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  • Stephen L Dalton

    My Brother Bob Is Addicted to… Where Do We Get Help?

    2023-02-10

    When someone is caught up in the cycle of addiction, they are dealing with a deadly disease. It is a disease that never goes away. The good news is it can be arrested and laid to rest.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4YeHT2_0kifakgO00
    A used syringe discarded at a popular beach.Photo byDreamstime #233469155.

    During his introduction, Dr. Eric Brown advised a Bangor area working group, “No one gets into drugs or alcohol intending to become addicted.” The workgroup comprised law enforcement officers, social services, businesspeople, and local healthcare providers.

    When someone is addicted to fentanyl, oxy, heroin, or even alcohol, it can be challenging to get off it independently.

    You see the homeless everywhere, yet you believe it can’t happen to you or someone in your family. You have a good job and a lovely home with a small mortgage. You’re OK — until you’re not.

    If you have a loved one suffering from drug addiction, you can hope they will find a path toward getting help. Alternatively, you could take the initiative and help lead them to that path.

    Maine officials address state’s worsening opioid epidemic

    The statistics are staggering.

    Finding rehab help

    As a resident of Bangor, Maine, you might be familiar with the drug addiction treatment community. If not, searching for the appropriate drug rehab might take much time and effort.

    Here are two drug rehab centers in Bangor, Maine, worthy of your consideration to help you in that endeavor.

    Discovery House of Bangor - Comprehensive Treatment Center: Adult treatment center specializing in opioid addiction treatment. The facility offers dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders (psychological/addiction). Most insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid.

    Acadia Hospital: Full-service adult addiction treatment center specializing in heroin and alcohol addiction treatment. The facility also offers mental health treatment services. Accepts most private insurance plans, plus Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Most active-duty military, retirees, and their dependents qualify for TRICARE. If you’re not sure, check here.

    The treatment process

    To relieve any possible anxiety about getting treatment, here is a description of the addiction treatment process.

    Upon entering the rehab center, your loved one would undergo an intake interview. The interview is designed to inform facility staff members about a client's addiction issues. That information will serve as a roadmap for creating a custom treatment program.

    If your loved one's addiction is moderate to severe, they most likely will need to go through a detox program. A good detox program will allow them to clear their withdrawal symptoms with minimal pain and discomfort.

    From there, they would move to the therapy portion of treatment. Most treatment facilities will administer therapy for the individual, though group and family sessions might also be brought in as part of the treatment program when necessary.

    For the most part, individual therapy is where the hard work is done. If your loved one can be open and honest with their therapist, they will have an excellent chance to learn the truth about their addiction. With the truth in hand, they will get an opportunity to build the coping skill they will need to avoid a lifetime of chronic relapses.

    All of this is possible if your loved one can find their way into treatment. Without treatment, their prognosis would be a lifetime of turmoil and suffering until they finally hit rock bottom.

    Maine families of those struggling with addiction may soon see expanded options

    Sometimes, the only sensible course of action is family intervention. The choice is not always easy, but the alternative might be claiming their body from the morgue.

    When addiction to alcohol, fentanyl, opioids, cocaine, or heroin strikes your family, you need to know where in Bangor, Maine, to get help. Most Veterans automatically think of the Togus, Maine VA Healthcare System (VAMC) in Augusta or the Bangor Veterans Affairs clinic on State Hospital Street.

    The Bangor VA Clinic - 35 State Hospital Street in Bangor, Maine 04401.

    Main number: (207) 561-3600 Mental Health number: (207) 561-3600 (ext. 3600)

    References:

    The Start Your Recovery website, Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers, Counseling, & Support.

    The Bangor Daily News article, Bangor struggles to find success with program aimed at reducing drug arrests.

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    About the author

    Stephen Dalton is a native of Old Town, ME, and a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Top Writer in Travel, Food, Fiction, Transportation, VR, NFL, Design, Creativity, Short Story, and a NewsBreak Community Voice Pro.

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    Comments / 7
    Add a Comment
    Danielle King
    2023-03-05
    People who are not ready to get help will tell you, don’t go here or don’t go there. If someone is serious and advocates for their recovery, any treatment is better than not receiving any. I went through treatment at Acadia without being put on any medication from them and I can say that it saved my life!
    Nk B
    2023-02-25
    otherwise if u keep using u will eventually OD
    View all comments
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