Drug Rehab for Italy

Italy is a beautiful country with a long and illustrious history of creating theater, music, and art. But like other European countries, Italy has suffered devastating losses due to drugs. The most serious drug problem over the last thirty years has been heroin. This devastating drug arrived in the country in the mid-1970s—an unfamiliarity with the drug led many professionals and white collar workers to sample the drug. Of course, for many, those samples became regular habits.

Coincidentally, other opioids like morphine became hard to find so anyone who had been using heroin has little choice but to find heroin. Perhaps by a plan devised by the drug traffickers, once many people were addicted to heroin, its price began to climb.

Traffickers moving heroin to Western Europe and the U.S.A. were moving this drug through Northern Italy and as it happens in any major transit country, there were supplies for local residents as well. Milan became known as the European heroin capital.

At last report, there were an estimated 205,000 high-risk opioid users and there were another 60,000 receiving opioid replacement therapy—which means the use of either methadone or buprenorphine as part of a drug treatment program.

Italy Fights Back

Italy’s government fought back, targeting both supply and demand. But still, in 2016, heroin was by far the top drug sending people to rehab centers. More than half of those admitted to treatment reported heroin as their primary drug of abuse. In second place was cocaine at 25% and in third place was marijuana at 20%.

Cannabis resin is the big problem in Italy. Seizures of cannabis resin run sixteen times the number of seizures of herbal cannabis. Morocco is not far from Italy and this is by far the top cannabis resin-producing country in the world.

Cocaine Has Long Been a Popular Drug in Italy

In 2012, the results of a year-long atmospheric study of eight Italian cities was published. Researchers sampled the air in these eight cities to determine the presence of psychotropic substances floating through the city. Traces of both cocaine and marijuana were found in small quantities in every city—highest in Turin and lowest in Palermo. Other cities tested were Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, and Verona. Measurements were too small to affect anyone’s mental state but were just evidence of widespread drug use in these cities.

Young adults in this country are not using as much cocaine as in earlier years, but the use of marijuana, ecstasy, and methamphetamine are slowly increasing. Drug statistics among students (15 and 16 years of age) are higher for alcohol use, cannabis use, use of other illicit drugs than cannabis and use of new psychoactive substances (synthetics) than the European average. Nearly 100% of these students have used alcohol and about a quarter have used cannabis.

Progress in Saving Lives

One area where Italy has made progress is in reducing drug-related deaths. Since 2007 when deaths were at 800, the number of lives lost has dropped to just over 300. A 2017 report noted that the current death rate in Italy is far below the average for Europe. The incidence of diseases spread by injecting drug release is also significantly lower. This reduction was aided by the distribution of more than twelve million clean needles each year.

Narconon Centers Contribute to Saving These Lives

While heroin seemed to be taking over the country, Narconon centers were being established in several locations in this country.

• In the coastal city of Pesaro, Narconon Alfiere is a bright, sunny place to recover one’s sobriety.
• Tucked into the mountains surrounding Spedino Di Borgorose, Narconon Argo is easily accessible from Rome.
• Narconon Astore near Fabriano is situated on the mountaintop Poggio San Romualdo.
• In the toe of “the boot,” Narconon Falco is located in Altilia in the province of Cosenza
• In the heel of “the boot,” Narconon Gabbiano in Torre Dell’orso offers a relaxing, resort atmosphere.
• Because the north of Italy also needs help, Narconon Piemonte was established in the small village of Villafranca d’Asti.

Every center welcomes those addicted to all kinds of drugs or to alcohol. Individuals on this program live at the center where they are protected from temptation or too many stresses from life. In this supportive environment, each person has a chance to retool their life skills so they have a good grasp on sobriety skills when they go home.

Drug-free Withdrawal

The first phase of Narconon program is the drug-free withdrawal which consists of round the clock care, generous nutritional supplements to correct the deficiencies caused by drug abuse, and techniques which assist in relieving the pain and discomfort associated with withdrawal. Where a step down is medically required in the case of certain drugs such as benzodiazepines or heavy alcohol use, we also work with medical detox services so they can be weaned down before starting the Narconon program. This puts them safely on the road to living a truly drug-free life.

Once the person is fully withdrawn from drug and alcohol (aside from any medications for physical conditions prescribed by the doctor which they would continue to take), they are ready for the New Life Detoxification.

Detoxification Sets the Stage for Recovery

In most rehab centers, detoxification simply consists of supporting the individual while he withdraws from the substances he (or she) has been using. At Narconon, this term has a very different meaning. The New Life Detoxification offers each person the chance to wash away years or decades of drug residues that remain lodged in his body. It takes a combination of moderate exercise, a strict program of nutritional supplementation and sweating in a sauna to wash these toxins away.

But the result is more than worth it. Those completing this step talk about how much clearer their thinking is and how their outlook has improved. Without this detox early in their recovery, each person could spend the rest of their recovery program struggling with dark moods and incessant cravings. Many people finishing this step are relieved to find that it alleviates their physical cravings for drugs or alcohol.

Preparing for a Sober Life

Once these residues are flushed out, each person is better equipped to learn the abilities they will need to face life sober—sometimes for the first time since they were teens. The objectives are first up after the New Life Detoxification. This thorough series of exercises offers each person a much better grip on the present, which allows the trauma of the past to fade away. Life can become bright again like it was before drugs entered the scene. As the brightness returns, so does one’s self-control. Now, it’s not a desperate craving for drugs that is making decisions in a person’s life, it’s the person himself.

Like skills training wraps up the Narconon program. The essential skills for lasting sobriety are taught, starting with the ability to identify those who are likely to lead one back into drug use—these people are not now and never were really friends, they were simply dangerous people to be around. One also learns how to choose friends and associates who will support one’s recovery.

Next, it’s vital to recover one’s self-esteem. No one judges the addicted person harder than he does himself. But when he learns how personal integrity is lost and how it can be recovered, he can finally let go of the guilt he has held onto for years.

Finally, each person has broken relationships and problems back at home that he needs to learn how to repair. That’s how he finishes his rehabilitation—he learns how to address and repair these situations.

Many people finishing this program feel better equipped to cope with life than they ever have before. Life skills are a recognized necessity to prevent substance abuse and help those who were addicted climb out of that lifestyle and mindset.

In Italy or anywhere in the world, contact Narconon International to learn how the Narconon drug rehab can be the last one you or someone you love will ever need.