The general assumption when it comes to drug addiction and Alaska is that there are fewer addicts. After all, Alaska is a remote section of the world. People who live in remote areas can go days without seeing another human being. Most people assume that finding drugs in Alaska would be extremely difficult. In fact, many of the people who move to Alaska are recovering addicts who are hoping that the state will provide them with the fresh start they are looking for. The reality is that the number of drug addicts in Alaska is frighteningly high. The use of illegal drugs is higher in Alaska than in any other state. The general theory is that the reason drug use in Alaska is so high is due to the sheer stress of living in the state, and also because the state attracts a personality type that is both stubborn and prone to addiction, such as recovering addicts. With so many different communities throughout the state, it can be difficult to find the right kind of help for an addiction or substance abuse problem. Many communities do not always have direct access to treatment options but will have to travel to locations where help can be found. Many different forms of drug problems do exist in Alaska boroughs and cities, and people both young and old are at risk of becoming addicted to these drugs.
Are you wondering what would be the best drug rehab and alcohol treatment in Alaska? Is going to treatment out of Alaska a better option? What is the difference between a short-term residential treatment and a long term drug rehab center?
Addicted.org has access to a database of over 4000 outpatient, detox, residential, and even no-cost drugs and alcohol centers in North America and one of them would fit your needs. By contacting one of our counselors, who are trained to conduct general assessments over the phone, they can provide you with a plan of recovery that will have the maximum chance of success. We have helped thousands of people across North America recover from the grips of addiction. Here is the good news, there is a treatment program that is right for you. We have a team of certified caring counselors who will help you take your own decision for the best alcohol or drug rehab. A decision that you feel has the best chance of success. The first counselor you will be in contact with will be assigned to you throughout your journey to sobriety. When you call addicted.org, we consider every case an urgent situation.
Long-Term Drug Rehab Services in Alaska
Substance abuse in Alaska has always been a long-standing problem, and the long-term drug rehab centers who are available in the state, do help countless people who are struggling with addiction. Most people who do seek out treatment in Alaska are men, with it being over 60%. Ever since 2010, the state of Alaska has been among the 10 states with the highest rate of drug dependency. This statistic looked at the state population between the ages of 12 and 17, which was also the largest age group being admitted to drug and alcohol treatment. Long-term drug rehab centers in Alaska will be any program that does last more than 30 days. There are numerous benefits with long-term drug treatment, and these types of programs are typically residential programs. When you attend a long-term drug treatment program, you can focus on identifying the destructive habits and patterns connected to your addiction. Because you will be staying at the facility for quite some time, you will have ample opportunity to address the underlying problems connected to the addiction. Through the counseling process at a long-term drug rehab center, you can identify and eliminate these patterns. When this happens, it can truly wake a person up to the possibility of living a sober lifestyle.
There are many commonly abused drugs within the state of Alaska, and this does include marijuana, prescription drugs, amphetamines, and cocaine. The largest group of people being admitted for treatment for marijuana use are those between the ages of 12 and 17. Prescription-drug abuse is primarily done by females, along with amphetamines and cocaine. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2017, that there were over 102 deaths because of opioids in Alaska. This will include prescription opioids and synthetic illegal opioids. When you consider the population of Alaska, there are 13.9 deaths per 100,000 persons. Heroin use in the state has been on the decline, but many deaths can be attributed to synthetic opioids. An addiction that does involve street drugs or prescription drugs does require detox and long-term drug treatment. A long-term drug rehab center can offer the time needed to treat these addictions. However, many addicts in Alaska may not have the opportunity to access help, or will simply not ask for help. It is important for family and friends to intervene and help their loved ones find the right type of drug treatment they need for their addiction.
While taking a tough stance against the use of illegal drugs is a good idea, there are several things that the state really needs to focus on if they are serious about dealing with the drug problem. The first thing the state needs to do is to make sure that the younger generations do not become tomorrow's addicts. The best way to do this is by making sure that not only do the schools have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to the use of drugs, but also that they have access to drug education programs. When kids understand how different their future will be if they allow drugs to become a part of their lives, they are less likely to start using.
The most important thing the state of Alaska needs to do if they wish to see a decrease in their drug problem is making sure that the current batch of drug addicts gets the help they need. Considering the number of addicts that currently call the state home, Alaska's drug treatment program is lacking. Currently, the state has a sufficient number of residential drug rehabilitation programs, and many patients are unable to attend regular outpatient do the remoteness of the area where they live. The more effort the state puts into creating residential drug therapy programs, particularly long term programs, the easier it is going to be for the state to start managing their drug problem.
Long-Term Drug Treatment Methods
Each inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program in the state of Alaska will utilize different methods to help their clients. This does include twelve-step modalities and traditional forms of counseling. Counseling services can include group and individual therapy, and other forms of support to help clients discover the reasons why they began abusing drugs and alcohol.
The Cost of 60 to 120-Day Drug Rehabilitation
Each type of drug treatment facility within the state of Alaska will come at different costs, but patients and their families may be able to use their health insurance to help offset costs. Other inpatient treatment centers, which are long-term will be capable of providing low-cost or free treatment, while other facilities will be self-payment.
Alcohol Long-Term Rehab in Alaska
Alaska is unfortunately known for its struggles with alcohol abuse. For whatever reason, the remote and often secluded portion of the United States is home to many people who consume alcohol at an alarming rate, to the degree that it’s almost become a way of life. To demonstrate this, we’ll use a comparison between the United States average and that of Alaska when it comes to alcohol-induced mortality. Keep in mind this doesn’t include fatalities due to accidents or homicides, but rather an illness and disease resulting from long-term alcohol abuse. The United States average is 9.6 people per 100,000 for this category, per the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. In 2017, Alaska experienced 19.8 alcohol-induced deaths per 100,000 people. And when it comes to Alaska Native people, the rate is over 6 times higher at 67.9 per 100,000. Clearly, this is a massive problem. But alcohol abuse is notoriously difficult to treat, and many who enter treatment for it don’t find the treatment adequate and relapse. This is where long term treatment comes into play since it gives the person enough time to fully withdraw from alcohol and learn the life skills necessary to maintain recovery despite the availability and acceptance of alcohol. Long term drug treatment is aimed at helping a person resolve the underlying issues that drive them to use alcohol to cope. It’s particularly effective for those who’ve tried other treatments before and not found success.
Specialized Long-Term Drug Treatment in Alaska
Addicts will be able to seek out specific forms of treatment within the state of Alaska, and this can also include aftercare programs, once a client has completed treatment. Inpatient treatment centers in the state providing 60 to 120-day programs are equipped to help men, women, and adolescents, along with members of the military, and addicts struggling with DUI and DWI charges.
Addiction Assessments Will Help Locate Rehabilitation Facilities in Alaska
If addicts and their families are unable to locate the right type of help in the state, they may want to go through with an addiction assessment. This process involves trained professionals in the field who can assess the needs of an addict and direct them to suitable facilities, which can help treat their substance abuse and or addiction problems. Drug and alcohol treatment facilities in the state of Alaska include multiple outpatient programs, where an addict can attend drug treatment on a daily basis. These programs can be short-term facilities or can operate as an intensive long-term program on an outpatient basis. For more in-depth drug and alcohol treatment, most addicts will turn to some form of residential drug treatment. Residential programs operate throughout the state of Alaska and are able to help addicts through long-term care and short-term; the length of stay is determined by what the addict is looking to accomplish with their treatment.
Drug and Alcohol Detox Options in Alaska
Substance abuse treatment resources in the state include various options to help treat all forms of addiction and drug abuse problems. In most cases, an addict will look to turn to a detox program, which will initially help an addict through the withdrawals, helping them prepare for drug and alcohol rehabilitation once withdrawn. Drug and alcohol detox services in the state of Alaska include programs where Suboxone and Buprenorphine are used in the treatment process. These particular drugs are typically used to help opiate addicts. Other detox services in the state include traditional detox, prior to entering into rehabilitation and medical detox programs, where addicts can be medically withdrawn off the drugs and or alcohol they are taking.
Specific Drug Rehabilitation Programs in Alaska
As addiction and substance abuse change, more care that is specialized is needed to help addicts and their families through a difficult time. Within the state of Alaska are faith-based drug treatment programs, drug rehabilitation specifically by gender and age, services for military personnel, Indian/Native drug treatment, and holistic programs that help addicts and people battling substance abuse. Addicts and their families will also be able to find drug and alcohol rehab delivering programs in different languages, such as Spanish for example. If an addict is struggling with HIV or AIDS, or a woman is pregnant and requires drug treatment, they will be able to locate services in the state of Alaska to help their situation. Many of the programs in the state are able to accept different forms of health insurance, while other facilities are private, and some operate as low-cost and or are free. Finding the right help is possible in the state of Alaska, and an addict does not have to struggle with addiction for the rest of their life.
Drug Rehabilitation Services for Adults in Alaska
Drug and alcohol treatment centers in the state of Alaska primarily operate out of the larger cities and communities. Many of the drug rehab programs for adults will be able to treat all severities of substance abuse. Some addicts will want to attend gender-specific programs, such as a facility only for men, or one that treats women. Substance abuse is difficult to go through, and it is not uncommon for many addicts to make more than one attempt at treatment. Opioid addiction is an on-going issue throughout the state, but for men and women over 21 struggling with addiction, they can find the help they need. Drug treatment centers for adults in Alaska will either be an outpatient service or an inpatient program providing short-term or long-term rehabilitation options. Many people in the state of Alaska struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. It can be difficult for parents with loved ones who are addicted, and in many cases, an intervention is done to help them get into a drug rehab program in the state.
Gender-Specific Drug Rehabilitation Services in Alaska
Because of the diverse landscape throughout Alaska, gender-specific rehabilitation programs may only be found in the larger cities and communities. For example, a woman-only drug treatment center will often operate out of a residential facility. This type of program can provide specific support and counseling for women who are battling an addiction. Many drug rehabilitation programs for men often act as a halfway house or a transition home for male addicts who have been released from prison. When choosing a drug and alcohol treatment program in Alaska, it will be important to contact more than one type of facility. Gender-specific drug rehab in Alaska may also include different types of therapy and rehabilitation for men or women. Substance abuse can impact someone at any point in his or her life, and it will be important to get the right help. Addiction referral agencies can help addicts, and their families find a proper gender-specific program.
Alaska Drug Facts and Statistics
Despite its remote location in comparison with the rest of the United States, Alaska has one of the highest illegal drug use rates - a fact indicated by a 2003 survey conducted by National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Due to the difficulty of bringing in certain drugs, such as cocaine, Alaska has become a true breeding ground for drug traffickers and dope peddlers seeking to capitalize by selling their drugs at much higher profit rates.
Most of the drug cartel is controlled by Mexican drug organizations, but they are other drug trafficking organizations from the lowers states who are also responsible for providing other drugs such as methamphetamines, "club drugs" (Ecstasy, LSD, etc.) and heroin. Its proximity to Canada has made it a hub for drug transits as well as rendered some other drugs to be readily available, such as marijuana, which has large distributions from British Columbia, a province notorious for its "BC Bud", which is clearly a contributing factor to the marijuana being the most abused drug in the state of Alaska.
Common to the other states, Alaska's methamphetamine problem is becoming increasingly difficult and has replaced heroin as the drug of abuse. This is largely attributed to the fact that meth is easily available and cheap in the state, and because it is easily smuggled into the state through the courier or parcel services.
Methamphetamine addiction is a rapidly growing problem in the state of Alaska. Officials are still discovering small meth labs all over the state. There is also a meth importation issue that affects Alaskans. Methamphetamine is shipped from the western part of the United States into Alaska.
Meth is a very dangerous, often lethal drug to be addicted to. It poses a big threat because of the permanent physical and psychological harm it brings to the addicts. Hallucinations, paranoia, violent behavior are just a few of the symptoms that come from long-term abuse of methamphetamine.
Crack cocaine remains the most trafficked drug in the state. There are various groups that smuggle cocaine in the state of Alaska. The cocaine that is gotten through the state borders is sometimes sold for a very high price on the streets. The distribution throughout the state usually starts from the major cities such as Anchorage and Fairbanks, and from those points, it spreads out to rural areas and even isolated fishing villages.
Here is a list of the different drug treatment programs in Alaska. The list can be incomplete so please do not hesitate to contact one of our treatment specialists at 1-800-304-2219.
