South Gate, California Rehabs
California is the most populous state of America, containing some of the biggest cities in the country. Due to this, the state has substance abuse and drug overdose rates that exceed the national average. As with other parts of California, South Gate has its fair share of problems with substance abuse.
If you live in South Gate or Los Angeles County and have fallen victim to substance abuse, please don’t hesitate to seek treatment. There are a vast amount of resources and well-developed facilities at your disposal, but only if you ask for help through the proper channels.
About South Gate, California
South Gate is a city in the Los Angeles County of California with a population of over 94,000, located 7 miles southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. South Gate was once ranch land before it was then gradually developed into the city we know today, being incorporated on January 20, 1923. It has since become known as the “Azalea City”, having adopted the flower as its symbol in 1965.
South Gate’s population is composed of 50.5% White, 3.4% Non-Hispanic White, 0.9% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 43% from other ethnicities. Around 94.8% have some form of Hispanic heritage.
From 2015 to 2019, the median income level in South Gate is $52,321, which is much higher than the state median of $31,960. However, around 17.2% of the population in South Gate live below the federal poverty line, which is higher than the state poverty average of 15.3%. Over 56.7% of people in South Gate ages 25 and over have a high school degree, while 9.4% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Drug Use in South Gate and Los Angeles County
While the opioid crisis hasn’t affected California as much as the rest of the United States, there are still enough people affected by opioid addiction to make it significantly concerning. To help address this ongoing concern, the drug take-back programs are held twice a year by the South Gate Police Department, wherein residents can bring in unused prescription drugs, including opioids. These drugs are then safely disposed of to prevent them from being ever abused.
As a global center for commerce and the entertainment industry, Los Angeles County has significant rates of drug and alcohol addiction and abuse, especially with young people. According to a 2015 survey of high school students, 35% of them admitted to consuming cannabis and 53% to consuming alcohol.
Meanwhile, 10% have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, 7% have used inhalants, 5% have used cocaine, and another 5% have used MDMA. As you can see, drug and alcohol use is a major part of the lives of adolescents in Los Angeles County.
There’s another survey, this time involving young people aged 12 and older, which found that 22% of them have done binge-drinking with alcohol in the past month. Binge-drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion.
Meanwhile, 8% of them admitted to using cannabis in the past month, and 4% to using other prohibited drugs. In the entire population of Los Angeles County, 8% of them have some form of substance abuse disorder.
Around 4,600 people die from drug overdose every year in California. The state has made use of overdose reduction strategies that include needle exchange programs that help educate drug users on what to watch out for to prevent overdose. They also provide Narcan, a prescription drug for reversing the effects of opioid overdose, to opioid-dependent people.
Causes of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Drug and alcohol addiction has no single cause; many factors go into making someone physically and/or psychologically compelled to abuse a substance. Some risk factors include the following:
- Immediate family who struggle with addiction, either through genetics or influence. It has been consistently found that having close family members who are addicted to drugs or alcohol is a big contributing factor to one falling into addiction as well.
- That’s not only because they may have inherited an “addictive personality” or physiological tendency to be addicted, but also due to having drugs or alcohol within reach in the household.
- Being abused or neglected can also exacerbate addiction due to trauma. Drugs or alcohol may be consumed as a coping mechanism to deal with the trauma, which can then deepen the trauma and even cause the individual to then inflict abuse as well while under the influence.
- Drastic life changes, especially if they’re any way negative, like having to leave home for the firs time or ending a relationship, can make a person more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with the stress and anxiety.
- Peer pressure can also compel people to consume drugs or alcohol to fit in and not be a party pooper, especially if those peers are seen as important to the individual. Perhaps they wish to earn their friendship or they don’t wish to lose their company.
Addiction affects brain chemistry by providing extra dopamine on top of what the brain is able to produce. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that’s linked to the reward mechanism in the brain. By artificially taking in more dopamine through drug or alcohol use, the brain gets used to the heightened level of dopamine and ends up seeking to get that same level of dopamine or higher. Tolerance then builds up, which results in increased drug use over time.
The Process of Becoming Addicted
Addiction doesn’t magically happen out of the blue. It’s a process that usually starts when someone decides to experiment and explore. They may think to themselves that it’s only a one-time thing and they don’t see themselves doing more drugs or alcohol in the forseeable future. However, one hit or one drink then becomes two, and that begets more doses, until the person is indeed addicted beyond doubt.
Experimentation can then lead to regular use, which is not yet full addiction as the person still has a semblance of control over the consumption of the substance. Depending on how it makes them feel, they may keep using it or somehow cease to consume it any further. The latter could be due to understanding what the potential consequences of addiction may be or simply not finding it worth the time and energy that goes into procuring and consuming it.
Once regular use escalates to risky use or abuse, that’s when the person develops dependency, which then results in full-fledged addiction. Once the person feels like they can’t function without the substance, that’s when they’ll likely experience withdrawal symptoms once they stop taking it to maintain a sense of equilibrium. They would want to keep having access to that substance, so they become more fixated on it and even engage in risky behavior to obtain it.
The fixation can also result in the loss of interest in other things, such as work or school. They start neglecting responsibilities they once observed before addiction. They may even start neglecting personal care and hygiene, which is a sign that the addiction has fully taken hold of their senses. This adds up as time passes and both their health and social lives experience a sharp and noticeable decline, culminating in both poor health and bad life situation.
How to Tell if Someone is Addicted
There are several signs to look for if you’re concerned your loved one may be abusing drugs or alcohol. These signs include:
- They have intense cravings for drugs or alcohol. They are anxious and may tend to fidget.
- They suffer from withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, irritation, tremors, and sweating.
- They exhibit a lack of proper judgment and engage in risky behavior to obtain drugs or alcohol. Such behavior may include theft, compulsive lying, having unsafe sex, and so on.
- They experience financial problems due to spending most of their money on drugs or alcohol and have problems with paying the bills while they never did in the past.
- They show a lack of responsibility, are unable to fulfill obligations, and even stop attending work or school due to being preoccupied with the addictive substance.
- They may no longer spend time with family, friends, and people they were close to in the past. Addicted people tend to withdraw and hide from society, spend most of their time alone.
Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in California
Once you admit that you have a problem and are ready to address it, you may contact us in order to help treat your addiction. We have both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs to accommodate your needs for 90 days at a time. You may either stay in our residential treatment for 24/7 monitoring or choose intensive outpatient treatment to be able to stay home.
We are very hands-on with our intake process to make sure we get to know our patients and recommend to them the best possible form of treatment to address their addiction.
Detoxification
First off, we need to address physical addiction. This is the detoxification process, wherein you are helped with your withdrawal to minimize your suffering and chances of death. First off, you’re assessed for what substance you’re addicted to, then stabilized with medical and psychological therapy, and finally weaned off the addictive substance safely.
Different substances require different detox processes. Many drugs can be quit at a full stop, even though their withdrawal symptoms can be quite unpleasant. However, alcohol has to be administered in decreasing doses as quitting cold turkey can actually be fatal. This leaves no room for error in identifying which addictive substance is affecting you and how to address it.
Residential Treatment
Our main inpatient treatment program provides residential treatment for the best possible path towards bringing the patient back to sobriety. In a calm and soothing environment for 90 days at a time, a patient can best be prepared for sobriety with 24/7 monitoring to continually treat them.
During your stay, you’re given therapy and made to engage in activities that will help maintain your morale and prepare you for a life of sobriety. Activity and challenges are important as they can give patients hope in a future without substance abuse.
Day Treatment
Also known as Partial Hospitalization (PHP), this is the highest outpatient care we can administer. You attend the treatment center during the day, wherein you undergo 6 to 8 hours of our treatment program for 5 days a week, then you may go home at the end of each day to stay with your family and loved ones.
Intensive Outpatient (IOP)
Some patients may have life situations that don’t allow for them to attend the facility to receive treatment. That’s where intensive outpatient treatment comes in, allowing for involved addiction treatment in the comfort of your own home. You will be given daily counseling, addiction education, and skill-building through the power of telehealth to help get you sober.
Aftercare Support
Upon completing the main treatment program, you are then given aftercare support to continually observe your progress. A big part of this is learning new behaviors and habits that will help prevent relapse and make sobriety more sustainable.
Telehealth Options
It’s crucial these days to be able to offer telehealth services through computer, tablet, or smartphone to reach out to as many patients as possible through the power of the Internet while they can remain in the comfort of their own homes. This is especially important for patients who may not be able to leave home due to health, legal, or life reasons.
Intervention
For more stubborn patients who don’t want to admit that they have a problem, then it may be necessary to give them an intervention. They need to be presented with the potential long-term consequences of their ongoing addiction and how it affects the people around them. Once they’re convinced that they need help, they can then be referred to a treatment center.
Find Help In South Gate, California Now
We here at The Recover can be your first step towards finding help for addiction. We can help assess your situation, then refer you to a treatment center that will help you with treating your addiction.