Greenwich Addiction Treatment Resources

Roughly an hour away from New York City by train, Greenwich, Connecticut, has existed since the 1600s. Although it sits in close proximity to Manhattan, it retains a small-town charm. Parts of Greenwich are quite bucolic. It’s home to the Greenwich International Film Festival, the Bruce Museum and waterfront properties that cost nearly $2 million.

However, even with all of the advantages, Greenwich isn’t shielded from everything. Like the rest of the country, addiction exists here. Over 200 people in Greenwich sought help for substance abuse in 2019, according to the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Drug Addiction Statistics in Greenwich

Overall, the primary drug of choice in Connecticut was alcohol, followed by heroin and then marijuana. Of those who sought treatment, 35% were affected by alcohol addiction, 33% by heroin addiction and 13% by marijuana addiction. Several thousand were also addicted to opioids.

Additionally, many of the people diagnosed with a substance use problem also exhibited signs and symptoms of other mental health issues. Nearly 7,000 residents of the state were affected by both addiction and mental health issues and sought out treatment for both types of issues.

Addiction affected all age groups, though people between 18 and 34 were affected the most. The state of Connecticut reported that 28.3 people per 100,000 unintentionally overdosed in 2018. In 2015, more than 700 people in Connecticut overdosed on opiates, with four of these individuals being from Greenwich.

According to police, Greenwich experienced a narcotics-use “epidemic” in recent years. Authorities have additionally stated that Greenwich is more of a using community than a dealing community. From 2010 to 2013, deaths caused by narcotics rose 55% in Greenwich. Additionally, two-thirds of accidental deaths related to drugs were caused by opioids.

Substance use in Greenwich didn’t grow up overnight. Like most places in America, it was years in the making. Over time, drug companies encouraged doctors to prescribe medications for pain.

Additionally, people who do use opioid narcotics after a surgery or similar event are often prescribed up to 60 tablets but not told how to use them correctly. Aside from this, the culture of high achievement that many people associate with Greenwich serves to push issues like addiction underground. The wealth that dominates the community also allows people to get access to these substances.

All of this may seem overwhelming. Fortunately, many people overcome substance use disorder with support. Virtually all of those who have recovered feel glad that they’ve taken back control of their lives in the process.

Why You Should Get Help

Although the statistics above may make addiction seem like someone else’s problem, this isn’t the case. It’s a very personal problem, yet it impacts friends and loved ones. To overcome addiction, one requires care and compassion.

If you’re dealing with addiction, help is available. However, deciding to get help can be challenging as experience may tell you. Addiction changes the brain. People who suffer from substance use disorders feel the effects of addiction on every level: social, physical and psychological.

Additionally, these effects can overlap. This is both the reason why people suffering from addiction should get help and why it’s so difficult to do so. For example, maybe your addiction has caused you to use the money you’ve budgeted for household expenses to buy drugs or alcohol.

In this case, the addiction affected every aspect of your life. You spent the money you earmarked for other purposes on substances, leaving you (and possibly your family) short on money. Your physical health suffered, and it’s likely that along the way, you’ve felt shame because your addiction has taken control.

In these cases, it’s sometimes helpful to discuss how addiction can affect each aspect of your life from a more clinical standpoint. This allows you and the professionals helping you to identify substance-use related behaviors, which makes addiction treatment planning a bit easier.

First, once a person reaches a certain point with addiction, not using substances is no longer an option. What may have started out as a once-in-a-while thing becomes a habit that the user can’t go without. Addiction has power over every aspect of a user’s life. Many will continue to use even if their health suffers, even if their family suffers and even if their finances suffer.

Physically, addiction may cause a person to eat more or less, depending on the substance involved. It will be difficult to stop, regardless of the health detriment that the substances are causing. Furthermore, there will be physical appearance changes due to the effects of the drugs on the body. Sleeplessness may also occur.

Sufferers may withdraw from social situations, either due to the negative effects that their addiction has had on relationships or because there will be no drugs or alcohol at a gathering. Secrecy develops as users attempt to hide their addictions from family and friends. Legal and financial issues may develop as the addiction begins to affect the person’s ability to handle money or maintain a job.

Types of Treatment Available

Substance use treatment in and around Greenwich is available. Depending on how addiction has affected the user, different treatment options should be considered.

Most people, even those who don’t have substance use disorders, know about 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. There are also sister programs, like Al-Anon, which helps the family and friends of the user. However, many users also need counseling. Although addiction is a physiological disorder, there are also external stressors that the user must learn to deal with. In the past, the sufferer used drugs or alcohol to deal with stress and distress.

Many people who are addicted to substances have never learned coping skills. Instead, they turn to substances like drugs and alcohol when life gets to be too much. The user will need to relearn how to make new decisions and identify the triggers that cause substance use disorder.

Comorbidities like these often occur together, and in these cases, counseling can provide extra support and tools for dealing with them. Many people requiring help with addiction may also require assistance specifically with detox.

As for the type of counseling available to someone with addiction issues, there are several different kinds. Generally speaking, the person may attend group or individual counseling sessions.

Additionally, people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol may find suitable programs by inquiring at different organizations, like local churches, community-based 12-step programs, hospitals, private clinics or government programs. The user may also learn about these programs from a friend or family member who attends a 12-step group like AA. Most substance use disorder facilities also keep websites that make them simple enough to find on an internet search.

If the user also has legal problems, then the court in Greenwich may order him or her to attend a treatment program, which can either be inpatient or outpatient. Usually, these types of programs require regular check-ins, meaning if the sufferer has legal trouble, he or she may have served jail time and have a probation officer. The drug and alcohol treatment facilities that this person uses must usually be approved by the courts. In these cases, the courts may also recommend programs or facilities.

Granite Recovery Centers

There are some excellent and effective substance abuse treatment centers in the Greenwich area. If you’re suffering from addiction issues, then you may want to seek inpatient help. The following two centers offer comprehensive help for those suffering from addiction.

Green Mountain Treatment Center

This facility in New Hampshire’s Green Mountains bases its curriculum on the 12-step principles. Once patients leave, they’ll feel comfortable following up with a 12-step program at home. Additionally, the program helps those with substance use disorder get to the bottom of their addictions. They learn the causes of substance issues so that they can more effectively manage their addictions.

Treatments are individualized, which increases the likelihood of success. There is a client-to-client program that pairs new residents with more experienced residents to make the program easier to acclimate to. This is an important consideration, given the detox that patients at Green Mountain Treatment Center must go through as they’re working toward sobriety. Granite Recovery Centers provides medical detoxification for people who do not need immediate medical intervention, are not a danger to themselves, and are capable of self-evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Finally, this facility embraces many different types of therapies, including holistic options. Yoga and meditation, nutrition programs and 12-step principles are just some of the treatment options this facility supports. There’s even an on-site gym.

New Freedom Academy

This facility is located in Canterbury, New Hampshire. Its 20-bed facility offers visitors a small client-to-staff ratio for more individualized help. Holistic therapies, like meditation and yoga, as well as nutritional support, are part of the program. The location is secluded and private; although, there are outings.

Therapists and clinicians in the facility can offer one-on-one therapy for patients and are trained in a number of therapeutic disciplines, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), treatment for comorbidity and grief and loss therapies.