Whether it’s prescription medication, alcohol, or narcotics, the issue of substance abuse in New York’s second-largest borough is very real.
Having outlets for recovery from substance abuse is essential for any community’s health. Luckily, Brooklyn offers its residents many drug rehab centers, support groups, and community initiatives to help them recover if they fall victim to drug addiction.
Read on to learn more about the types of substance abuse treatment, as well as where you can find support groups for alcohol and drug rehab in Brooklyn, New York.
Table of Contents
Understanding Addiction
Before you can hope to address an issue effectively, you must first have a clear understanding of it and the factors that cause it.
Is Drug Addiction Limited to Illegal Drugs?
Also known as substance use disorder, drug addiction is a condition that is both neurological and behavioral. It renders a person unable to control their use of a given drug, whether legal or illegal.
A person can be addicted to prescription medication or other substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis—not necessarily illegal drugs. An individual addicted to any of these substances fails to see the harms they have on their health and continues using them anyway.
Possible Causes of Drug Addiction
The common causes of drug addiction can be classified into two categories: environmental factors and genetic factors:
Environmental Factors
Peer pressure is a major cause of drug addiction. A person who’s consistently around a group of people partaking in a given drug is highly likely to follow suit.
Other environmental factors that may lead to drug addiction are childhood traumas and turbulent family dynamics.
Genetic Factors
Genetics also play a role in an individual’s predisposition toward substance abuse. For example, someone with a history of drug addiction in their family is more likely to suffer from this condition themselves.
Common Types of Drugs Abused in Brooklyn
Only a few drugs are commonly abused In Brooklyn. According to a survey conducted by the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, these are the most abused substances in the city:
- Fentanyl: 54%
- Heroin: 51%
- Cocaine: 48%
- Alcohol: 43%
- Benzodiazepines: 27%
The figure next to each substance represents its level of contribution to overdose deaths of Brooklyn residents. These figures show that there’s an overlap between substances, indicating the presence of multiple substances in the victims’ systems at the time of death.
Understanding Rehabilitation
The drug rehabilitation process starts when you realize that you have a problem and seek professional help. Taking this step towards getting better is referred to as treatment initiation.
Now that you’ve committed to turning your life around and making it drug-free, you’ve officially entered the early abstinence stage of your treatment.
This stage is typically the most difficult one for several reasons. If the substance you were abusing has associated withdrawal symptoms, this is when they’ll hit you the hardest. These symptoms can lead to physical cravings.
That, along with psychological dependence on the drug are relapse triggers that you’ll need to try your hardest to resist.
The final phase of drug rehabilitation is maintaining abstinence. Learning to identify the red flags of relapse and avoiding them is the chief focus of this phase. However, it isn’t the only one.
Sure, overcoming substance abuse is highly difficult, but there’s a lot more that goes into having a better life than just that. Life has many other trials and tribulations you’ll need to navigate. In this step of rehab, you’ll learn how to utilize the tools you have to get sober in other areas of life.
Types of Drug Rehab Treatments
When people think of drug rehabilitation, they tend to picture someone in a detox ward. In reality, this is only one type of rehab and is typically just the initial stage of a long process.
Which type of treatment is most suitable for someone depends on several factors. These factors include the substance this person is abusing and how long they’ve been abusing it. The individual’s medical and personal history also goes into deciding which treatment is best for them.
Here are the different types of drug rehab treatments:
Detoxification Programs
Detox programs are intended to help a patient get through the initial withdrawal symptoms caused by stopping the use of a drug. These symptoms are usually physical and are most severe in the initial stage of abstinence.
Most treatment centers offer these programs. For example, Long Island Interventions provides personalized detox treatment plans for its patients.
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment involves living at the rehab center for the entire duration of the treatment program. It’s highly effective due to the presence of professional counseling and medical support around the clock.
During residential treatment, the patient is also taught tools that help them avoid relapse once they leave the rehab center and return to daily life.
This type of treatment is also referred to as inpatient rehab.
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)
Partial hospitalization programs are a less hands-on variant of residential treatment. Patients don’t live in the rehab center. Instead, they go there at least five days a week and spend an allotted time with professional counselors addressing their condition.
Sober Living Homes
If you’ve heard the term “halfway house” before, it refers to sober living homes. Sober living homes are highly useful to those who’ve completed residential programs but don’t feel like they’re ready to go back out into the world.
They also provide a transition phase for those who otherwise would have nowhere to go.
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is an approach that aims to solve a person’s substance abuse issues at the root. It recognizes that drug addiction is often a symptom of a deeper underlying problem.
Through one-on-one therapy, individual counseling can help a person recognize the actual cause of their susceptibility to substance abuse and aid them in making peace with it.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
As its name suggests, dual diagnosis treatment aims to hit two birds with one stone.
It’s designed for people who simultaneously suffer from substance abuse and other issues, such as mental health disorders.
Since these types of conditions are often closely correlated, treating one is also treating the other.
How to Choose a Treatment Plan That’s Right For You
When choosing a treatment plan that’s best for you, you should consider your specific situation and pick a treatment type that’s suitable for it. In an ideal world, you should pursue treatment that’s catered especially to you. However, this isn’t feasible more often than not.
Selecting the Right Rehab Center
To pick a rehab center that addresses your needs as much as possible, there are several factors you should consider.
Here are some of them:
Type of Treatment
The first thing you need to decide is the type of treatment you’re going to pursue. As previously mentioned, there are many types of treatment for substance abuse. They range from inpatient to outpatient care, to combinations of both.
Which one is better for you depends on your specific situation. If you prefer one type over the other, you should try to find a rehab center that provides it.
If the rehab center you’re considering has a website, go to it and explore the options that this rehab center offers. Sometimes, rehab centers don’t have an online presence. In that case, your best bet is to call the center and ask for more details on their programs.
Cost of Treatment
Those seeking treatment for their drug addiction often fall into the trap of pursuing treatment programs that are beyond their budgets.
As a result, the stress brought about by being in debt can prompt them to resort to the very drug they got treated for as a coping mechanism.
To avoid this, make sure you’re clear on the amount you’re going to pay for treatment and whether it’s within your means. Additionally, you should prioritize rehab centers that are within your insurance provider’s network.
Staff-to-Patient Ratio
Another essential aspect to consider is the staff you’ll be dealing with throughout your treatment at the rehab center.
Before you commit to a center, you should first vet the people that’ll be working with you. You can ask to speak with the staff members before you start your treatment to gauge whether you’ll be comfortable with them or not.
Additionally, you should inquire about the center’s staff-to-patient ratio. Make sure that the rehab center isn’t understaffed. If it is, this will inhibit their ability to give you the care and attention you need to make progress. An ideal staff-to-patient ratio is around five to one.
Local Resources and Support Systems
Rehab centers aren’t the only places where those suffering from substance abuse can go to get better. There are also counseling and support group options that can help:
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Meetings
If you’re struggling with alcohol abuse, committing to a 12-step program with an AA group can really help. These support groups aim to assist people in maintaining abstinence from alcohol in the long run.
There are many community centers in Brooklyn that offer AA support groups, they include:
- Bridge Back: Plymouth Chruch, 75 Hicks St.
- Brothers in Gratitude: Brooklyn Community Pride Center, 4 Metrotech
- Spirituality in Recovery: Grace Church, 254 Hicks St.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Meetings
NA meetings target those that have struggled with narcotics abuse. They aid those in recovery in avoiding relapse through continuous support and building healthy habits. In turn, they direct those who have struggled with drug abuse toward a healthier lifestyle.
Here are some of the NA support groups available in Brooklyn:
- Recovery Center: 20 New York Ave.
- Our Lady of Victory Church: 163 MacDonough St.
- Interfaith Medical Center: 1545 Atlantic Ave.
Nar-Anon and Al-Anon Meetings
When a person suffers from substance abuse, they don’t do so in a vacuum. Their family and those closest to them are also affected by their actions.
Nar-Anon and Al-Anon groups assist families in navigating the negative effects of having a member that’s addicted to drugs.
Here are some of the Nar-Anon and Al-Anon support groups available in Brooklyn:
- Nar-Anon: Greenpoint Outreach Services, 960 Manhattan Ave.
- Al-Anon: Ancient Order of Hibernians, 2776 Gerritsen Ave.
- Al-Anon: St. John St. Matthew Emanuel Church, 283 Prospect Ave.
The Role of Community in Drug Rehab
The local community plays a huge part in helping those suffering from drug addiction get their lives back on track. The reason is that community support makes these individuals feel like they’re not alone in their fight against substance abuse.
Here are some community initiatives in Brooklyn combatting drug addiction:
Wellness and Recovery Fund
Initiated by the Brooklyn Community Foundation, the Wellness and Recovery Fund gives organizations the means to support individuals suffering from substance abuse.
This $2.2 million injection of capital has allowed such organizations to acquire the resources they need to provide those combatting drug addiction with what they need to win the fight.
Youth Clubhouses
Another great community initiative created by the state is youth clubhouses.
$1 million in funding has been injected into opening these clubhouses all over Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Queens.
These community centers provide support for youth that are struggling with substance abuse. However, officials state that these clubhouses aren’t considered clinical treatment centers.
Conclusion
If you or one of your family has fallen victim to substance abuse, there are many outlets for drug rehab in Brooklyn, New York that can help you overcome it. Seeking professional help is essential if your problem has become overwhelming and you’re trying to get your life back on track.
Whether it be a drug rehab center or support and counseling groups such as AA and NA meetings, these resources can be your lifeline and put you on a path of self-improvement.
Additionally, the wealth of community initiatives available in the battle against drug addiction means that you’re not fighting alone. Use all of these tools at your disposal and don’t lose hope that you can come out victorious.
Additional Resources
Here are some additional resources that may prove useful for those seeking help for substance abuse:
- National Drug Helpline: 1-844-289-0879
- Partnership for Drug-Free Kids: 1-855-378-4373
- NYC Drug Hotline: 1-888-374-3784
