According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, after alcohol it is marijuana, cocaine and heroin that are the substances most commonly abused in the Philadelphia area. However, if you have found yourself turning to benzodiazepines, a group of prescription medications used to treat anxiety, you aren’t alone, as an increasing number of people in the city are abusing anti-anxiety medications, making them the fifth most common drug of choice. Although a minority of people take crystal meth and amphetamines in Philadelphia, their use still remains a problem, along with hallucinogenic drugs like phencyclidine.
There are many reasons why people start abusing addictive substances and while young people often experiment with recreational drugs, substance misuse frequently arises as a means to make you feel better. For instance, you may find yourself taking drugs to cope with your problems, to manage stress, to boost your mood or to help you manage the symptoms of other mental health problems that are not under control. While there are positives about living in Philadelphia, if you are among the 10% of residents out of work this can put a strain on your finances, leading you to worry about money. Similarly, earnings here are lower than the average for Pennsylvania, so you may still find yourself struggling to make ends meet even if you are in work. In situations like these it is easy to see drugs that give you a mental boost as the answer to your troubles. Even though they might give you a temporary lift, they certainly won’t make your problems go away and abusing addictive drugs comes at a price. Once you become hooked, drug abuse can take over all areas of your life and lead to poor physical and mental health. However, Steps to Recovery is here to help. We offer a range of drug addiction programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which can not only get you on the right track, but ensure that you stay abstinent in the longer term.
Dangers of Addictive Drugs
While the addictive nature of opiates and coke is well-known, you may not realize that many of the other drugs that people turn to to give them a buzz or help them relax are just as habit-forming. The likes of cannabis and prescription drugs are often seen as safe bets, but this is far from the case, as you can easily become dependent on these substances and endanger your well-being. The risks to your health vary from one drug to another, but some of the most common health problems associated with substance abuse include:
- Suffering a heart attack. Even if you are otherwise well, healthy people can still experience a racing heart and high blood pressure after taking stimulants like cocaine, speed and ecstasy, which makes you more likely to experience a heart attack. Long-term use of these drugs can also lead to heart disease.
- Lung damage. Smoking marijuana and crack can cause your lungs to become inflamed and can aggravate existing lung problems, so if you already suffer from a condition like asthma or chronic bronchitis, smoking drugs is just as bad for you as smoking tobacco.
- Serious infections. If you inject opiates, coke or another drug, you may develop infections at the injection site and also around your heart. Sharing dirty needles makes hepatitis and HIV a real risk, with these infections more common among IV drug users in the Philadelphia area. Alternatively, if you find that you take sexual risks when you are high, you are also at risk of sexually transmitted infections.
- Liver damage. Besides the destruction that hepatitis causes to your liver, overdosing on opiates, methamphetamine and certain antidepressants can all damage this vital organ.
- Anxiety and depression. Although you might feel positive and at ease when you take drugs, the come down from substances like MDMA and LSD can leave you feeling depressed and anxious. Long-term abuse of cannabis, cocaine and even anti-anxiety pills can also lead to mood and anxiety disorders.
- Serious mental illness. Chronic use of cannabis is associated with a greater chance of developing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, while crystal meth may trigger psychosis.
To avoid the adverse effects of these addictive substances on your body, it is essential to seek help from a drug addiction treatment program in Philadelphia PA as soon as possible. Not only will this help to safeguard your health, but it will also help to prevent, or at least minimize, the other unwanted consequences of drug misuse. If you want to avoid problems with work, your family and friends, your finances and the law, Steps to Recovery can help you get clean and stay that way.
Acknowledging Your Addiction
Despite knowing the problems associated with drug abuse, when in the grip of substance dependency you cannot always recognize that these are happening to you, and you may choose not to listen to your loved ones’ concerns. However, it is important to be honest with yourself, so if you can identify with even one of the following indicators, it is a sign that you have an addiction and need to sign up to a specialist drug recovery program without delay:
- Your usual dose of drugs is no longer enough to give you a high, so you need to take increasing amounts to achieve the same buzz
- You develop cravings and withdrawal symptoms if you don’t get your fix
- You feel uneasy unless you have drugs in the house
- You have become fixated on drug taking, so you are not giving your family, friends, job or usual interests the attention they deserve
- You suffered an overdose, but this wasn’t enough to encourage you to quit
- You want to get clean, but the hold drugs have over you is too strong
When you realize that you need help and want to enter recovery, our friendly team is always ready to discuss programs we run at drug treatment centers near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Selecting a Drug Addiction Program Philadelphia PA
Whether you are reliant on amphetamines, crack, heroin, cannabis, club drugs or prescription medications, Steps to Recovery can offer you the expert therapy and support that you need to beat your addiction. With drug addiction facilities available close to home, receiving therapy as an inpatient isn’t your only option, so you can explore the possibility of outpatient treatment and partial hospitalization as well.
A residential program for recovery from drug abuse provides you with therapy on every day of the week and support staff are on hand whenever you need their help. This intensive therapy and support is particularly beneficial if you have previously failed to stay sober, as an inpatient stay increase your chances of successfully beating your habit the second time round. Another advantage of a residential stay is that you are removed from the temptations of your home environment, whether that is acquaintances who also abuse drugs or the problems that trigger your drug taking. While these temptations will still be there once you complete drug addiction rehab Philadelphia PA, you will have developed the necessary coping skills to help you resist temptation. Finally, if you need a drug detox, a supervised stay is the safest way to monitor you while you withdraw from your substance of choice, and also means you have access to symptom relief to make withdrawal a more manageable experience.
Even though attending a drug treatment program near home means that you are still close to your loved ones for visits, outpatient therapy is sometimes more practical if you have family commitments or you wish to keep up your studies or employment while you receive help. This works well, as with less intensive therapy you have time during the week to see to your other responsibilities and you will remain at home during the course of treatment. However, this style of treatment for drug dependency is less effective if you do not have a well-structured home life and the necessary support in place.
For clients who like the idea of daily therapy, but do not want to stay in a residential facility, we can also offer partial hospitalization. This means long days, but with addiction centers within reach of Philadelphia this remains a practical option and allows you to access treatment that best meets your requirements.
Personalized Addiction Treatment
The convenience of our locations and the various styles of program we offer to treat drug dependency aren’t the only reasons to choose Steps to Recovery for your treatment. Our programs are unique from other drug recovery programs available locally and one area where we stand out is our customized approach to addiction therapy. This means that when you enter treatment with us we will put together a completely individualized care plan for you. Embracing client-centered care in this way means that we adapt the therapies we offer to your needs rather than the other way around. All too often drug treatment centers provide generic programs of care, but the scientific literature proves that this approach to drug addiction isn’t successful. It is therefore no wonder that clients leaving drug rehabilitation with us are less likely to return to their old habits.
One to One Addiction Therapy
Each week you will take part in private therapy sessions with a therapist who specializes in addiction counseling. These one to one sessions are an ideal way to address your individual needs, as you have time to discuss the problems you face back home and what led to your drug habit. With these trigger identified you will then work with your counselor on coping strategies that will equip you with the tools you need to start afresh and not give into temptation. Personal counseling sessions are also a good opportunity to look at the progress you have made since starting treatment and how much closer you are to a brighter future where you are sober.
Group Therapy for Drug Addiction
While counseling on an individual basis has various merits, you gain even more when you also take part in counseling sessions with other clients. This is why we place an important focus on group therapy sessions in both our inpatient and outpatient drug treatment programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One advantage of group counseling is that through discussions you learn a lot, not only ideas that other clients bring to the group, but this is also a time to discover more about yourself and the impact your words and actions have on others. Another benefit is that your peers are a crucial source of support while you go through drug rehab, as although our dedicated team of therapists and support staff offer you much encouragement, you also have the backing of your fellow clients.
Value of Family Therapy During Rehab
Whether you opt for a residential stay or you receive drug addiction treatment as an outpatient, your close proximity to home doesn’t just mean that your family can visit you and offer you with additional support, they are also in easy reach for participating in counseling sessions. Family therapy is often overlooked during treatment for drug dependency, but at Steps to Recovery we feel this is just as important as one to one and group counseling. Even the closest family relationships are strained by drug taking, which can put barriers in the way for them offering you the help that you need to stay on the right path. Family counseling aims to restore good relationships so that those close to you are on your side and available to provide the strength and encouragement that will keep you abstinent from drugs.
Looking Beyond Talking Therapies
Steps to Recovery embraces all approaches known to help addicts in their recovery, which means we go beyond simply offering you talking therapies during your drug addiction rehab near Philadelphia PA. This is another way in which we differ from traditional drug recovery programs. When you enroll with us you will have access to a range of extra therapies and schemes that are designed to give you an even better chance of kicking your drug habit for good. Just some of those that you can look forward to are:
- Complementary therapies. If your mental wellness has taken a dive, complementary treatments are a good way to give your mental well-being a boost, which can make it easier to take part in talking therapies and with a positive outlook you are more likely to achieve your goal of sobriety. Yoga and acupuncture are just two of the additional treatments we offer.
- Skills development. If a lack of skills made it difficult for you to cope at home or to secure work, we can help you to develop those skills you are short of. From learning to prepare healthy meals to preparing for job interviews, we can give you the confidence to succeed once you complete your course of treatment for drug abuse.
- Leisure activities. From movie nights to adrenaline activities, each week as an inpatient you can take part in a different activity that not only gives you a much needed break from therapy, but helps you develop a good relationship with your peers and shows you how much enjoyment you can gain from activities other than drug taking.
- Exercise sessions. Physical activity is valuable in addiction recovery, as it improves your physical fitness, which can suffer when you abuse drugs, but it also does wonders for your mental outlook too. You receive a real boost when you workout thanks to the endorphins you release during aerobic exercise and resistance training, so whether you run on the treadmill or lift weights at the gym, you enhance your mental well-being as well as your body. The natural high you achieve through exercise may even help you to manage cravings and with a healthy lifestyle in place, drug taking is no longer so appealing.
Support and Charities Philadelphia Pennsylvania
- Strawberry Mansion Learning Center: 2946 West Dauphin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132
- Philadelphia Grant Center: 1700 Market Street, 10th Floor, Suite 1005, Philadelphia, PA 19103
- Piney Grove Baptist Church: 5019-21 North 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19141
- Bringing Everybody Together: PO BOX 20664, Philadelphia, PA 19141
- Opportunities PA: 1207 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
