The cost of substance abuse helps bring into perspective the huge gains that can be made both personally and communally. While the cost of addictions can include the loss of a job, family separation, medical problems, and a deep hole to climb out of, the successful path to recovery is full of positive insights, beautifully humble realizations, and the strong feeling that staying centered over the course of time can bring. Separating the things that you need to fix, at first seems daunting, but just as we have done throughout our lives we face the obstacles and change our actions to remove them.
The cost of substance abuse and Atlanta Outpatient Treatment Programis often placed in statistics and we know statistics do not tell the whole story by a long shot, however it can still illuminate what is the perceived cost. While there are many organizations that are involved with substance abuse, none of them can cover all the aspects that substance abuse entails. But let’s start with a fairly well cited stat. Placing dollar figures on the problem, drug use alone cost this country about $180 billion in crime, productivity loss, health care, incarceration, and drug enforcement (Analysis by The Lewin Group, 2004). That is about $600 for every woman, child and man in the US. When combined with alcohol and tobacco costs, they exceed $500 billion. That is about $1,666 for every woman, child and man in the US. That amount of money could be used for many other things. Remember the adage, “There are only two things that are certain in this world: death and taxes. “? Well if we could miraculously end addiction we could take that money and pay Washington for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, NASA, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.
As much as we all like the federal government, wouldn’t you rather visualize a person receiving that money each year? For example, a family of four would get $6,666. Therefore, they would be able to send both kids to private school since the average tuition for all private schools, elementary and secondary, is $3,116. Of course knocking $550 off your mortgage or rent sure has a sweet appeal to it also
Whether you are dealing with alcohol or drug abuse, the first thing you need to do in order to treat these addictions is to admit that you have a problem and you need help. Individuals are different and they respond in a different manner to treatments; therefore, it is necessary that you first get examined by medical staff and that you discuss your problems with a therapist to determine the best cure for you.
Your therapist will most likely recommend you one of the following types of treatments or he/she may combine these practices into one unique therapy suited for you.
Atlanta Outpatient Treatment Program is primarily centered on identifying the factors
That has led to your addiction and trying to dismantle them. Light drug addictions are often cured through outpatient methods. The patient does not receive hospitalization, but comes to the clinic for several hours a day to discuss the problems that have caused him to take up drugs with a therapist. While this method works very well with young addicts who haven’t used heavy drugs, the treatment may be a little bit too easy for those that have had such habits for a long time.
Outpatient treatments are often combined with anonymous meetings because the patient learns to acknowledge his/her problems in front of a large group of people. Furthermore, the members of these groups have the chance to observe the behavior of other drug addicts and learn from their mistakes. Although this cure hasn’t really proved to be very effective on its own, anonymous meetings offer good support for narcotics because they can thus, make new friends that understand their sufferings and are motivated by the same desire: to give up destructive habits.
Drug replacement therapy is usually recommended to severe addictions, especially for patients who have been using cocaine or heroin and the withdrawal symptoms are generally very painful for them. This recovery program presupposes the replacement of illegal drugs with methadone at first and then, the gradual transition to lighter substances that can help the patient get over his need for heroin.
The most efficient and long-lasting method remains, however, the residential drug rehabs. Patients are thus carefully observed by therapists who get to know their problems better and to direct them towards new hobbies and life skills that can help them forget their addiction. If you know people who need help dealing with drugs, residential drug rehab clinics are the places you want them to be.
