How Rehab Centers in Arkansas Can Address State’s Drug Addiction Epidemic
Arkansas currently has the 25th highest drug death rate in the U.S., and drug abuse rates are continuing to climb. John Kirtley, director of Arkansas’ Pharmaceutical Board, says 400 overdose deaths occur in Arkansas every year, and that the amount of drugs accumulated by the state’s Drug Take-Back Program reflects the severity of the current drug addiction epidemic. At present, the state plans on addressing its drug epidemic through better use of its prescription monitoring program, and with help from rehab centers in Arkansas.
If you or someone you know lives in Arkansas and battling addiction, know that it’s never too late to get help. Call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to learn more about your rehab options, and to locate rehab centers in Arkansas that can help you become happier, healthier, and drug-free.
Arkansas Communities Face Ongoing Drug Abuse Problems
Educational programs can help residents of Arkansas avoid illicit drug use.
Eighteen-year-old Albert Speed had the second-highest PSAT scores at Little Rock Central High School, and had plans to major in engineering at Columbia University. After exhibiting addiction warning signs that included anger, lack of enthusiasm, and marijuana abuse, Speed died in 2006 from a lethal combination of methadone and Xanax. This is just one heartbreaking story of how drug abuse and addiction has affected Arkansas families and communities, says one local news source.
Kirtley says that earlier this year in April, the state’s Drug Take-Back Program was successful at collecting thousands of pounds of prescription drugs. Six months later, the state collected near the same amount of drugs. While these numbers show that Arkansas’ Drug Take-Back Program is successful, Kirtley says the numbers are staggering, and that Arkansas turns in more drugs than neighboring states Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.
DEA Special Agent Matthew Barden says addiction rates are at an all-time high because people assume prescription drugs are safe for anyone to take. However, many fail to understand that taking non-prescribed drugs can drive addicts to pursue more lethal, potent drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil. Barden says most people who become addicted to heroin admit to having become hooked on pain medications first.
What Arkansas Rehab Centers Can Do To Help
Rehab centers throughout Arkansas are specialized in treating most types of addictions, including heroin and opioid addiction. Patients who join rehab programs can not only overcome addiction, but receive ongoing education about prescription drug abuse, addiction, and addiction prevention. According to Barden, prevention starts early with education.
After enrolling into rehab, patients go through detoxification to remove all traces of drugs and illicit substances from their bodies. This phase, also known as detox, allows patients to become healthier and achieve sobriety before beginning the counseling and therapy stages of treatment. Patients may experience one or more minor to severe withdrawal symptoms throughout detox, or receive medication-assisted treatments that help reduce drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Rehab centers in Arkansas can effectively address the state’s drug addiction epidemic by lowering overdose death rates and crime rates, as well as healthcare costs and incarceration costs. The education programs offered at most rehab centers can help fuel knowledge about addiction throughout the state’s communities, and prevent residents from turning to illicit drugs.
If you live in Arkansas and are currently struggling with addiction, call our helpline at 888-414-2380 to learn more about your rehab options. Our caring treatment specialists can help you find rehab centers in Arkansas that will guide you along the path to improved health, happiness, and lifelong sobriety.
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