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Maine drug rehab services are available for residents from all socioeconomic groups and cultural backgrounds.
Nestled in Northern New England, Maine is scenic but remote, with its rocky coastlines and deep forests. As the most sparsely populated state east of the Mississippi River, Maine lacks the resources of northeastern states like New York and Massachusetts. But hope is available through Maine’s Substance Abuse Prevention Program, which is administered through the state’s Public Health Division. The program’s mission is to prevent the devastating effects of addiction by offering education and outreach to the residents of the Pine Tree State.
Substance Abuse Trends in Maine
At one time, alcoholism was the prevailing form of substance abuse in Maine. Today, prescription painkillers have overtaken alcohol as the primary drug of abuse in this state.
In 2011, the Portland Press Herald reported that this small, predominantly rural state now leads the country in the number of its residents who are addicted to opioid analgesics like OxyContin. Federal statistics indicate that the percentage of Maine residents being treated for drug addiction is over eight times the national average. Oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and morphine-like drugs are the most commonly abused opiate medications.
Derived from compounds that occur in opium, opioid drugs are extremely addictive. Whether you’re using illicit drugs or prescription painkillers like Vicodin or Percocet, the risk of getting hooked is high. For many drug users, prescription opioids are a gateway to less expensive street opiates like heroin. Opiates are especially dangerous when they’re combined with other central nervous system depressants, like alcohol or tranquilizers.
Community-based substance abuse programs can be highly effective at helping addicts restore stability to their lives. According to the state’s Addiction treatment Specialist, graduates of state-funded treatment programs had impressive success rates in 2011:
- About 72 percent of clients who participated in rehab programs funded by MaineCare were abstinent when they were discharged.
- Approximately 82 percent of rehab graduates were living on their own.
- Approximately 33 percent of graduates had found jobs and were actively working.
- About 55 percent of rehab graduates were participating in 12-step programs or other self-help groups.
*Maine Substance Abuse Recovery Statistics
Enrolling in a Maine Addiction Treatment Center
The hardest part of enrolling in a Maine addiction treatment program is often making that first telephone call. You may not know what to expect, how you’ll be treated or how you’ll pay for rehab. But once you’ve taken that first crucial step, the rest of the enrollment process will probably seem easy by comparison.
In the admission phase, you’ll be assessed by an addiction counselor or therapist to determine:
- How long you’ve been abusing alcohol or drugs
- How much you are currently drinking or using
- Whether you have any serious medical concerns, like high blood pressure or diabetes
- Whether you have a history of a psychiatric illness, such as depression, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder
- Whether you’ve been through rehab in the past and the outcome of that treatment
- Whether you have any legal or financial difficulties
When you’re in the grip of addiction, enrolling in a rehab program might seem like a daunting task. You may feel too disoriented, weak or exhausted to find your way through the maze of treatment options that you have available.
