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Palatine and the Windy City
The Chicago metropolitan area has a lot of wonderful aspects, including deep-dish pizza, the Bean, and Chicago-style hot dogs. But, just like the rest of the world, it cannot escape drug and alcohol problems.
Suburban Chicago teenagers are admitting to drinking to excess more often than other teens across the country. An investigation by the Illinois Youth Survey has learned that about 24-27% of suburban Chicago high school seniors are drinking excessively about once every two weeks. By comparison, a CDC study in 2017 showed that 19% of all high school students binge drink.
New Trier Township High School said 33% of its students answered “yes” to the question of binge drinking and disclosed drinking to excess at least once in the last 30 days. School district officials announced that binge drinking is an important health concern and may be an issue to which the community is inclined.
Todd Nahigian, who manages the Committee Representing Our Young Adults after school program in Lake Forest, said teens often model the behaviors they observe in their parents. As reported by Nahigian, parents are the factor that will have the greatest impact on reducing teen drinking.
“It doesn’t mean that they’re not going to drink if their parents don’t want them to, but they’re going to be more cautious…more safe…more interested in making the right decision…knowing that their parents will be asking where they’ve been.”
Social Hosting: Adults Who Supervise Drug or Alcohol Use
Some parents think it’s better to allow their kids and friends to drink at home in a supervised setting. This is sometimes called social hosting, and it’s punishable by jail time in Illinois.
The CDC’s 500 Cities Project surveyed adults about binge drinking and found Arlington Heights, Schaumburg and Palatine ranked among the top 10 highest binge drinking cities in the country.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville metropolitan area, an annual average of 1.1 million people aged 12 or older used an illegal drug in the past year. This is about 14.8 % of the population and is higher than the rate for the state.
Availability of Illicit Substances in Illinois
The availability of drugs in Illinois has reached an all-time high. Drug arrests in Illinois are one of the main indicators of the availability and abuse of drugs. Arrests have increased considerably during the past two decades. Other measures of increased drug abuse are proved by healthcare, and deaths traceable to drug abuse.
The most commonly abused drugs in Illinois are:
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Marijuana
- Prescription drugs
- Methamphetamines
In 2017, in Chicago, 796 people died from an opioid-related overdose. This is more than the number of people who died from either gun-related homicide or traffic crashes in the same year.
The abuse of drugs by high school students in Illinois is occurring at a perilously high level. More than half the students in tenth through twelfth grade have used drugs at least once in their lives. Nearly 25% used drugs in the past month.
The rate among adults (18 and over) who have experienced a major depressive episode is 6.1%, similar to the rates in Illinois and the nation.
Find the Treatment to Fit You in Palatine, IL
There is a good possibility that you (or someone close) are battling one or more substance use disorders (SUDs). Perhaps you’re wondering whether an SUD can be treated successfully. Yes, it can. But it won’t be easy.
Because it is a chronic brain disease, you can’t just stop for a few days and call yourself cured. Most people require long-term care. Beginning with detoxification to remove the substances from your system, and then followed by treatment and therapy.
Everyone is different. Every person’s story is different. So your treatment needs to be specifically for you. You will need an assessment by a professional addiction specialist or your doctor. This will help you determine which plan is best for you. Considerations might be:
- Medically assisted detox—This is the first stage of treatment. If you have been increasing your tolerance and you need to use drugs or alcohol to feel normal, then you are likely to need detox to get through withdrawal. Some withdrawal symptoms are not just painful but could put your life at risk. Quitting “cold turkey” is never a good idea.
- Inpatient treatment—During inpatient treatment, you will live at a hospital or medical center. This is not common but it is helpful if you have a serious mental or medical problem.
- Residential rehab—You live at the rehab center for 1 to 3 months. This may be necessary if you have an extreme long-term addiction problem and have not been successful at staying sober previously. If you’ve been in an outpatient program and relapsed, you may need the controlled environment of residential rehab.
- Outpatient program—Outpatient treatment allows you to attend treatment sessions during the day while still living at home. It is a less expensive option that is usually safe for people who don’t have a long history of SUD. It is best if your physical and mental health is otherwise good and have a supportive network of family and friends.
- Dual diagnosis treatment—If you have an underlying or co-occurring mental condition, you will need a treatment center experienced in treating this complication.
Treatment of Mental Health Issues in Cook County, Illinois
Cook County jail is the biggest single-site jail in the country. It is also one of the biggest mental health care providers in the country. About one-third of the 6,000 plus inmates have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Most of those were initially brought in for nonviolent crimes.
Elli Petacque Montgomery, a social worker at the jail, noted that trying to offer therapy in a detention facility is extremely difficult and sometimes “countertherapeutic. Some people might need to address post-traumatic stress disorder or their anxiety, their depression, their substance abuse—they’re not going to get that in a jail setting. It’s just not going to happen.”
Although Cook County Jail is an extreme example of the ties between mental health care and incarceration, it is really not exclusive. A report by the Vera Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to criminal justice reform, described how prisons became basically the mental health care providers nationwide.
Treatment method advances, and patients’ rights movements tried to keep patients in their communities, but the support was insufficient. Especially after the recession in the late 2000s, state governments balanced their budgets by cutting funding for social services. While half a million people with mental illness were held in psychiatric hospitals in the 50s, the same number is now held in jails and prisons.
What This Means to You
Addiction is a brain disease that affects brain function and behavior. If you are living with a SUD, you know that you need quick access to treatment that is specifically designed for you.
Detox Treatment in Palatine, IL
Like most people, you will probably need a detox program to help you safely through the withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification is not treatment in itself, but part of the process to prepare you for treatment. Patients who don’t continue treatment in rehab usually restart their drug or alcohol use.
Medications are used in almost 80% of detoxifications. Symptoms of withdrawal from substance use can be physically and psychologically painful. Opioids and alcohol produce powerful withdrawal symptoms, including profuse sweating, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can lead to serious complications if not supervised by a medical professional.
Withdrawal from cocaine and marijuana typically presents as emotional issues including irritability and depression. Severe depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions if not monitored. These symptoms may last from a few days to a few months. Because of this, medically assisted treatment (MAT) is used in detox and on into treatment. MAT is also an effective relapse preventative.
Treatment Resources Available in Palatine, Illinois
There is a treatment center located in Palatine, Illinois, that offers several treatment programs. Footprints to Recovery has versatile programs that can be designed to suit your individual needs. Programs include:
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)—This program is for patients that may need a structured treatment program without needing 24-hour supervision or medical assistance. This gives you the benefits of residential treatment in conjunction with the real-life advantages of an intensive outpatient program. This program is 5 days a week, 6 hours a day.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)—The IOP is a level of care where you will have the chance to continue with treatment while maintaining other parts of your life such as work or school. The clinical benefits of higher levels of care are combined with the application of life skills. Attendance is 3 to 5 days a week, 3 hours a day. Day or evening schedules are available.
- Outpatient Program (OP)—OP is a step down from IOP. You will be attending sessions for 3 hours, 1 or 2 days per week. It involves the features of IOP with less frequency. OP will allow you to continue obligations to family, work or school and allows you to receive treatment for a longer period of time.
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment—If you have a substance use disorder and a comorbid medical or mental health issue, both conditions need to be addressed at the same time. Your addiction might not have caused the underlying condition but your addictive behavior will worsen any other conditions.
- Holistic and Alternative Treatments—Recommendations for alternative treatments will depend on the length of time you have had a SUD and the severity of your disorder. A unified program of evidence-based therapy and therapies such as meditation and mindfulness, acupuncture, or neurofeedback therapy may be prescribed. Your therapist will recommend what he/she feels is best for you.
Therapy Options at Footprints to Recovery in Palatine IL
Typical therapies used in our programs include:
- Individual Therapy—Individual therapy will allow you to interact in private sessions with your therapist or counselor. You will discuss the way your behaviors have influenced the negative outcomes in your life and why you chose those behaviors.
- Group Therapy—During your group therapy sessions, you will be held responsible for your decisions regarding your behavior by the other members of the group as well as the therapist. Group therapy also allows for discussions of coping skills and relapse prevention. You will see that you are not alone in the fight for sobriety.
- Family Therapy—Individuals with substance use disorders are likely to have some broken relationships within their families. The situation is painful for all parties involved. Through family therapy, hurt feelings and issues of trust can be mended on both sides.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—CBT will teach you how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect each other and how to identify when your thoughts are not reality-based.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—DBT is similar to CBT but focuses more on emotional and social aspects. The purpose is to help you learn to cope with extreme or unstable emotions and harmful behavior.
- Motivational Interviewing—This is a counseling method that will help you find the motivation you need to change your behavior. It brings your feelings, insecurities, and opinions about your behavior to the surface for discussion.
- Other therapies—Because you deserve and need a treatment plan custom-made for your individual challenges, Footprints offers other therapies that may be recommended by your counselor. They include Yoga Therapy, 12-Step Programs, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Nutrition and Wellness Counseling.
Achieving Life-Long Sobriety in Palatine, IL
Palatine, Illinois, has programs that will help you make the transition into an independent life, and continuing sobriety. Their programs will be an immeasurable aid for your progression to an independent, sober lifestyle, as well as in the prevention of relapse.
- Recovery Homes—Sometimes referred to as sober living or independent living, it is a structured, drug-free environment for people in recovery. This will help you establish valuable coping and relapse prevention skills in a real-world setting.
- Alumni Community—Our Alumni Community is an opportunity for alumni, friends, and family to gather to support each other and promote community service. Studies have shown that people who engage in after treatment are more successful at staying abstinent.
Recovery Meetings Found in Palatine, IL
- Alcoholics Anonymous—Twelve-Step programs have proved to be an effective method to maintain sobriety after treatment. Alcoholics in recovery learn new ways to cope with the triggers that may cause a relapse, and are held accountable for their actions by other members of the group. Meetings are held at The Palatine Club, 887 E. Wilmette Rd., STE D, Palatine IL, 60074 or you can visit the web site at www.palatineclub.org. or www.chicagoaa.org.
- Narcotics Anonymous—Although there are no meetings in Palatine itself, there are 73 meeting sites within 20 miles. You can find meeting places on www.na.org/meetingsearch.
- SMART Recovery—Self-Management and Recovery Training is an abstinence-based nonprofit organization that offers a self-help program for people with addictions. Meetings are meant to help participants help each other with any issues relating to any addiction, whether it is drugs, alcohol, gambling or over-eating. You can find a meeting in the Palatine area by looking at www.smartrecoveryillinois.org.
Paying for Treatment at Footprints to Recovery in Palatine, Illinois
There are many different options for paying for addiction treatment. We realize that this is one of the fundamental concerns for people who require treatment for substance use disorders. It is one of the main reasons people put off getting treatment.
Footprints has financial advisors who can help you devise a plan to get you on your journey to recovery. Here are the options:
- Insurance—Footprints accepts most major insurance coverages and will coordinate with your provider.
- Private pay—If you would rather pay and not use your insurance, or if your insurance only covers a portion of the cost, we do accept private payments and offer flexible payment plans.
- Financing—Footprints to Recovery has a relationship with Prosper Healthcare who can provide special loan packages for treatment.
- Medicaid—Medicaid provides health insurance for low-income families and individuals, people with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women. Anyone in Illinois covered by Medicaid can be covered for substance abuse treatment. You can contact the call center for rehab locations at (800) 304-2219.
What About Palatine Illinois?
The Village of Palatine was founded in 1866 and built around a train station on the then-new Chicago and North Western Railway. Palatine is located in Cook County, about 26 miles NW of the Loop. The village has had rapid growth since the 1970s as part of Chicago’s increasing suburban sprawl. There is an urban-suburban mix feel to the city, with lots of coffee shops and parks.
Cook County is the most populous county in Illinois and the second most populous in the United States. Second to Los Angeles County, California. It was ranked by website www.niche.com as #1 for Best County for Outdoor Activities in Illinois, #1 Best County for Young Professionals in Illinois, and #1 Most Diverse County in Illinois.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health in Illinois
Mental Health Snapshot–According to the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)-Chicago report, 38.5% of adults in Illinois 18 and older reported poor mental health (experiencing depression and/or anxious and having to limit activities because of mental health problems. More than 16% of Illinois adults are living with a mental illness and 3.37% with a serious mental illness.
Those stats work out to be about 5 million Illinois adults with poor mental health, 2.1 million living with mental illness and 434,000 with serious mental illness.
SUD Snapshot–More than 5,500 deaths among Illinois residents, more than 5% of all deaths, are directly or indirectly related to alcohol and drug use. Approximately 9,500 residents die from accidental injuries each year. Forty percent of these deaths are related to the use of alcohol.
Illinois providers wrote 51.1 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in 2017. Compared to the national average of 58.7, this is the lowest rate in the state since data was first collected. However, the rate of opioid deaths involving opioid prescriptions has not followed the trend. From 2015 to 2017 alone, the rate of opioid deaths has increased by more than 75% to 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
The annual economic costs to the state of Illinois associated with alcohol, drug, and tobacco-related deaths are over $3.5 billion.
About 50% of people with extreme mental disorders are also affected by substance abuse. When you have a SUD and a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, it is called a comorbid condition or a dual diagnosis. Dealing with a substance addiction is even more difficult when you also need to deal with a mental disorder.
Mental health and substance use issues have particular symptoms that may restrict your ability to function at school or work, maintain a stable home life, handle adversity, and have successful relationships with others.
Comorbid conditions affect each other, which complicates the problem even more. When a mental health problem goes untreated, the SUD gets worse, and when the substance use increases, the mental health issue gets worse too.
You Make The Call
So now you have the information. You want to improve your life. You want to have a life free of the control of substance use and guilt. You can help a loved one get free. We have admissions specialists at Footprints who are waiting to talk to you day and night, seven days a week.
It’s as easy as picking up your phone. Is it worth it to you to get well and mend relationships? You make the call. Contact us today.
Questions about treatment options?
Our admissions team is available 24/7 to listen to your story and help you get started with the next steps.
