Hawaii Inpatient Drug Rehab Programs

Untreated drug and alcohol abuse and dependence continue to be large problems facing Hawaiian families, and finding treatment is often more difficult due to the limited number of services on the islands.

According to Hawaii Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues At-A-Glance published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the unmet need for treatment is high, especially among those over the age of 26. Thousands of Hawaiian families continue to suffer due to chronic drug and alcohol abuse and dependence issues every year. Are you one of them? What's Your Loved One's Drug of Choice? A "drug of choice" is the primary drug that your loved one uses, often on a daily basis and multiple times a day. According to the SAMHSA survey, the following drugs were most often cited as the drug of choice among those who sought drug addiction help in Hawaii in recent years:

The number two spot has flipped back and forth between marijuana and methamphetamine in recent years and cocaine usage has steadily dropped over time but otherwise, the numbers have remained relatively constant since the early 1990s.

Dual Dependencies

Often one of the biggest issues facing those entering treatment is dealing with the withdrawal symptoms, including cravings and physical symptoms, associated with multiple substances of abuse. In many cases, the problem is alcohol combined with another substance like marijuana or prescription drugs. It's an issue that is significant because the effect of two substances together is far harsher than the effects of each added together. For example, cocaine and alcohol combine to create a new, deadly substance in the body called cocaethylene. This substance damages the liver far more quickly than if the individual chose to only drink or just use cocaine. Early intervention becomes increasingly more important in these instances in order to stop - and hopefully reverse - the negative health consequences of chronic dual drug use.

Island Fever

Unlike patients on the mainland who can quickly cross state lines and access a number of different drug and alcohol addiction treatment options, Hawaiian residents are often faced with choosing between the overcrowded, underfunded government-run facilities closest to them or some of the most expensive rehab centers in the world. In many cases, the most effective choice is to opt for a treatment program on the mainland.

Despite the need to fly across the Pacific, it is often far more cost-effective to choose a program that has the ability to address personal and unique challenges to sobriety during the course of treatment without the added price tag of doing business on an island.