An alarming rate of those residing in the West Memphis, AR area continues to raise concern about substance abuse occurring in the county. In 2010-2011, Arkansas was identified in a report from The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program as one of the top ten states for illicit drug use and non-medical prescription drugs. Abuse of multiple substances including prescription drugs, synthetic marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamines, especially prescription painkillers, is on the rise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Those who abuse painkillers or “opioids” may not realize they are suffering from addiction before it is too late. Users often begin using opioid-based pain medications, but require increasingly larger amounts as they begin to develop a tolerance to the drug's effects. When they then stop taking the drugs, they suffer withdrawal and, ultimately, death. An Arkansas state epidemiological report identifies the reason people start using prescription drugs is because they are highly accessible. The same report states that people who begin abusing prescription drugs are prone to using street drugs later in life, including heroin. This is because prescription drugs become more expensive and people often turn to a cheaper substitute. This fact is reinforced by the regional director of the addiction treatment facility, Raymon Carson, who states that "what happens is, as the supply of pills gets smaller, people who are looking for that level will turn to types of increasingly dangerous consumption". Although prescription drug abuse (not prescribed to users) decreased in 2016 compared to 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that prescription rates for 9 Arkansas counties had rates of prescriptions higher than the total national average. Arkansas is second only to Alabama in opioid prescription rates and has 114.6 prescriptions per person, double the national average, according to TalkBusiness. The US Department of Justice has announced what it believes to be the largest anti-fraud action in the country. Department of Justice History. The article alleges that more than 120 people, including doctors and nurses, as well as other licensed medical professionals, allegedly participated in healthcare fraud schemes totaling $1.3 billion in distorted billings. The defendants were charged for their role in “prescribing and distributing opioids and other narcotics.” Attorney Patrick C. Harris said “prescription drug abuse, particularly opioids, is one of the largest health and crime problems Arkansas is facing.” A report from the Arkansas State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup identifies 11 of 15 causes of death in Arkansas. 2010 to be linked to substance abuse. According to ArkansasOnline, 612 drug-related arrests were made between 2017 and 2018. The National Drug Intelligence Center reported 8,861 entries into publicly funded treatment facilities in 2002, including users of amphetamines, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. In 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau identified Arkansas as having 3,004,279 residents. The county's median household income rate is $42,336, with 18.8% of individuals below the poverty level. Arkansas' preliminary unemployment rate is a remarkably low 3.7%.lower than in previous years. While a high unemployment rate is generally linked to higher rates of substance abuse (source: 12 Keys Rehab), this was clearly not the case in Arkansas County. The battle against substance abuse and addiction cannot be fought if addicts are not informed and receive help regarding their addiction. In case you or your loved ones are struggling with substance abuse, there are many resources available that you can use to provide them with the help they need. Over the past 15 years, Arkansas has seen a significant increase in its prison population, with most crimes being non-violent and those incarcerated being due to alcohol and drug abuse crimes. Individuals suffering from addiction may often resort to crimes such as robbery to support their habit. There are alternative programs to prison programs to which offenders can often be admitted, but in most cases the possibility of this happening is highly unlikely. Therefore, addicts should get help before doing something they otherwise would not do if it were not for the addiction. State-funded rehabilitation centers are available for those who cannot afford private rehabilitation. Most of these programs are tailored to individual needs and can provide excellent and professional support to all those admitted. 68 different treatment centers are listed online in Arkansas alone. It is helpful to conduct prior research before selecting a treatment center as some will have negative but honest online reviews. One of the main reasons drug addicts choose not to go to rehab is because it can be expensive. AlcoholRehab lists several reasons why an addict may choose not to go to rehab or to leave early, such as avoiding leaving early and why it is not beneficial for the patient to leave early. Another useful online resource is AddictionNoMore, a site that has a phone number that addicts can call to talk about their options or find more information about the type of rehab that is best for them. A list of free and low-cost rehab centers for all states, including Arkansas, is available on the website. The rehabilitation process can range from six months to a year and often involves the participation of Christian or charity volunteers at meetings. From now on, this article will discuss the processes and procedures that are involved once the addict has decided to go. to rehabilitate. The specific steps will vary from center to center, but the objective and main processes remain unanimous. The process can be broken down into four simple steps: Admission During admission, the person checking in will determine whether this is the right place for them. It is important at this stage to ask the rehab center questions or address any concerns you may have. The center will also ask the addict some questions and may require him or her to take some tests to determine how the program can best be customized for the individual. In this way, they can effectively satisfy any need of the addict. The questions asked by the clinic will likely help them learn about the stage of addiction the individual is in, history of use, and perhaps family history of substance abuse. The individual will want to ensure that the center they have chosen is the one that can help them and the one that is best suited to them. It is important to remember that there is no shortage of options and that they are free to opt out whenever they wish. Detoxification This phase of treatment serves to detoxify anysubstances remaining in the body. Some rehab centers will only admit patients if they have been sober for a certain period of time, but most will go through the detox phase. The individual may then be prescribed a “maintenance drug” to help them relieve withdrawal symptoms more comfortably. These cases are more common for those seeking help with drug or heroin addiction. The detox phase varies depending on body composition and metabolism, type of medication, dosage, and the length of time the individual has been using and ingesting other substances. Since the detox process can be potentially dangerous and serious, it is highly recommended that people seek professional help and advice instead of attempting it themselves at home. Withdrawal When an addict has ingested substances regularly over a long period of time, their body will adapt to having the drug in their system. Once detoxification from any traces of the drug is complete, the individual could potentially experience withdrawal symptoms, ranging from mild to extremely severe. Depending on varying circumstances such as the type of substance and individual tolerance levels, symptoms can begin to appear within hours. Typically during the withdrawal period, symptoms experienced may include: Suicidal thoughts/loss of the will to live Extreme tiredness Body cramps, including muscle pain Increased heart rate Insomnia Inability to concentrate Easily agitated Vomiting Hallucinations Heart attack Before hospitalization, a professional authorized person will examine the addict to determine the course of pharmaceutical or therapeutic action to be taken during the withdrawal period. Prescription drug and heroin users will often need the assistance of medications. The most commonly used drugs include methadone, buprenorphine, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. Be careful because these drugs can also cause addiction if abused: recovering heroin addicts can sometimes remain on methadone for the rest of their lives. However, individuals will be assessed beforehand so that the likelihood of replacing one addiction with another is greatly minimized. Therapy Once the withdrawal process has been completed and the individual's withdrawal symptoms have disappeared or become manageable, they will continue until therapy. Three types of therapy will occur at this stage of the treatment process: Individual therapy Group therapy Family therapy These therapy sessions effectively help the individual during the recovery process by discussing the reasons why they started using and the reasons why they started using abusing your favorite drug. Therapists will guide them through strategies to implement when they feel like relapsing, such as finding a new hobby, disconnecting from friends who may encourage use, and acquiring new interests. Patients will learn time management skills, to better optimize time during their daily lives so they can reduce the possibility of thinking about a relapse. The therapist will help the individual come up with a plan so that when faced with temptations or “triggers,” they can implement the plan and stay sober. Group therapy allows patients to communicate with each other, encouraging them to talk about their experiences with people who have had similar ones. A study by Flora M. Hammond suggests that group therapy is often more beneficial than individual therapy. The reason for this is that people feel comforted by the fact that they do not face their difficult situations alone and those who experience similar situations draw from each other.