Nebraska Addiction Treatment and Info

Although the rates of substance abuse and addiction in Nebraska are quite high, most local residents abuse alcohol and methamphetamine. This is in spite of the fact that the state has many professional addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in place to aid addicts.

Addiction in Nebraska

The NSDUH - the National Survey on Drug Use and Health - for 2015 and 2016 reported that substance abuse was on the rise in Nebraska. In particular, alcohol abuse was a major problem in the state. It was closely followed by meth use and abuse.

The statistics for this state included:

• 8 percent of local residents above the age of 18 years abused illicit drugs such as marijuana, which amounted to about 123,000 people
• 1.49 percent of residents within this age group - about 21,000 people - abused cocaine

The abuse of meth, however, has climbed to the second place coming in after alcohol. in 2015, the total number of local residents who were enrolled in a professional addiction treatment program was higher than those in other years since 2000. Further, over 93 percent of all drug related legal prosecutions in the state were linked to methamphetamine.

Commonly Abused Substances in Nebraska

But which drugs are abused most frequently by the residents of Nebraska? Consider the following information:

1. Alcohol

The main substance abuse problem in the state is linked to binge drinking. This issue is so expansive that a recent news report stated that Nebraska was the 9th drunkest state in the Union.

Further, the rates of binge drinking in this state were higher than those reported at the national level. For instance, more than 31 percent of adults reported that they had engaged in this harmful form of alcohol abuse within the month prior to a recent study. This percentage was equal to about 438,000 people. During the same period, the figure at the national level was 26.54 percent.

Alcohol is also responsible to close to 70 percent of all admissions in addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in the state. Other studies report that more than 300 residents lose their life while another 4000 are hospitalized due to issues linked to alcohol.

By 2016, the state made 7311 arrests linked to driving while drunk. The same year, it reported 1708 motor vehicle crashes. Of this number, 37.2 percent turned out to be linked to alcohol. that year alone, Nebraska lost over $174 million to these accidents.

The Native American population of Nebraska is particularly affected by alcohol, as well as all related conditions including death. From a recent state epidemiological profile, the rates of death linked to this substance among these people were 6 times as high as other populations. The same report stated that the deaths arising from chronic liver disease due to excessive Nebraska consumption in this group was 14 times as high as those suffered by other populations.

In 2010, a total of 9729 people entered a drug rehab program for abusing alcohol as their primary intoxicating substance. Another 2580 people received similar treatment for abusing alcohol alongside another substance of abuse.

2. Cocaine

The same year, a total of 315 people were enrolled in a professional recovery program for smoking cocaine. Another 112 people received similar services for ingesting the drug through other routes of administration.

3. Marijuana

Marijuana was responsible for 1070 admissions in a drug rehab program in Nebraska in 2010. Of this number, 35 percent were female while the remaining 65 percent were male. This made marijuana the drug that was 2nd most commonly cited among drug rehab admissions in the state.

4. Amphetamines and Methamphetamines

Most of the admissions into a drug rehab program in Nebraska are linked to meth. In 2010, for instance, a total of 1191 people were enrolled in these programs for abusing methamphetamine and developing amphetamine dependence as a result. Of this number, 51.6 percent were female while the remaining 48.4 percent were male. People between the ages of 26 and 30 comprised the largest population among these patients.

5. Prescription Drugs

In 2010, a total of 396 people checked into a professional addiction treatment and recovery center as a result of abusing opioids other than heroin - such as fentanyl and prescription opioid medications.

Drug Related Fatalities and Injuries in Nebraska

The main drug of abuse in Nebraska. This is to such an extent that the Omaha Metro Drug Task Force has reported that ice methamphetamine from Mexico continues penetrating local communities and leaving ruin and havoc in its wake.

This drug is relatively affordable and easily obtainable. As a result, it is often the substance of choice for many people. It has also been linked to property and violent crimes in the state.

That said, Nebraska lost 92 lives as a direct result of substance abuse in 2007. The same year, 284 people were killed in motor car accidents while incidents involving firearms claimed 142 lives.

Often, criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations from Mexico transport drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine across the state before they are distributed from Mexico and the American southwestern region.

To this end, it is not exactly surprising that cocaine and meth are the main drug threats in Nebraska. Most of the cocaine available in the state is often converted into crack cocaine - a drug that has also been linked to spurts of violent crime in the area.

Addiction Prevention in Nebraska

Although there are different addiction prevention programs in place, Nebraska has been prioritizing three issues. Healthcare professionals and lawmakers in the state have joined the national fight against the ongoing opioid epidemic. Further, Nebraska has been trying to address and reduce the rates of alcohol abuse and addiction among its residents. Finally, state legislatures are striving to reduce the production and abuse of meth.

Nebraska has made some progress in reducing the prescription of opioids in excess. This is partly due to existing laws that are quite strict on the matter. The following are some of the opioid prevention measures that are now part of local law in the state:

• All patients aged 18 years and younger have a 7-day limit on every opioid prescription they receive from their doctors
• Physicians are required to counsel their patients about alternative treatments before writing a prescription for an opioid medication
• The state has changed its pharmacy procedures such that all patients have to show photo identity before filling their prescriptions for opioids

Federal regulations regulated the sale of pseudoephedrine across the United States. As a result, there are fewer meth labs around the country, including in states like Nebraska where this drug is popular.

That said, a total of 252 meth labs were seized and closed in 2005. By 2016, this number had shot down to 3. However, it is unfortunate that the measures put in place to prevent the manufacture of this drug has not helped reduce its use. Most of the meth that is available in Nebraska is imported from Mexico.

Addiction Treatment in Nebraska

The TEDS - the Treatment Episode Data Set - report for 2010 showed that a total of 15729 people were enrolled in an alcohol and drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation program that year. Of this number, 28 percent were female while the remaining 72 percent were male.

Among people enrolling in these programs, stimulants such as methamphetamine are the most commonly cited substances of abuse. For instance, this category of drugs was responsible for close to 33 percent of all admissions into a treatment center. Marijuana also came close at 33 percent too.

While the rates of substance abuse among Americans in the past month were reported to be 8 percent, these rates for Nebraska were at 6 percent. This goes to show just how serious the drug and alcohol consumption problem has become in the state.

If you are already addicted to substances of abuse, it might be difficult for you to find the right drug rehab program to attend. This is because Nebraska offers many options. However, you might want to ask some questions to help you locate the ideal treatment facility. Examples of these questions include:

• Does the facility have the right accreditations and licenses?
• Does the program offer treatment that is focused on the particular needs of specific demographics, such as women, men, LGBTQ clients, Native Americans, Spanish speaking clients, and so on?
• How long, on average, will the program last?
• How much with the program cost me in the short and in the long term?
• Is it possible to receive financial aid through the recovery program?
• Which therapies are available through this program?

By getting answers to these questions, you will have a better understanding of the features and offerings of the program that you are interested in. you can then use this information to help you select an option that may be able to meet your particular needs and requirements in the best way possible.

That said, the following are some of the recovery services that are offered at most addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in the state as well as anywhere else across the United States:

i) Assessments

To be able to benefit from the treatments provided, you will first have to go through some examinations, assessments, and evaluation. The goal of this process is to determine the exact nature and extent of your substance abuse and addiction. It can also uncover any other co-occurring medical and mental health disorders that you may also be struggling with.

ii) Medical Detox

At the end of your assessment, you might be asked to go through medically supervised detoxification. This process is essential during the first few weeks of your recovery. This is because it will help you overcome your physical dependence as your body gets rid of the drugs and alcohol you used to abuse - as well as their resultant toxins.

In this process, you may suffer some withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings, and they may turn out be more severe than you might have anticipated. The medical detox team will manage these symptoms and cravings while teaching you relapse prevention methods to ensure that you do not start abusing drugs again.

iii) Inpatient Drug Rehab

After completing detox, you will have to choose between inpatient and outpatient treatment. this is because you still need to continue working on overcoming your psychological, behavioral, and emotional dependence on the substances that you used to take.

Inpatient drug rehab is recommended if you have a severe addiction or if you were also diagnosed with other co-occurring medical and mental health disorders. You will live at the treatment center for a period of time, which could be anywhere between 30 and 90 days or even longer.

iv) Outpatient Drug Rehab

The other option would be outpatient addiction treatment. this recovery service is offered on an outpatient basis. This effectively means that you will not be required to live at the treatment center. Instead, you can visit the facility several times each week for a couple of hours each time.

Outpatient treatment is recommended if you have a mild or new addiction, no co-occurring disorders, or if you have already been through an inpatient drug rehab program. It might also work well if you need to continue meeting your responsibilities at home, school, or work - and these responsibilities would make it impossible for you to seek inpatient help.

Whether you go for inpatient or outpatient drug rehab, the following are some of the services that you may be able to enjoy in the course of your recovery from addiction in Nebraska:

• 12 step and non-12 step support group meetings
• Addiction education
• Aftercare programming
• Alumni services
• Behavioral therapies
• Complementary therapies, such as massage, yoga, art therapy, meditation, equine therapy, acupuncture, and journaling
• Dual diagnosis addiction treatment
• Exercise
• Family therapy
• Gender-specific therapy
• Individual counseling
• Life skills training
• Medication assisted treatment
• Nutrition education
• Stress management
• Vocational training

Getting Help

Irrespective of the nature or extent of your substance abuse and addiction, it is recommended that you seek help for this medical condition from a professionally managed and run addiction treatment and rehabilitation program in Nebraska or elsewhere.

CITATIONS

https://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/driving/alcohol/

https://www.carnevaleassociates.com/our-work/emerging-drug-trends-prevention-issue-brief.html

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-11/DIR-032-18%202018%20NDTA%20final%20low%20resolution.pdf

https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/news-statistics/emerging-drug-trends

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234579/

https://www.omaha.com/news/crime/as-nation-faces-opioid-epidemic-in-nebraska-and-iowa-meth/article_87acfe3a-4708-5207-9271-3a158dc66ece.html

https://www.samhsa.gov/samhsa-data-outcomes-quality/major-data-collections/state-reports-NSDUH-2016

https://www.shadac.org/publications/50-state-analysis-drug-overdose-trends-evolving-opioid-crisis-across-states

https://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2010/2.0_Drug_statistics_and_Trends.pdf

For more information about treatment centers in Nebraska, Click Here.