Saving Lives from Drug Addiction in Nevada

Pyramid Lake in Nevada.

In the state with so many nightclubs and bars like Nevada, you might think that alcohol would send the vast majority of Nevadans to drug treatment facilities. But that would be inaccurate. Only around 40% of those admitted to drug rehabilitation centers in Nevada are there primarily for alcohol. In second place is methamphetamine which sends between about 30% of each year’s admissions to treatment. In third place is marijuana but that position is being taken over by heroin. Yes, Nevada is afflicted by the same wave of opiate and opioid problems as much of the rest of the United States.

The Strip in Las Vegas.

Both heroin seizures and overdose deaths have been rising year after year in Nevada. A symptom of this increase, between 2014 and 2015, the amount of heroin seized more than doubled. The greatest focus of heroin trafficking is in the northern part of the state. This pattern is consistent with the fact that drug traffickers utilize the Interstate system to move much of their products. Interstate 80 crosses the top of the state—anyone trafficking Mexican heroin or weed out of the northern half of California would ride out on I-80, the only east-west Interstate available.

Of course, in Nevada, the population density varies wildly. Barren desert landscapes alternate with neon and casinos. High overdose rates exist in 40% of the state’s counties and those counties contain 90% of Nevadans. Naturally enough, the highest number of overdoses by far occurs in Las Vegas, with Reno in second place. Among all the states, Nevada is among the top states for their rate of overdose deaths.

Teens Struggle Finding Drug Rehab in Nevada

One in five teens in the state admits to having misused prescription drugs which is higher than the national average. This could easily set them on a path to abuse heroin. Doctors in the state prescribe 94 painkiller prescriptions for every 100 residents. This high level of prescribing makes the state’s residents vulnerable to addiction.

In 2017, the state began planning to establish a recovery high school in Clark County—a school attended by those who needed support to stay sober. Only youth referred by parents, counselors or other professionals would attend.

Opioids and Alcohol are Not the Only Problems

Despite the national and statewide focus on heroin and prescription opioids, methamphetamine-related overdose deaths were nearly three times those of heroin. In 2015, 71 people died from heroin overdoses while 202 died from methamphetamine use. While opioids affect a person’s breathing which is usually what kills them, methamphetamine creates an intense strain on the cardiovascular system. Some stimulant users also overheat which can result in a fatal organ or muscle breakdown.

The Single Solution

Narconon Nevada facility

The drug-related problems in Nevada are myriad. But there is one simple solution to all of them and that is effective rehabilitation. In Caliente, Nevada, the Narconon drug rehab center helps clients learn the skills to achieve lasting sobriety.

Every Narconon center has its own sauna because the sauna-based detoxification action is a crucial component to true recovery at this rehab. Every day, each client exercises moderately and takes a combination of nutritional supplements designed to help the body eliminate toxins in the body. After exercise, the person goes into a low-heat sauna to start sweating and then leaves to cool off. This process, repeated daily, activates the body’s ability to draw out the toxins left behind after drug or alcohol use. This regimen is exclusive to the Narconon drug rehab program.

Narconon Nevada sauna

What do people say when they complete this step of their rehab? They talk about having more energy, smooth skin and hair, better sleep and a brighter outlook. Most importantly, they talk about the way their thinking is clearer. Many also say their cravings for drugs are manageable and some even say they are gone.

Now a person is in shape to regain control of their actions, decisions and even their emotional reactions. This change takes place on the objectives. This is a series of procedures that helps each person leave the trauma of the past far behind so they can grasp the brightness of the present. Gradually, each person regains their perceptions of a fresh, new world around them. In doing so, they learn to control their actions and emotions and start making decisions based on events in the real world, not elements from the past.

Regaining Life Skills

The harsh events of an addictive lifestyle have the effect of destroying one’s abilities to lead a sober life. To protect sobriety, these skills must be rebuilt. Or, in some cases, they must be built for the first time. When people start using drugs heavily in their teens, they often never develop any adult life skills. These people are starting from scratch.

Knowing how to stay sober includes the following skills:

  • Identifying antisocial personalities who would terminate one’s ability to stay sober
  • Recognizing social personalities who will support one’s sobriety
  • Dealing with both personality types successfully
  • Understanding how personal integrity and self-respect are lost
  • Knowing how to maintain one’s integrity no matter what happens
  • Recovering integrity and finding relief from guilt from past events
  • Recognizing situations in life that need repair
  • Understanding the basics of overcoming obstacles in relationships, work and life
  • Knowing how to stay focused and positive even in the face of setbacks
  • Having problem-solving skills to improve one’s success in every area.
A couple is close again after one of them completes rehab.

These skills are all covered in the life skills component of the Narconon drug rehab program. Each person learns the principles in illustrated manuals and videos, and then puts the tools to work to start re-establishing relationships in his life and repairing problems he left behind. He will continue this process after he returns home until he has built a new, productive, enjoyable life for himself.

Call Narconon to Help Someone You Care About

In Nevada, Narconon is here to help you. In addition to the center in Caliente, there are other choices of Narconon centers in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma. To reserve a place for someone you care about – or for yourself – call Narconon International today at 1-800-775-8750. We can help. Our drug-free program has been restoring sober lives for more than 50 years.

Additional Nevada Drug And Alcohol Rehabilitation Information