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Alcohol and Drug Rehab Facilities Serving the Sawyer, Minnesota Area:

Mash Ka Wisen Treatment Center

1150 Mission Road
Sawyer, MN. 55780
218-879-6731

Mash-Ka-Wisen Residential Treatment Center and Thunderbird-Wren Halfway House are part of the non-profit corporation Minnesota Indian Primary Residential Treatment Center (MIPRTC), governed by a board of directors from Fond-du-lac, Grand Portage, Red Lake, Leech Lake, White Earth, Bois Forte and a representative from the Sioux communities. MIPRTC offers comprehensive services for the treatment of chemical dependency. All facilities are fully licensed, and the Mash-ka-wisen men and womenprograms are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation (CARF).

Pioneer Recovery Center

241 Highway 33 North
Cloquet, MN. 55720
218-879-6844

Pioneer Recovery Center is 12.2 miles from Sawyer, Minnesota

In 2009, we started out as a 10-bed, medium-intensity program for women and have evolved into a 22-bed, high-intensity facility with a focus on trauma treatment.

Haven Chemical Health Systems LLC

1003 Cloquet Avenue
Cloquet, MN. 55720
218-879-5545

Haven Chemical Health Systems LLC is 12.3 miles from Sawyer, MN

Haven Chemical offers intensive outpatient & residential chemical treatment in the Twin Cities suburbs & Cloquet, MN.

Thunderbird/Wren House

9302 Idaho Street
Duluth, MN. 55808
218-727-7699

Thunderbird/Wren House is 23.4 miles from Sawyer, MN

Thunderbird/Wren House is dedicated to helping the people of Sawyer and the surrounding areas to getting their life back after struggling with substance abuse. Because of this, Thunderbird/Wren House administers a wide variety of services in line with their philosophy of treatments that work - including long term rehab facilities, detoxification centers, outpatient substance abuse counseling, inpatient treatment programs, short term drug and alcohol rehabs and others.

Thunderbird/Wren House also believes that it is necessary that every individual gets highly personalized services to ensure their recovery. This is why it is specialized in a wide variety of treatment modalities, including 12-step facilitation approach, matrix model, vocational rehabilitation services, dual diagnosis drug rehab, group therapy, motivational interviewing and others. Additionally, Thunderbird/Wren House is specialized in persons with post-traumatic stress disorder, social skills development, clients referred from the court/judicial system, legal advocacy, substance abuse education, programs for the hearing impaired, as well as other special programs. In general, the treatment services that this alcohol and drug rehab uses can provide the level of stability that is as permanent as it is lasting.

Lastly, Thunderbird/Wren House accepts private medical insurance, private pay, sliding fee scale, medicaid, medicare, state education funds, state welfare or child and family services funds and more.

Commonly Asked Questions about Addiction and Treatment

If a drug abuser loved their family wouldn't they stop?

Substance Use Disorder, commonly known as addiction, is a complex disease that affects the brain and behavior. It's important to understand that addiction is not a matter of willpower or moral strength, and it doesn't reflect an individual's love or lack of love for their family. Here's why a person struggling with addiction might not simply stop, even if they deeply care for their family:

Altered Brain Function: Drugs can alter the brain's structure and function, especially in areas related to reward, judgment, decision-making, learning, and memory. This can lead to intense cravings and a compulsive desire to use drugs, despite knowing the harm they're causing.

Physical Dependence: Regular use of certain drugs can lead to physical dependence, where the body needs the drug to function normally. Stopping the drug can cause uncomfortable or even dangerous withdrawal symptoms, which can make quitting extremely difficult without medical help.

Psychological Dependence: Some individuals use drugs to cope with stress, trauma, or mental health disorders. These individuals may feel they cannot function or feel normal without the substance, and overcoming this psychological dependence can be challenging.

Fear of Withdrawal: Fear of the withdrawal process, which can be physically and emotionally painful, can deter individuals from quitting, even if they want to stop for their loved ones.

Denial: Many people struggling with addiction are in denial about the extent of their problem. They may not realize or admit how much their substance use is hurting themselves and their family.

Loving someone, even deeply, does not automatically grant the ability to overcome addiction. Recovery often requires professional help and involves more than just the decision to stop using drugs. It includes learning new coping skills, addressing underlying issues that may contribute to the addiction, and receiving ongoing support. With proper treatment and support, many people are able to recover from addiction and rebuild their relationships with their loved ones.

What are the causes of drug addiction?

1. Genetic predisposition: Research has shown that genetic factors can contribute to an individual's vulnerability to drug addiction. Certain genes may influence how a person's brain processes and reacts to drugs, making them more prone to addiction.
2. Brain chemistry: Drugs affect the brain's reward system by increasing the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. This leads to feelings of pleasure and euphoria, which can reinforce drug-seeking behaviors and contribute to the development of addiction.
3. Environmental factors: Exposure to drug use in one's surroundings, such as through family members or friends, can increase the likelihood of experimentation and eventual addiction. Additionally, factors like high levels of stress, poverty, and a lack of social support can increase vulnerability to addiction.
4. Psychological factors: Emotional and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and trauma can make individuals more susceptible to drug addiction. These issues can lead people to self-medicate with drugs in an attempt to cope, ultimately increasing the risk of addiction.
5. Early exposure: Experimenting with drugs at a young age can increase the likelihood of developing addiction later in life. The adolescent brain is still developing, making it more susceptible to the effects of drugs and the development of addiction.
6. Availability and accessibility: Easy access to drugs can increase the likelihood of drug use and addiction. When drugs are readily available in a person's environment, the chances of experimentation and continued use increase.

How does a person become addicted to drugs?

Addiction to drugs is a complex process that involves a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. It is not simply a matter of weak willpower or moral failing, but rather a chronic disease of the brain that can develop over time.

Here's a simplified explanation of how a person may become addicted to drugs:

1. Initial Use: The path to addiction often begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs. This could be due to curiosity, peer pressure, seeking pleasure or relief from stress, or even for medical reasons under prescription.
2. Pleasure and Reward: Drugs alter the brain's normal functioning, typically leading to intense feelings of pleasure or the elimination of uncomfortable feelings. They do this by overstimulating the brain's reward system - particularly by releasing large amounts of a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which plays a significant role in feelings of pleasure and reward.
3. Repeated Use and Tolerance: Over time, as a person continues to use the drug, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine by producing less of it or reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high, leading the person to take more of the drug in an attempt to recreate the original experience. This is known as developing a tolerance.
4. Dependence: As the brain becomes used to the drug, physiological changes occur that make the person's body require the drug to function "normally." When the drug is not taken, withdrawal symptoms may be experienced, driving the person to continue using the drug to avoid these uncomfortable or even painful symptoms.
5. Addiction: At this point, seeking and consuming the drug becomes a compulsion. The person may want to stop using the drug, but they find it extremely difficult or impossible to do so on their own, even in the face of negative consequences to their health, relationships, or other aspects of their life. The brain's cognitive functions related to judgment, decision-making, learning, memory, and behavior control are significantly altered, leading to harmful behaviors and the cycle of addiction.