Drug and Alcohol Statistics in Montana

From the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains, Montana has one of the most picturesque landscapes and stunning views in the United States. The state also has more wildlife variety than any other American state. This variety is comprised of the caribou, the bighorn sheep, and grizzly bears - among many others.

Even with all this beauty that the Treasure State boasts, many people in Montana continue struggling with various substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. If you are among these people, you should consider getting help as soon as you realize that you have a drug or alcohol related problem.

Specific Data and Statistics on Drug Usage in Montana

Today, substance use disorders have been affecting many people in and across the US. This is regardless of their social status, race, or gender. As you can well imagine, Montana has not been left untouched by these drug related problems.

In 2010, for instance, a total of 7,744 people enrolled for addiction treatment and rehabilitation services in the state. Of this number, 31.5 percent were female while the remaining 68.5 percent were male.

Measures of past year substance abuse and dependence also show that the rates of these issues in Montana have been among the top across the United States. In 2005 and 2006, for instance, these rates were higher in Montana than anywhere else in the country for every age group.

The past year rates of alcohol dependence in the state have also been among the highest across the United States. In 2005 and 2006, they were also ranked among the highest for every age group.

During the same period, it was reported that about 10 percent of all residents of Montana had used illicit drugs within the month prior to the study. This was at a time when the national average was put at 8 percent.

Of people above the ages of 12, more than 7 percent reported that they had an alcohol use disorder. This effectively meant that thousands of Montana's population were addicted to alcohol. The percentage is equal to around 65,000 people across the state.

Unfortunately, only about 8 percent of all the people who were dependent on alcohol checked into an addiction treatment and rehabilitation facility to deal with the problem. This could be because access to high quality and affordable treatment is still a problem in the state.

From 2012 to 2015, the state reported a total of 181 deaths linked to prescription opioids. Although the total number of overdose deaths got to the first low in 15 years during 2015, it is still important to remember that even a single death to a drug overdose is still too much death.

Unfortunately, prescription opioids have started becoming a major problem in the state. During the same time, the total number of overdose deaths have been increasing and affecting families and individuals.

It is also important to keep in mind that there was a 475 percent increase in the total rate of heroin use in Montana since 2013. This means that Montana is like the rest of the United States in the rates of heroin use and above.

This heroin problem is largely driven and influenced by the increase in the total number of prescription medications that are being used in the state as well as across the entire country. Eventually, most of the people who use these medications end up turning to heroin because it is a cheaper and more accessible option.

In 2016, also, 53 percent of all the DCI drug investigations in the state were related to meth. Although this drug has always been a major Montana problem, its use has been rising over the past few years. Drug seizures by the DCI - the Division of Criminal Investigation - have also revealed the fact that there is an increase in the purity levels of this substance for several years now. This goes to show that the state is now being plagued by stronger and deadlier forms of methamphetamine.

Number of Rehabs Available in Montana

With so many widespread drug related problems, it is not entirely surprising that drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers are a major health requirement in Montana. While seeking help from one of these centers, it is essential to keep in mind that the state has many options.

As you decide on where you are going to seek help with your addiction, you might also want to consider getting out of state. This could be extremely beneficial to your long term recovery and sobriety.

Whether you need intensive care on an inpatient basis or clinics that provide outpatient addiction treatment and rehabilitation services, you should keep in mind that Montana has many options.

With so many well-known addiction treatment centers in Montana, it might not always be easy for you to make the right choice. This is why it is important to understand all your needs and requirements first before you enroll in a drug rehab program in the state.

You should also ask all the questions that come to mind before you choose any alcohol and drug treatment program in the state. Luckily, most of the rehab centers in this state are staffed with highly qualified and trained specialists who might be able to guide you and ensure that you make the right decision about the treatment center that you are going to check into.

That said, there are some features that you should look for while searching for the right drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. These essential features include but are not always limited to:

The various levels of care that are being offered at the center, such as medically managed detox services, partial hospitalization programs, regular outpatient programs, intensive outpatient programs, and inpatient or residential addiction treatment

• How long you intend to stay at the drug rehab center
• If it would be possible for you to customize the treatment program to meet your unique needs, requirements, and preferences
• Reviews written about the program by past clients
• The accreditations that the center has
• The level of confidentiality that you can expect to enjoy while enrolled in the program
• The various specialties of all the addiction treatment staff working at the center, such as addiction counseling, physical therapy, medical training, and so on

The important thing is to keep in mind that Montana has many drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. To this end, you should take your time choosing a center and only do so after you are sure that the program you intend to check into is going to help you overcome your substance abuse and addiction both in the short and in the long term.

Types of Rehab Available In Montana

There are various factors that could increase your risk of developing a substance use disorder in Montana. These include your history of trauma, your mental health state, your poverty levels, your genetic makeup, as well as your family history of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.

Irrespective of all these factors, it is essential to keep in mind that Montana has many different drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Most of these programs should be able to offer you all the recovery services that you need to overcome your substance use disorder before it continues getting out of hand even further than it is.

Often, these facilities are classified into inpatient and outpatient drug rehabs. Each of these forms of treatments caters to different types of addictions and co-occurring mental health disorders as you will learn below.

a) Inpatient Drug Rehab

When you choose an inpatient drug rehabilitation program in Montana, you will be required to check into the treatment center. This means that you will be living at the center for the entire duration of your treatment. This could be anywhere from 28 to 90 days, or even longer.

Inpatient addiction treatment would be ideal if you have been diagnosed with a severe substance use disorder that has been ongoing for some time. However, you might also be able to benefit from this type of treatment if you also have additional co-occurring mental health and medical disorders over and above your addiction.

b) Outpatient Drug Rehab

You can also choose to get help with your addiction from an outpatient center. This effectively means that you will be receiving treatment services without actually living at the recovery facility.

Instead, you can schedule your treatments to take place over several hours every week. During these sessions, you can visit the recovery center. After, you will be able to continue with your regular day to day activities - at work, school, or home.

Hospital Statistics Form Drug Overdoses and Drug Related Admissions in Montana

Most of the statistics on the drug overdoses and drug related admissions in Montana are linked to the drugs that are commonly abused in this state. Consider the following:

1. Alcohol

In 2010, a total of 2,003 enrolled in a drug rehab center in the state for abusing alcohol. An additional 2,699 individuals received similar treatment services for abusing alcohol alongside another secondary drug.

2. Marijuana

At the moment, marijuana is the substance of abuse that is most commonly cited by people who are admitted into treatment centers in the state. People between the ages of 12 and 17 years are reported to have the highest rates of dependence on this substance - at 29.5 percent by 2010.

c) Amphetamines

A total of 498 people enrolled in drug rehab center for abusing amphetamine in 2010. The largest age group among these people was comprised of people aged between 26 and 30 years at a rate of 23.7 percent.

Statistics on Drug Arrests in Montana

Drug use was the direct cause of 132 deaths in 2007 in Montana. The same year, 139 people died in incidents involving firearms while an additional 268 lost their lives in motor car accidents. Figures from drug arrests in the state also show that the rate of death here is higher than the total national average.

CITATIONS

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf

http://www.cwla.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MONTANTA-revised-1.pdf

https://dphhs.mt.gov/aboutus/news/2017/3-23-17substance-abuse