Introduction
Drug abuse is the use of illegal substances with the aim of interfering with the normal function of the body. It begins by taking small doses of the substance, which eventually develops into a habit.
Drug abuse has been on the rise across the United States. Although some states are regarded as hot spots for drug abuse, almost every region of the country has witnessed a surge in drug usage.
It impacts not only an individual but an entire community. Although addiction is experienced by the user, the community is negatively affected either directly or indirectly.
The victims are often helpless; hence they depend on the government for rehabilitation services. In most cases, the addicts try to seek help from professionals from public hospitals.
Richmond city has been highly affected by drug addiction. A lot of criminal activities that are drug-related have been experienced over the past few years.
The officials in Richmond city should address addiction by providing affordable rehabilitation centers. These public facilities should also be easily accessible to the residence.
Reasons For Engaging In Drugs
Financial constraints – Poverty is a major reason why people engage in drug abuse. The poor are more likely to get into drugs because they want to relieve their mental suffering.
Racial conflicts – Racial profiling forces people to engage in drug use. When one race in society is associated with criminal activities, they can indulge in drug use to relieve their minds from the toxic, negative environment.
Political instability – Political instability weakens the government and its law enforcers. People can therefore have easy access to the drugs due to the laxity posed by political instability.
Peer pressure – Many young people across the globe get involved in drug use because of peer pressure. When the peers are drug addicts, an individual may want to use drugs to fit into the group.
Lockdowns caused by the coronavirus. As a result of the pandemic, many people became idle in their homes and resorted to engaging in drugs.
Distribution Of Illegal Drugs
Indiana has the highest concentration of illegal drugs compared to the neighboring states. Although the state has put strict regulations to control the accessibility of the substances, there is still a steady supply of illegal drugs.
According to Rehab Center (2020), there are several substances used by the residents, however, the commonly abused drugs in the state include:
- Meth labs.
- Heroin.
The number of drug-related deaths has increased in Richmond city (McGill, 2017). The deaths are either caused directly to the victim or indirectly to other innocent members of the family.
Rehabilitation Process
- Rehabilitation process begins by seeking professional medical help. The addicted person must accept that they have a problem that needs medical attention.
- The addict then begins a recovery process. The professional provides an appropriate method that can effectively solve the situation without jeopardizing the life of the victim.
- The process can be hampered by:
- Lack of a rehabilitation facility;
- Limited space and resources for each patient;
- High treatment cost;
- Each patient’s case.
Accepting the Condition → Seeking Medical Attention → Being Diagnosed → Detoxification and Therapy → Full Recovery.
What Rehab Centers Should Provide
Rehabilitation centers should provide the following to their patients:
- Basic care.
- Personal support.
- Cleanliness.
- Comfortable conditions.
The process is unique to every patient and, therefore, one-on-one sessions with a doctor should be prioritized. Through this, the doctor is able to assess the condition of the patient, which eliminates the withdrawal effects that may be witnessed when an addict abruptly withdraws from the drug.
Providing Effective Rehab Services
- Patients should be subjected to appropriate therapy care, such as:
- Detox – Drugs given to the addict to reduce the amount of drug presence in the blood.
- Psychological therapy – This may include counseling and mental exercise. It helps the patient to develop a different perception of a drug.
- Physical exercise – It deviates the mind of the victim from the negative environment.
- Relatives also play an important role in the rehabilitation process. They encourage the victim by offering both financial and emotional support.
- The premise should be isolated to distract the victims from daily life but should be accessible by car.
Addict:
- Close Relatives And Friends;
- Detoxification;
- Psychological Therapy;
- Physical Exercise.
Why Government Should Be Involved in Rehabilitating Addicted People
- Rehabilitation process is often expensive for drug addicts.
- Most addicts are low-income earners or unemployed.
- Most insurance programs do not cover the rehabilitation process (Juergens, 2020).
- Addicts do not meet the requirements of getting services from private facilities.
- Substance abuse treatment leads to a reduction in crimes (Bondurant, Lindo, & Swensen, 2018).
- Government should improve the general wellbeing of the citizens.
Conclusion
- Increase in substance abuse leads to enhanced criminal activities in the city.
- The government should provide affordable or free rehabilitation programs.
- More rehabilitation facilities should be constructed by the government for easy access by the general public.
References
Bondurant, S., Lindo, J., & Swensen, I. (2018). Substance abuse treatment centres and local crime. Journal of Urban Economics, 104, 124-133. Web.
Juergens, J. (2020). Understanding the cost of rehab. Web.
McGill, R. (2017). Wayne County sets record for drug-related deaths. Web.
Rehab Center. (2020). 2 Alcohol and drug rehab centers in Richmond, Indiana. Web.