Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is known as one of the most beautiful states in the nation. It has a wide variety of ski resorts and expansive mountains as well as well-worn hiking trails. Commonly referred to as the Granite State, it also borders Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts.

With a population of more than 1.34 million people, this state is linked to the Atlantic Ocean - making a great destination for visitors looking to enjoy its beaches. Even so, New Hampshire continues grappling with an alcohol and drug problem. In fact, it has been ranked as having the 2nd highest rate of substance abuse in the United States.

Substance Abuse Statistics in New Hampshire

According to a recent survey, New Hampshire was ranked among the top 5 states with a high rate of fatalities linked to drug and alcohol abuse in 2015. The same year, more than 26 percent of its residents checked into addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities.

SAMHSA - or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - also shows that the number of rehab centers in the state declined from 64 in 1992 to 57 in 2006. Even so, 6234 people checked into these centers in 2010.

Since 2002, the rates of alcohol dependence and addiction in the state have been among the highest in the United States. Additionally, the rates of past year illicit drug abuse and dependence among people between the ages of 18 and 25 were consistently high - as well as for people between the ages of 12 and 17.

Between 2005 and 2006, the past year rates of substance abuse among both of these segments of the population were ranked among the highest in the entire country.

Further, New Hampshire was ranked among the top 10 states in terms of illicit substance abuse per month in 2008.

Commonly Abused Substances in New Hampshire

Like with other states, New Hampshire has been struggling with ongoing substance abuse, dependence, and addiction among its citizens. The state also has an opioid crisis that is similar to the rest of the United States.

Consider the following commonly abused substances in New Hampshire:

1. Alcohol

In 2010, a total of 1636 people checked into addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in New Hampshire citing alcohol abuse as their primary substance use disorder. An additional 1166 people received similar treatment for an alcohol use disorder combined with a secondary substance use disorder.

Consider the following statistics linked to alcohol abuse in New Hampshire:

• Between 2014 and 2015, 7.2% of all the residents of the state above the age of 12 had an alcohol use disorder or addiction - a number that was above the national average of 6.1 percent
• In 2015, 14.5 percent of the residents of New Hampshire checked into addiction treatment facilities for an alcohol use disorder

2. Cocaine

The same year, 424 people were enrolled into similar facilities for abusing and becoming addiction to addiction. Of these people, some abused the drug by smoking it while others used alternative routes of administration to get the substance into their systems.

3. Heroin

In 2010 also, more than 907 people were admitted into drug and alcohol rehab centers in New Hampshire. Of this number, 42.1 percent were female while the remaining 57.9 percent were male. The largest segment of the population that received such heroin addiction treatment was between the ages of 21 and 25.

4. Marijuana

The marijuana that is commonly abused in New Hampshire has a THC content that goes above the 22 percent mark. As such, it is one of the most powerful cannabis that can be found in the entire country.

In 2009, more than 26 percent of the residents of this state reported that they had used the drug a minimum of one time a month. This goes to show that many people in New Hampshire require ongoing rehabilitation and treatment for a substance use disorder related to marijuana abuse.

5. Prescription Drugs

In New Hampshire, the leading cause of local residents seeking rehabilitative services was pegged on prescription drugs - including but not limited to opioid medications. These drugs were followed closely by marijuana and heroin.

In 2010, for instance, 1146 people checked into addiction rehab and treatment facilities across the state for abusing and developing chemical and psychological dependence on prescription medications.

6. General Drug Abuse

• A single day count conducted in 2015 showed that 8164 people enrolled into addiction treatment programs in the state; this number was higher than the 6702 people who were shown to be enrolled in similar programs in another single day count conducted in 2013
• Between 2014 and 2015, 9.4 percent of all teens in the state abused marijuana; this rate was higher than the national average of 7.2 percent
• In 2015, more than 28 percent of all admissions into addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities in New Hampshire were for heroin or opioid abuse
• In 2015 also, 17.35 percent of the residents of this state above the age of 12 abused marijuana, a rate that was higher than the 13.36 percent reported as the national average
• In 2016, the state experienced 498 drug related overdoses
• New Hampshire is ranked 2nd in the United States in terms of deaths linked to opioid abuse
• It is also ranked 1st across the country in terms of deaths linked to fentanyl abuse; between 2010 and 2015 these deaths increased by 1629 percent

Statistics on Drug Courts, Fatalities, and Injuries in New Hampshire

Consider the following statistics on drug courts and injuries and fatalities linked to ongoing substance abuse and addiction in New Hampshire:

• In 2007, New Hampshire made a total of 52 arrests linked to drugs
• 45.9 percent of all the people who were sentenced by the federal government in the state in 2007 had committed drug related offenses
• Over 50 percent of all the drug offenses committed in New Hampshire in 2007 were linked to crack cocaine
• The same year, the state had 7 drug courts
• In 2008, drug use was the direct cause of 187 deaths in this state; this was in comparison to the 138 lives that New Hampshire lost to motor car accidents and the 78 lives that were lost to incidents related to firearms
• In 2009, local authorities seized and got rid of over 1400 marijuana plants in the state

Addiction Resources in New Hampshire

With such high rates of substance abuse and addiction, it is not entirely surprising that New Hampshire has a wide variety of addiction treatment and prevention programs designed to help its residents.

Some of the commonly abused drugs in this state include carfentanil (which is an elephant tranquilizer that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl), fentanyl, methamphetamines, marijuana, heroin and heroin that has been laced with fentanyl, crack cocaine, and many other substances.

The Department of Health and Human Services in New Hampshire has, to this end, established a number of initiatives designed to promote medication assisted addiction treatment programs. It has also been trying to increase access for local residents in need of rehabilitation services.

Additional agencies and initiatives in New Hampshire designed to implement prevention and treatment programs include:

• 2-1-1 New Hampshire
• New Hampshire Alcoholics Anonymous
• New Hampshire Narcotics Anonymous
• Statewide Addiction Crisis Line

The state also boasts a wide variety of addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs designed to support people recovering from substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental health disorders.

Most of these programs are designed in such a way that they can provide their clients with the emotional, mental health, and physical support they need to help them learn how to lead a sober, productive, and meaningful lifestyle.

When you enroll into such a program, the first step will involve undergoing a clinical assessment to determine:

• Any underlying factors to be addressed by the treatment program to help you achieve abstinence, recovery, and sobriety
• The duration of your ongoing substance abuse
• The substances that you abused

These facilities also provide programs that are highly tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of the individual patient. As such, your treatment plan might include a wide variety of programs to ensure that you have the highest chances of making a full recovery from your substance use disorder and other related problems:

• 12-step programs
• Aftercare services
• Alcohol and drug detox services
• Alumni services
• Behavioral therapies
• Complementary therapies
• Complementary therapies like equine therapy, journaling, yoga, and acupuncture
• Dual diagnosis disorder programs
• Exercise programs
• Family therapy
• Gender-specific programs
• Individual counseling
• Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab
• Intervention services
• Life skills training
• Medication assisted treatment
• Nutrition education programs
• Outpatient addiction treatment services
• Specialized addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs
• Support groups
• Tools and techniques to cope with stress management

Overall, if you are struggling with a substance use disorder in New Hampshire, you need to know that help is available when and how you need it. The best choice you can make is to enroll into an addiction treatment and rehabilitation program in the state - or out of state - to start your journey to full recovery from ongoing drug and alcohol abuse.