Irvine Drug Abuse: Trends, Statistics, and How to Find Help
Irvine has been called one of the safest cities in California. In fact, in an article published in The Orange County Register, a man who studies crime and lives in Irvine is the butt of jokes, as his colleagues claim that he has nothing to study in his hometown. Crime just isn’t prevalent in the planned community of Irvine as it might be elsewhere in California.
That does not mean Irvine is free of other problems. In reality, Irvine residents are dealing with the very real impact of addictions.
Addiction Problems
For some, the addictions begin with teenage experimentation. They dabble in drugs or alcohol as part of a pattern of teenage curiosity or rebellion, and in time, they find they can no longer control when they use drugs or how much they take when they do take in drugs.
For others, addictions begin due to workplace pressures. They lean on substances to help them cope with their jobs and the struggles they must deal with every day. In time, the drugs become a critical part of life that they have no control over.
No matter how your addiction began, there are treatments available that can help you get control once more. Many of the treatments you need are available right here in Irvine. There are public funded or charitable programs nearby that can help you get care even if you can’t pay for it, and there are private-pay options that can help you get control too.
Where to Find Help in Irvine, California
Our treatment programs at Resurgence Behavioral Health focus on offering comprehensive integrated care that integrates mental health, substance abuse and primary care services. We offer both 12-step and SMART recovery groups. Our customized treatment approach is what sets us apart from other treatment centers. We are not a one size fits all treatment facility. Our treatment plans are customized to each patient’s needs and preferences. These plans are administered by our staff of highly motivated and expert professionals.
Please contact us or call us at 855-458-0050 so we can design an addiction treatment plan custom to your unique addiction and personal needs.
Understanding Irvine
Irvine is often associated with good fiscal health. For example, in research cited by The Orange County Register, Irvine was ranked at the top of all other populous cities in the nation, based on debt or surplus per capita. Statistics like this showcase how community leaders work hard to balance the books, so the city has the resources required to keep the community functioning at an optimal level. Some of those resources are used to help with addiction issues, but there is quite a bit of work left to be done.
According to UCI Health, one person in Orange County dies every other day due to an accidental prescription medication overdose. This is remarkably easy to do.
Brain cells become accustomed to the presence of drugs, and the cells stop responding to low amounts of the drug. In order to feel the sensations commonly associated with drugs, people must take larger amounts of the drugs they crave. Chasing that high can mean sedating the body to such a degree that breathing stops, and death can follow.
Getting treatment can help, but for some, it’s difficult to recognize addiction or research treatment programs. For some people, the only treatment they receive is in the corrections system.
Addiction treatments do not have to be voluntary in order to work. A treatment program that helps people to recognize how the addiction began and that offers tools people can use to deal with cravings can help people to get better, whether they want that treatment or not. Even programs given in prison can help. But changes to California’s prison system make getting that care even harder.
According to research done for the Desert Sun, Proposition 47 scaled back mandatory convictions and long prison sentences for drug addiction. In theory, the legislation was designed to offer comprehensive addiction treatment for those who needed it, but that treatment hasn’t materialized. That could result in many people in Irvine with an addiction, a criminal record, and no treatment options available.
How the Community Is Working Together
While some of the news about addictions in Irvine is bleak, there is good cause for optimism. Community leaders are stepping up to try to stop the cycle of addiction before it begins.
The Irvine Police Department uses the DARE program to encourage young people to avoid drugs. Police officers are given 80 hours of special training or more, and then they head into the community to educate students about:
- Interpersonal communication
- Self-esteem
- Assertiveness
- Anger management
- Decision-making processes
- Peer pressure
- Alternatives to substance abuse
This program encourages young people to avoid early drug use, and that could lead to lower addiction levels in time.
The Orange County Collaborative on Prescription Drug Abuse is working to help reduce the amount of prescription medications available to those who want to abuse them. The organization educates hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers about safe prescribing practices, and they inform people in the community about how to dispose of drugs safely.
With a program like this in place, it could be harder for someone with an addiction to both find and access substances to abuse. They would not be able to sort through a medicine cabinet of a friend or neighbor and find drugs to score. They also wouldn’t be able to jump from doctor to doctor in order to get a prescription for the drugs they crave. The supply could be locked down, and that could lead to higher recovery rates.
We Can Help
At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we believe in Irvine. We know that addictions can be effectively treated, as we help families to recover every single day in our facility in Costa Mesa. We offer both inpatient and outpatient care for addiction, and our aftercare approach ensures that you have the tools you need to maintain sobriety when formal treatment is through.
We can help you find the recovery you’ve been looking for, and calling is the first step. Contact us to find out more about how we can help and what we can do for you.
