Dover

Substance Use Disorder and Overdose in Dover, New Hampshire

Dover is the fifth largest city in New Hampshire and is less than 10 miles from the University of New Hampshire. It is also just an hour-long car ride to Boston’s Logan International Airport. While these institutions provide Dover with many opportunities, they also have brought an increase in the recreational drug culture to those living in this city that is cradled by the mountains and the ocean.

In 2019, there were 348 deaths related to drug overdose in New Hampshire. Strafford County, the county in which Dover is located, had the highest rate of suspected drug overdose deaths at 3.44 per 100,000 residents. Fentanyl and fentanyl/cocaine blends are the most common culprits, and 32% of deaths are among those aged 30 to 39 years.

The Severity of Substance Use Disorder

While it may be easy to classify drinking or using drugs to excess as merely bad habits, substance use disorder needs to be treated right away. It would be a wrong move if someone with diabetes refuses to follow a health care provider’s advice or if someone with cancer declines to get the tumor evaluated. Unfortunately, most individuals don’t think of brain-body conditions, such as substance use disorder, with the same urgency as diseases that don’t involve the brain.

Some of the most frequently used drugs include cocaine, fentanyl, benzodiazepines, and alcohol. All of these substances cause problems with body parts such as the liver, heart, and nerves. Long-term complications may include liver cancer, heart attack, and painful neuropathy.

Perhaps the most devastating damage caused by substance use disorder is brain damage. Permanent brain injury and decisions made without a clear head can both come back to haunt you. Fortunately, brain injury can be successfully managed, restoring much of the harm done by substance use disorder.

We’ve helped people who felt they lost it all to drug and alcohol use. Through persistence and hard work, we’ve seen relationships mended, careers rebuilt, and health restored. Only you have the power to save your own life by making that first move toward recovery.

Tools to Conquer Addiction

There are many ways to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Your victory will be the result of taking decisive actions that are right for you. Factors such as learning style, personality, and even the amount of time you can step away from life responsibilities impact the tools you’ll use to make your success a reality.

Some standard treatment options for substance use disorder include:

• Community support groups
• Outpatient programs
• Partial hospitalization programs
• Residential rehabilitation programs

Community Support Groups

Community support groups are one of the most easily accessed tools in your recovery arsenal. Such groups typically meet in convenient locations, which include community centers, houses of worship, and other venues. There are even some support groups that meet online.

Some of the most common support groups include 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. These groups provide camaraderie, accountability, and assistance working through recovery. Moreover, family members can share their experiences, strengths, and hopes at Al-Anon and Nar-Anon meetings.

Since one of the 12 steps involves the belief that “a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity,” some individuals may be uncomfortable with 12-step programs. Even though many 12-step group members may not necessarily share the same beliefs, SMART Recovery meetings can provide a Higher Power-free environment. Trying both kinds of groups, and even different meetings in a single program, is a good idea.

Outpatient Programs

Outpatient treatment programs sometimes include group meetings, but they are not limited to support group participation. Outpatient programs are treatment tools without a residential component. When you attend an outpatient program, you can live at home and continue to work.

Outpatient treatment programs can take many different forms. Program participation can be as simple as seeing your health care provider for a medication update or meeting with a qualified substance use disorder counselor for individual and family therapy sessions. These programs are frequently operated by local organizations, such as the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

Partial hospitalization programs are sometimes called day programs. As is the case with outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs lack a residential requirement. That, however, is where the similarity ends.

Partial hospitalization programs offer a more intensive version of outpatient offerings. Typically, participants attend recovery-related activities five days per week. While it may be possible to work minimal hours during a day program, many attendees chose to focus on their treatments instead of work. Even though such programs usually last for several weeks, most participants attend an intensive outpatient program after their partial hospitalization programs end.

Reflecting on Treatment

Each of the above treatment options has strengths and weaknesses. Support groups are perhaps the most flexible option with multiple locations, times, and formats available. Group members are also extremely empathetic and know what it’s like to live in recovery. Unfortunately, many community support groups lack a professional facilitator on-site to guide group communication and progress.

Outpatient treatment programs have the advantage of oversight by a trained clinician. In such programs, you’ll receive effective intervention delivered by a specialized professional. You’ll also be able to continue with your day-to-day life while in treatment.

Partial hospitalization programs are a more intensive form of outpatient treatment, so you’ll receive a more involved version of an outpatient program. Since they require attending services five days per week, they can help give you more of a focus on recovery than an outpatient program. Some find it difficult to return to their homes or neighborhood environments during treatment.

Putting All the Pieces Together

If you’re finding you like a bit of each approach, you’re not alone. Many people long for the camaraderie of group fellowship yet desire professional input in a structured, dedicated environment.

A residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program can offer you the best of all these treatment options.

What Is a Residential Treatment Program?

Residential treatment programs, commonly called drug and alcohol rehab, allow you to focus on your recovery in a setting free from peer pressure, challenging family members, or environmental triggers such as a stressful workplace. In a residential program like the one offered at Green Mountain Treatment Center, your recovery begins with you. Your strengths, weaknesses, styles, preferences, and goals always come first.

Green Mountain Treatment Center is an 88-bed facility dedicated to giving you the space and resources needed to focus on your journey. Our surroundings are the beautiful White Mountains and Lakes Region in rural New Hampshire.

We offer gender-separate accommodations and programs so you can receive treatment in a non-judgmental environment with fewer distractions. Even though there are many beautiful stories about relationships that began in recovery, a more intensive approach will help you navigate romantic and other interpersonal relationships in the future.

On-Site Medical Detox

If you’ve been to rehab or even just considered it, you’ve probably heard about detox. Detox, short for detoxification, is getting your body safely free from alcohol or drugs. Green Mountain Treatment Center is proud to offer a sub-acute medical detox program on-site.

Our detox professionals know how to make patients much more comfortable during this trying time. We specialize in carefully monitoring your blood levels, vital signs, and other physical parameters. We’ll be with you every step of the way and ensure that you have everything you need to be healthy as you detox.

Here for You

At Green Mountain Treatment Center, we provide 24/7 on-site supervision and services in a supportive environment, so we’re always here for you. In fact, some of our best counseling happens at three in the morning.

If you’re a guest in our center, we’ll help you remain focused on your recovery. Alcohol and drugs are not permitted on our premises. Moreover, you’re away from any distracting factors in your everyday life and free to put yourself at the top of your priority list.

Everything We Do Is About Strengthening You

From the moment you arrive, we focus on giving you the tools you need to get mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially more robust. Even if you’ve been in rehab before, our system is new to you. To answer your questions, to help you get oriented, and to ensure a confident start, you’ll participate in our client-to-client mentorship system.

We believe in whole-life transformation, and that begins with addressing your whole being. We offer a full continuum of care that features a multitude of holistic therapies. These include meditation, yoga, and recreational therapy. Even our meals are nutritionally balanced and created by a professional chef. At Green Mountain Treatment Center, every detail of your life matters.

As you read about all these amenities, Green Mountain Treatment Center can begin to sound like a vacation. It isn’t. Rehab is hard work, but we’ll be dedicated to supporting you as much as possible.

We Give You Evidence-Based Tools for Recovery

At Green Mountain Treatment Center, we relish the challenge of treating addiction, and we’re confident we know how to do it. We can say this because we only offer interventions and therapies that have been proven through extensive research. We’ve also hand-picked some of the most qualified, skilled, and experienced clinicians for our facility.

One of the evidence-based clinical therapies we offer is cognitive behavioral therapy. This form of interpersonal work helps you recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. Dialectical behavioral therapy is a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy that frequently focuses on emotional management, mindfulness, and relationship building.

Substance use disorder has many different origins and triggers. If you’ve suffered some form of trauma, it can affect your recovery. For this reason, we specialize in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health components surrounding substance use disorder.

You’ll Build a Foundation for a Life of Recovery

We harness the power of 12-step programs with the guiding force of clinical wisdom. Most 12-step programs, such as AA and NA, provide a framework that works for recovery. When combined with our clinical therapies and supervised by our qualified professional staff, the 12-step process strengthens you for recovery.

From admitting you have a problem to reaching out to others with substance use disorder, the 12-step life is hard work. It takes courage to bravely search through your past and to uncover any wrongs you have done or any character-related challenges. Our team of dedicated 12-step-focused clinicians knows how to help you over hurdles and encourage you to keep going.

A Program Just for You

At Green Mountain Treatment Center, we offer a completely individualized program. Since we take the time to learn as much about you as possible, we can give you a strong start toward recovery. Your hopes, life situation, learning style, and goals help determine how your recovery journey will unfold.

Since we’ve helped many individuals with the recovery process, we excel at learning how you think and what makes you tick. We specialize in giving you accurate feedback and giving you the tools to apply it to your everyday life.

When your stay with us is over, your recovery is far from over. At Green Mountain Treatment Center, we have the connections you need to help you succeed in your community. We know how far you’ve come, and we’re experts at anticipating the path ahead. No one can know everything about the future, but we can help you get the support that makes sense for your life.

If you’re ready to recover, we encourage you to reach out. The New Hampshire 2-1-1 hotline can provide you with more information on any of the recovery tools we’ve discussed. Our Green Mountain Treatment Center staff members are also standing by to provide you with personalized assistance for finding suitable treatment options.