Drug Rehabs in Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix as a Drug Hotspot

Arizona is one of four states that border Mexico. Naturally, this makes for a lot of traffic from Mexican cartels smuggling drugs into the country. National parks, like the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, are used as pathways to traffic drugs across the border and state. Phoenix, the largest city in Arizona by one million residents, has become a major hub, making  illicit drugs easy to come by.

Opioids in Phoenix

As with every state across the country, Arizona is faced with an opioid crisis. Though this problem exists across the state, the vast majority happens within Maricopa County. This county, and Phoenix as its major city, has the highest reported drug abuse throughout the state of Arizona.

Of the 5,202 reported opioid overdoses across the state in 2016, 3,114 were from Maricopa County. 800 of those overdoses resulted in death, a 16% increase from the previous year.

In 2015, Arizona saw 27,363 Inpatient discharges and emergency room visits related to opioids, the most rampant drug problem in the state. Maricopa county was home to nearly two-thirds of them.

Unlike other cities, where the clandestine production of synthetic opioids is sweeping the streets, the crux of the issue in this area is the ease of receiving a prescription. In 2016, four doctors across Maricopa County wrote over 6,000,000 prescriptions for opioids in 12 months. That is more prescriptions than the population of the county, including children. This easy access to prescription pain killers, one of the most commonly abused substances across the country, opens the door to more people abusing drugs they shouldn’t have in the first place and developing an addiction.

This flood of non-regulated drugs to the streets is not only creating addictions for those who take the drug willingly, but newborns as well. 455 children born across Arizona from June 2017 to January 2018 were diagnosed with opioid addiction passed on from the parents. Not only is this an issue that is even more difficult to treat in infants but has already affected their growth and brain development.

Methamphetamines in Phoenix

While prescription opioids are rampant in Arizona, the DEA has stated that methamphetamines are the biggest danger to the state. Between inpatient discharges and ER visits, there were 24,111 documented cases of methamphetamine abuse across the state. Over two-thirds were within Maricopa County.

From 2015 to 2016, there was a reported 100% increase in the influx of methamphetamines across the border. 5,584 lbs. of methamphetamines were seized outside of Tucson alone, an estimated $20.6 million worth. With the chance to make this much of a profit, there is little any US-based law enforcement agency can do as preventative measures. Someone will always be willing to take that risk for that big of a payoff.

The only true defense is education and rehabilitation, for those who are already suffering from addiction.

Treatment in Phoenix

Within Maricopa County, there are a range of rehabilitation programs for inpatient and outpatient treatment including counseling, medication-assisted therapy, and 12-step programs. It can be convenient to use one of these local programs when seeking recovery, especially if family or loved ones wish to take part in rehabilitation.

However, much can be said for seeking therapy outside of your own city or state, especially when substances are so easily accessible in your area. Sometimes, the change of scenery is a much-needed step in recovery and being able to separate yourself from the environment that your addiction was created in can be important to putting yourself in a healthier mental state.

Whatever you choose, it should always be about what facility you think can best help you in your individual situation. If you don’t know what is right for you or need help planning your next step, then reach out to a dedicated treatment specialist today. They can help you come to a decision and plan out your next steps to recovery.