Chicago’s population is just over 2.7 million, a figure that is expected to surpass 3 million before 2020. While this growth in population has brought more jobs, entrepreneurs and wealth to the city, it is also connected to an increase in drug trafficking, substance use, and addiction. City officials are responding to this trend with addiction awareness campaigns and early intervention programs.
Addiction Treatment In Chicago
Professional addiction treatment offers the best chance for lifelong recovery. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration defines a full continuum of care to be most effective for treating severe or long-term addiction. This continuum of care consists of five levels of treatment that help to an individual progress through treatment and into recovery.
Chicago Intervention Services
Chicago intervention services can be a very valuable tool for families to reach out to loved ones about their addiction in a professional and compassionate manner. Professional intervention services have a high success rate of convincing the person to seek treatment.
Chicago Drug And Alcohol Detox
Medical detox services may be necessary for certain types of addiction. Substances like alcohol and opioids can cause such a severe chemical dependency in the body that it is dangerous to suddenly stop taking the drug. Chicago medical detox provides patients with a safe environment, support and round-the-clock monitoring by clinical professionals. Prescriptions may be utilized to prevent or minimize more severe withdrawal symptoms.
Chicago Residential Addiction Treatment
Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab is often the best choice for individuals who seek recovery. During inpatient addiction treatment, patients live at the treatment facility. This removes them from triggers and stressors they may otherwise be exposed to. Chicago inpatient addiction treatment programs come in many forms, offering a variety of treatment modalities and amenities to suit each patient’s unique needs.
Chicago Outpatient Addiction Treatment
Outpatient services for addiction treatment can include a wide variety of therapies. The core of any effective treatment program is behavioral therapy that teaches relapse-prevention skills and addresses underlying causes of the addiction. Some types of outpatient services may also use a holistic or spiritual approach to addiction treatment. When used as a transitional tool following completion of an inpatient program, Chicago outpatient drug rehab can be very effective in treating addiction.
Aftercare And Alumni Support Services
Aftercare services are a good option for people in early recovery who are returning home to their everyday lives. Chicago alumni services can provide a network of support consisting of other individuals who have also gone through addiction treatment. Alumni services can help connect people to recovery resources when needed.
How To Pay For Addiction Treatment
Treatment for drug and alcohol addiction can be expensive, but there are many ways to help reduce or cover the cost of treatment.
Most rehab facilities accept commercial insurance plans. Some commonly accepted insurances in Chicago include:
- Advantage Health Solutions
- Aetna
- Community Health Alliance
- Encore PPO
- Sagamore Health Network
- Cigna
- UnitedHealthcare Select Plus
- University of Chicago Health Plan
If a person does not have insurance coverage, they may benefit from a sliding-scale fee structure that determines the cost of rehab based on annual income. Some rehab facilities will also offer payment plans that can help make the overall cost of treatment more manageable. Payment plans will require a monthly or semi-annual payment for until the balance is paid in full.
Traveling For Addiction Treatment
The best addiction treatment center may not be located in a patient’s home state. For this reason, traveling out of state to participate in treatment is not uncommon for many individuals.
There are many benefits to traveling for addiction treatment, including:
- Increased anonymity and privacy
- New and fun locations that can offer a change in environment
- Distance from stress and triggers
- More options for treatment programs and therapies
- Increased independence and self-sufficiency
Substance Use Statistics For Chicago
An opioid epidemic is sweeping the United States that has lead to many overdose deaths, claiming thousands of lives in Illinois alone. Several major cities across the country consider the opioid epidemic to be one of their toughest issues to combat.
Chicago also sees trends in substance use as drug popularity and availability rises and falls. Annual reports such as the National Survey on Drug Use and Health help to keep clinicians and officials updated on which drugs are most widely accessible, and which drugs pose the greatest risk to the health of each city’s communities.
Alcohol Use In Chicago
Binge drinking is a significant issue in the greater Chicago area, according to a 2017 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. More than 27 percent of residents aged 12 and older reported binge drinking at least once in the last month. The highest-reporting age group for binge drinking was adults aged 18 to 24.
Binge drinking is exceptionally hard on the body. Even a single episode of binge drinking can have lasting effects. Cancer is an underreported effect of binge drinking, which can include cancer of the liver, esophagus, throat, colon and rectum. Early-stage liver disease can also occur in young adults who participate in binge drinking once or more per month.
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Prescription Drug Use In Chicago
Prescription drug use has been on the rise in Chicago, along with the rest of the country. Prescription drug use is the use of prescription medications without a prescription or in any way other than as prescribed.
Prescription drug use might take the form of a patient taking more opioid painkillers than prescribed. It could also include taking a benzodiazepine along with drinking a glass of alcohol. Even if the prescription was legally prescribed to that individual, medication labels include warnings not to combine the drug with alcohol because it can cause a serious adverse effect.
Benzodiazepine Use In Chicago
Benzodiazepines are a prescription drug commonly prescribed to treat symptoms of anxiety, panic disorders and seizures. This type of medication can cause a feeling of relaxation and calmness in people, which makes it a popular drug in Chicago.
Common types of benzodiazepines include:
- Alprazolam (Xanax)
- Clonazepam (Klonopin)
- Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
- Diazepam (Valium)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Temazepam (Restoril)
Opioid Use In Chicago
Opioids are a commonly prescribed pain reliever. While they can be highly effective at reducing symptoms of chronic pain in patients, it is also the most commonly used prescription drug in the United States. Opioids can cause a feeling of relaxed euphoria, slowed breathing and reduced motor function.
Commonly used opioids include:
- Fentanyl (Duragesic)
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- Methadone (Dolophine)
- Oxycodone (Percocet)
- Morphine (Duramorph)
Cocaine Use In Chicago
Despite an overall decline in cocaine use over the past two decades in Chicago, the drug continues to be a top reason for admission into addiction treatment centers in the state of Illinois. In 2015, cocaine addiction accounted for over 2,000 admissions into addiction treatment centers in the city of Chicago alone.
Vertava Health offers professional addiction treatment at centers located across the United States. Speak to one of our compassionate and knowledgeable addiction treatment specialists to learn more about evidence-based therapies and our approach to addiction treatment.
Contact Vertava Health today for more information on Chicago addiction treatment.
