Recovery is Possible for all who seek it
How Addiction Affects St. Louis, MO & Beyond
Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain that results in an intense and overwhelming compulsion to repeatedly use substances or engage in behaviors regardless of known harmful consequences. Addictions are responsible for the dissolution of marriages, the loss of friendships, unemployment, and a wide variety of adverse medical and mental health effects. Addictions, whether to alcohol, opioids, or other illicit drugs, kill thousands of Americans each year, and the impact on the lives of their loved ones is staggering. Combined, addictions to smoking, alcohol, or illicit drugs kill approximately twelve million people worldwide each year. More than half of those deaths involve males under age fifty.
Although global statistics are stunning, the statistics pertaining to addiction and overdose close to home are equally as alarming. In the United States, at least 21 million Americans (some as young as age twelve) struggle with at least one addiction. Unfortunately, of those, less than 10% will ever seek or receive potentially life-saving addiction treatment. More than half a million Americans have died in the last decade due to drug overdose. Also, more than 90% of those who struggle with an addiction today began to experiment with drugs or alcohol before turning eighteen.
The cost of drug addiction on the individual & the public
Facts & Statistics of Addiction in St. Louis, Missouri
Like many other large metropolitan cities in America, St. Louis continues to struggle with a growing drug problem. Data provided by the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health shows that drug overdose is the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States. St. Louis and the midwestern states experienced a significant rise in deaths related to opioid analgesics, also referred to as opioid painkillers or prescription painkillers. In 2017, St. Louis, in particular, was often referred to as “ground zero” or a “hot spot” for the heroin epidemic.
Unfortunately, the nickname did not come without evidence. As of 2017, drug-related deaths involving heroin use occurred at a rate of 88 per 100,000 residents. This exceeds the national death rate by more than 3.5 times. Most often, deaths related to heroin use occur in men between the ages of 25 and 44.
In addition to heroin, St. Louis struggles with overdose and other issues related to drug use as well. Heroin and prescription opioid/opiate drugs take center stage in the discussion surrounding drug overdose deaths. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Health, methamphetamine use is on the rise as well.
Like methamphetamine, the issues faced by residents in St. Louis related to cocaine and marijuana also frequently fall under the radar. However, the same National Institute on Drug Abuse and Health Study indicates that cocaine remains the city’s third most commonly used (and seized) drug. Yet, despite its presence in the city and the growing number of people facing addiction to cocaine, the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine-related addictions has steadily decreased over the last decade. Marijuana is the most frequently identified and seized substance, according to law enforcement officers in St. Louis. Unfortunately, like cocaine and other drugs, the numbers of individuals seeking treatment continue to decrease.
How to get help for substance abuse in Missouri
Finding a Drug & Alcohol Rehab Near St. Louis, MO
If you are ready to seek addiction treatment in Saint Louis, it is crucial to consider your specific treatment needs and goals. Although all addiction treatment centers strive to provide comprehensive, effective addiction treatment, not all addiction treatment centers are equipped to handle all levels of care. Depending on the severity, duration, and other specific factors related to your unique struggle with drugs or alcohol, it is essential to choose a treatment program where the treatment is trained to provide the particular care you require.
For example, suppose you struggle with an addiction to opioids. In that case, it is crucial to select a treatment program that provides medically assisted detox services to ensure you receive vital support and safety monitoring throughout detox and withdrawal. Unfortunately, the process of detoxing from opioid drugs is often challenging and can result in dangerous and even life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Choosing an inpatient rehab center like See Purpose in St. Louis, MO, ensures you will receive these necessary supports, such as consistently monitoring your vital signs and, if necessary, administering medications to help ease the severity and intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
Another important consideration when choosing an inpatient drug rehab center in St. Louis is the ability of the staff to provide care for dual diagnosis conditions. A dual diagnosis occurs when someone struggles with a substance use disorder and a mental health condition at the same time. Dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders occur more often than many realize. It is estimated that as many as fifty percent of individuals who struggle with a substance use disorder also struggle with a diagnosed (or undiagnosed) mental health condition. In many cases, someone struggling with mental health symptoms will turn to alcohol or drugs to reduce their severity and intensity.
Conversely, someone with a substance use disorder will frequently experience new or worsening mental health symptoms, which they continue to turn to substances to mitigate. Although there is little research clarifying one condition indeed causes the other, they are highly connected, and it is impossible (and not beneficial for the patient) to address one without addressing the symptoms and root causes of the other. Unfortunately, not all addiction treatment centers are specialized in treating dual diagnosis conditions. Therefore, if you are concerned about your mental health and how it is connected to your substance use, it is crucial to choose a treatment center such as See Purpose to ensure you receive the most comprehensive dual diagnosis care possible.
WHY SEE Purpose is Your Top Choice For Treatment
How Our Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center Near St. Louis Stands Out
At our drug and alcohol rehab near St. Louis, we understand that the decision to seek treatment can sometimes be challenging. It is difficult to acknowledge your struggle with drugs or alcohol and, in many cases, even more, challenging to accept the idea of leaving behind friends, family, and community to seek treatment away from home. For many who struggle with an ongoing substance use problem, inpatient residential treatment is the key to attaining and maintaining lasting sobriety. At our St. Louis rehab, our caring and compassionate treatment providers will work with you to create a uniquely designed drug and alcohol treatment program that addresses your specific treatment needs and goals.
Addiction is a disease unique to the individual. Although two people may share the same struggle, they are unlikely to share the same symptoms, and therefore cookie-cutter addiction treatment programs are simply not successful. To ensure the greatest opportunity for treatment success, your treatment program must address your specific physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. Using comprehensive, traditional evidence-based therapy techniques combined with alternative therapy models, our treatment team will help you learn more about the root causes of addiction and how addiction and mental health are related. Through various types of therapy, you will learn more about how to utilize safe and healthy coping strategies as you transition from the treatment environment to aftercare and beyond.
Begin Your Journey to Lasting Recovery
Get Help at Our Inpatient Drug Rehab Center in St Louis Area
The journey to recovery from addiction is typically not a straight line. There are inevitably bumps and setbacks along the way that will sometimes test your faith in your newfound sobriety. Coping strategies learned and the peer relationships forged during treatment and community support groups will help you meet these challenges head-on.
If you are ready to begin your sobriety journey, reach out to the team at See Purpose’s drug & alcohol addiction treatment center in Indiana that offers treatment to residents in St Louis and beyond. Let our caring and compassionate admissions staff help you learn more about our inpatient residential alcohol and drug rehab in the St. Louis area can provide the supportive environment you need to begin a life free of drugs or alcohol. The hold that addiction has on many is not likely to go away on its own. Let the staff at See Purpose help you defeat addiction today.
WE WORK WITH MOST INSURANCE PROVIDERS
At SEE Purpose, we work directly with your insurance company to verify what benefits will cover your addiction treatment expenses, in order to get the help you are seeking.
