Princeton Junction is a small town in Mercer County, New Jersey, of just around 2,465 residents. Even in this small community, the addiction and overdose epidemic has affected people. In 2017, nearly 3,000 Mercer County residents needed help with a substance use disorder. Plus, if national statistics are any indication, only a portion of people with substance use disorder get the help they need. Learn more about drug rehab in Princeton Junction and the addiction problem in the state of New Jersey.
Princeton Junction Drug Rehab Statistics
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there were over 70,200 deaths in the United States in 2017. The powerful opioid called fentanyl was the most significant cause of the increase in overdose deaths, with 28,000 deaths in 2017. Other opioids like prescription painkillers and heroin have also contributed to addiction and overdose rates.
In New Jersey, the majority of drug overdose deaths involved opioids in 2017. Overall, overdose deaths rose more than 29 percent between 2016 and 2017 in the state. The abuse of prescription opioids is a risk factor for later heroin use. Intravenous heroin use may also lead to exposure to infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. In the state, there were 1,143 new cases of HIV in 2019. In these cases, around 9 percent of men and 11 percent of women got HIV from intravenous drug use.
Most Commonly Abused Substances in Princeton Junction
According to the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System, heroin was the primary drug of choice for 45 percent of people admitted into treatment programs in 2017. Alcohol was the next most common primary drug at 27 percent. Other common primary drugs of abuse were cocaine, marijuana, and other opioids.
In the United States, heroin is the most easily accessible illicit drug after marijuana. Its high availability has to do with the influx of opioid trafficking in the United States in the past several years. Millions of prescriptions for opioids are written each year, which adds to the availability of opioids. In 2017, New Jersey prescription providers wrote more than 42 prescriptions for every 100 people in the state.
New Jersey's Drug Rehab History and Rankings
New Jersey is among the states which have seen the biggest impact of the recent opioid crisis. However, they’ve also worked hard to address opioid addiction and issues involving other drugs. The state introduced an organization called Coordination for Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies, which seeks to connect people with the treatment they need. They’ve also cracked down on illegal drug trafficking and unscrupulous sources of opioid prescriptions.
Quick Treatment Facts
Addiction is diagnosed as a severe substance use disorder in the DSM-5. It’s usually identified by compulsive drug use, despite serious consequences like health issues or legal trouble. In many cases, addiction to psychoactive substances requires treatment to effectively facilitate long-term sobriety.
In order for treatment to be effective, treatment should be tailored to your individual needs. Needs may involve medical health, psychological issues, and even social problems. Addiction is a complex disease that can be affected by a variety of underlying issues. When you first enter treatment, you should go through an assessment process that’s designed to pinpoint your needs. You’ll also sit down with your therapist to create a personalized treatment plan.
There are multiple levels of care in treatment that are able to address needs at different intensities. High-level care will involve 24-hour treatment with an emphasis on medical care. Lower levels of care will offer more independence and less intensive medical support.
