DRUG TREATMENT CENTER IN COLOMBUS, OHIO

Drug treatment in Columbus, Ohio focuses on varying degrees of substance abuse from prescription drugs to hard drugs like Heroin. The worryingly high availability of Heroin reflects in the statistics of users in Columbus and other areas such as Athens and Cincinnati.

Abuse of prescription drugs has risen significantly according to the findings collected between 2008-2009, to the extent that an Emerging Drug Trend Workgroup was launched, made up of drug treatment and prevention professionals, medical professionals and law enforcement professionals. Working alongside the EDTW, the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Pharmacy Board are also collaborating to determine the best methods for minimising prescription drug abuse in the state.

Drug treatment centers in Columbus, Ohio include the Columbus Health Department, Crossroads Recovery Services and Maryhaven of Columbus. These centers offer counselling, other behavioural therapies, careful monitoring and often medication. Medication and behavioural therapy aid the therapeutic process alongside detoxification followed by treatment and relapse prevention with particular focus on easing withdrawal symptoms. Patients will also be assessed for the presence of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases during their treatment.

Particular drugs on the rise in Columbus include oxycodone and hydrocodone which are, similarly to Heroin, most prevalent in young whites. A growing problem in Columbus and its surrounding areas is Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, along with other benzodiazepines. These are mostly associated with self-medication from those whore dependent on opioids to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Another drug gaining popularity in the area is piperazine, a so-called party pill usually used for the treatment of ringworm. Piperazine are marketed as alternatives to ecstasy and lead users to assume they are safer than illegal drugs due to their presence in the legal market. The drug affects serotonin and dopamine levels and closely resembles speed and the aforementioned ecstasy.

In August 2008, a sudden increase in Heroin availability and use was recorded. In the current 2009 report, this remains unchanged in Ohio generally, although there has been a moderate decline in Columbus. Ecstasy and Marijuana continue to be high in availability and usage. Crack cocaine use has dropped in all regions except Columbus where its availability remains moderately high. Methamphetamine use, however, is declining steadily. Laboratory closures have increased though epidemiologists did not report any increase in users seeking treatment and the users remain difficult to reach due to the stigma surrounding the abuse of the drug.

Behavioral treatments are suited perfectly to the individuals needs. Some patients are offered the most popular and arguably most effective method: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in which the patient is taught to recognize their triggers and seek to rid themselves of them. Alternative methods include Family Therapy which is most popular amongst adolescent abusers and Motivational Interviewing which kick-starts the user into addressing their problems and entering inpatient treatment. For those with potentially fatal problems residential treatments are likely and can be very effective. Highly structured programs teach the former users to alter their attitudes and perceptions and they are usually followed by those with histories of drug abuse or those involved in serious criminal offences.