are options to meet your needs. At The Official North Jersey Recovery Center, we are committed to providing our patients with care that meets their individualized needs. If you or a loved one are suffering and would like more information, you can contact us here.