Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs in North Dakota

Even though North Dakota is one of the most beautiful spots in the United States, it has also been hit by the substance abuse and addiction crisis that is sweeping across the rest of the country.

Today, the state has a wide variety of addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities that you can rely on to help you overcome your dependence on and tolerance for drugs and alcohol.

Statistics on Substance Abuse in North Dakota

The Treatment Episode Data Set - or TEDS - for substance abuse reported that 2478 people checked into addiction treatment facilities for ongoing rehabilitation of both alcohol and drug use disorders in 2010 alone. Of this number, 38.5 percent were female while the remaining 61.5 percent were male.

It is also estimated that 6 percent of the residents of North Dakota used illicit drugs in the month prior to the survey. At the time, the total national average for the rest of the United States was at 8 percent.

On the other hand, more than 15 years of reporting collected data showing a decline in the total enrollment numbers that mentioned an alcohol use disorder as the primary reason for checking into a rehab facilities. However, the same data showed that there was an increase in the total mentions of both methamphetamine and marijuana.

Additionally, N-SSATS - or the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services reported that the total number of rehab centers in this state increased to a total of 65 in 2016 from a mere 47 facilities in 2002.

Commonly Abused Substances in North Dakota

But what are the substances that are causing these problems in North Dakota? Consider the following information:

1. Alcohol

871 people enrolled for ongoing treatment and rehabilitation at facilities in North Dakota in 2010. These people only required alcohol treatment while an additional 562 individuals were suffering from both an alcohol use disorder combined with a secondary substance use disorder.

2. Marijuana

That said, marijuana was the most commonly cited substance of abuse among people receiving ongoing rehabilitation and treatment services for an addiction in North Dakota.

To be more specific, a total of 696 people received such treatment for a marijuana addiction in the state. Of this number, 33.6 percent were female while the remaining 65.9 percent were male.

Of those who enrolled for a marijuana rehabilitation and treatment program, the age group that was most affected and that had the greatest number of patient was between 12 and 17 years.

3. Amphetamine

The same year, 145 individuals received help at a rehab center for abusing amphetamines. Of this number, 55.9 percent were female while the remaining 44.1 percent were male. The largest group of individuals admitted for such treatment was between the ages of 21 and 25.

Statistics on Drug Courts, Injuries, and Fatalities in North Dakota

Substance abuse caused the direct death of 37 people in this state in 2007. This was in comparison to the 115 lives that North Dakota lost to motor car accidents and the 57 people who died in incidents involving firearms the same year.

That said, the rates of death that are induced by drugs in North Dakota are still far less than 50 percent of the total national rate for all years that were surveyed to get the right figures.

Statistics on Addiction in North Dakota

Although every state has its own share of alcohol and drug related problems, North Dakota seems to be one of the leading states in the country for the rates of alcohol use disorders.

CBS News, for instance, conducted a study that showed 30% of the residents of North Dakota had engaged in binge drinking episodes within the 30 day period prior to the study.

To further break this number down, close to 1 out of every 3 people drunk excessively at least once the month prior to the study. This shows just how serious the binge drinking rates in North Dakota have become.

On the other hand, the state government ran another study in 2015. The reports showed that North Dakota was experiencing a promising decline in the rates of prescription drug abuse for non-medical purposes.

This was because only 6.5 percent of all the residents stated that they had taken these drugs for non-medical reasons in 2011. This number shot down to 4.9 percent by 2015.

However, 16.4 percent of students in grades 7 through to 12 admitted that they had engaged in this form of substance abuse involving prescription medications at one point or the other in their lifetime.

Even though prescription medication abuse had declined in North Dakota, other figures show an increase in the rates of drug related overdose deaths - rates that seem to have doubled over the last 5 years.

This trend is largely attributed to the increase in the relative strength of new prescription medications coming into the market. Additionally, it was reported that most of the people who were addicted started out taking prescription pain relief medications and/or pharmaceutic products before shifting to other cheaper opioid drugs - such as heroin.

Efforts to Combat Alcoholism in North Dakota

But what is the state doing in response to its alcohol crisis? Over the past few years, North Dakota has improved its regulation tactics to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse among residents.

It started out by creating a zero tolerance law against drunk driving for residents aged 21 years and younger. This law effectively means that people who are caught driving with BACs of more than 0.0 % will be subjected to potential incarceration and fines.

In 2014, North Dakota passed other laws to deal with drunk driving in the state. These laws included school education and mass media campaigns designed to teach residents about the many risks attached to drunk driving.

Known offenders of these laws often get ignition interlocks installed into their cars. These devices are designed to prevent these people from starting their vehicles in case they have a blood alcohol content - or BAC - that is higher than a given percentage.

With respect to substance use disorders involving drugs, North Dakota has been using other interventions to increase awareness and improve the rehabilitation and treatment options available in the state - across every country.

In many cases, the state heavily relies on task forces and community coalitions because they are the most effective and least expensive ways to deal with the drug menace that has been plaguing its residents.

Addiction Treatment in North Dakota

But what happens when you realize that you have a substance use disorder or that you are addicted in North Dakota? Essentially, the state has a wide variety of rehabilitation and treatment centers that can help you overcome these problems and find ways to recover fully both in the short and in the long term.

Whereas some of these programs focus on treating certain types of drug abuse, others are tailored to provide services for specific demographics and genders. As such, you should be able to find a treatment option that can spearhead you journey to full sobriety in the most effective way.

That said, most addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities in North Dakota will provide a wide variety of services. Even so, they will choose some particular areas of focus to increase your chances of recovering and overcoming your drug and/or alcohol addiction.

Some of the services that you can typically expect at such a center include:

• Specialized addiction treatment
• Outpatient support groups
• Outpatient addiction treatment
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Inpatient drug rehab
• Individual counseling
• Holistic healing programs
• Group counseling meetings
• Gender-specific programs
• Family counseling
• Faith-based programs
• Dual-diagnosis treatment for co-occurring addictions and mental health disorders
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Coping mechanisms
• Complementary therapies
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Alcohol and drug detox
• Addiction treatment therapies
• Addiction education
• Support sponsors
• Stress management
• Spiritual addiction treatment programs
• 12-step programs
• 12-step alternatives

But how long can you expect to stay at such a facility in North Dakota? Essentially, the duration of your ongoing treatment and rehabilitation will vary widely based on a wide variety of facts.

The center, for instance, will determine your needs for treatment as well as the type of rehabilitation program that you are participating in to determine how long your treatment will be.

In many cases, short term rehab runs anywhere between 14 and 90 days - and most of these facilities will have programs that are increased every 30 days. These programs are usually highly structured and they tend to be more intensive than a long term program.

On the other hand, long term rehab in North Dakota will often require stays of anywhere between 3 months to 12 months. You might also be required to transition to sober living facilities so that you can continue recovering through support from other addicts. These facilities are essential to those who need to make the transition from treatment to normal life - while adapting to more freedom and independence.

Overall, however, the addiction treatment center you check into in North Dakota will help you decide how long your rehabilitation should take based on some factors peculiar to your substance use disorder.