Norman Treatment Centers

Addiction is recognized as a chronic mental illness and must be treated as such. This means that treatment options have to be found that are suitable for each individual, rather than a one size fits all solution. Furthermore, it is important that people understand that, as with any chronic illness, relapse is common. The most important thing of all, however, is that treatment is made available, something that Norman, OK public health officials are working very hard on.

Statistics on Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Norman, OK

Unfortunately substance abuse is of significant concern in Oklahoma as a whole. It is believed that some 140,000 people in the state need treatment for alcohol problems and 21,000 need to be treated for drug addiction. Furthermore, there are an estimated 20,000 teens who require treatment as well.

Another significant concern is that of prescription drug abuse, which is endemic in the state. In fact, the leading cause of death by injury is unintentional poisoning, meaning that more people die from this than what they do from vehicular accidents.

In 2014, the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment Survey demonstrated that 5% of children in 8th grade had used prescription drugs in the past month. In Cleveland County alone, where Norman is a part of, there were 145 hospital admissions in 2012 relating to substance abuse, and each individual required an average of four days of treatment. The cost of this, and all other costs associated with substance abuse, are believed to be around $7 billion per year for the state as a whole.

Fortunately, if you are suffering from a drug or alcohol dependency or addiction, help is out there for you. In Norman, you could consider:

• The Norman Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center
• Better Place Recovery Services
• Alcohol Training & Education

Getting Help in Norman, OK

Usually, addicted people do not get the help that they need until they go through an intervention. After that, they will have to enter detox, which means that their body becomes clean of all remnants and toxins still there. This is an uncomfortable albeit rarely dangerous period of time, during which patients are most likely to give up and return to drugs. Doing so also puts them at heightened risk of overdose, however, which is why detox should always be medically supervised.

After detox, rehab commences. This can be offered on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on the needs of the individual. During rehab, patients receive individual and group counseling and, if appropriate, family therapy to rebuild bonds and develop a support network. The intensity and type of treatment depends on the needs of the individual and the type of rehab facility someone attends.

Once rehab has been completed, patients have to stand on their own two feet again. This is why good treatment facilities also include intensive aftercare as part of their program. During this time, patients can continue to receive therapy and other forms of support, thereby significantly reducing the chance of them having a relapse. However, a relapse does not mean that treatment wasn't successful, only that it needs re-intensifying.