Woodbridge Township may offer the best of both worlds for people who want to live in a New York City suburb that is about an hour’s drive from the Jersey Shore. According to sources, it is the state’s oldest original township, and it was formed after King Charles II of England granted a royal charter on June 1, 1669.
Today, more than 100,00 people call the township home and enjoy a suburban environment that offers coffee shops, parks, restaurants, shopping malls, and more. The area’s Woodbridge Metropark also provides service to nearby metros, including Boston and Washington, D.C.
Woodbridge, located in Middlesex County, New Jersey, has experienced substance addiction in its communities, which have greatly affected the state overall. Here, you will learn more about overdose and addiction rates in the state as well as initiatives state and community leaders have launched to address substance abuse. We also offer information on how to find effective programs for recovery from addiction.
Woodbridge Drug Rehab Statistics
Like much of the nation, Woodbridge Township has seen firsthand the challenges that the addiction crisis brings. Overall, Middlesex County reported 206 suspected drug-related deaths in 2019, while the state reported 3,021 suspected drug-related deaths among its 21 counties that same year.
In 2018, the number was 3,102 suspected overdose deaths. Still, the number of drug-related deaths has gone up during the past decade, and federal officials have reported that opioid abuse is responsible for the increase in overdose deaths in New Jersey. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has presented data on the topic, saying that, “Nearly 90% of the 2,900 reported drug overdose deaths in New Jersey involved opioids in 2018—a total of 2,583 fatalities (and a rate of 29.7).”
Easier access to prescription pain relievers, increased trafficking of the illegal drug heroin, and more street drugs containing the potent opioid fentanyl are all factors in the opioid crisis that has yet to see an end. Fentanyl and its analogs were responsible for 28,400 deaths in 2018, NIDA officials report.
Most Commonly Abused Substances in Woodbridge, NJ
Nearly 2,500 Middlesex County residents checked into rehab to receive treatment for heroin addiction in 2017, according to state data figures. Just under 1,900 people sought help for alcohol use. This information indicates that alcohol and opioids are the most often used among people in the county’s communities. Other people were admitted into facilities for other addictive substances, such as marijuana and cocaine/crack, among other drugs.
How New Jersey Is Addressing Substance Abuse
New Jersey is well aware of the challenges it faces in addressing its struggles with the opioid epidemic. It has launched several initiatives to help people in one of its most vulnerable populations. It understands that education can lay the foundation of understanding what medication is and how it works, and what happens when it is not used properly.
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey has launched a series of town hall meetings to teach communities statewide about prescription opioids and the correct way to use them.
State leaders also have opened the Office of the New Jersey Coordinator of Addiction Response and Enforcement Strategies, which is known as NJ CARES. The office works to guide people with substance use disorders to finding addiction treatment programs.
Opioid Response Teams (ORTs), created under that office, work around the clock seven days a week, to provide intervention to help people who are struggling with opioid abuse. The teams work with police departments and emergency medical technicians as well as volunteers and area treatment agencies.
In Woodbridge Township, prescription drug take back events have been held to help people properly dispose of medications they no longer use safely. Several police stations in the county also have set up prescription drop boxes to promote safe disposal of medications at any time of the year.
Substance Addiction Treatment Facts
Addiction is a chronic, progressive condition that worsens the longer it is left untreated. The disease primarily affects the brain. Using addictive substances frequently over time can change the shape and functioning of the brain. In some cases, these changes are irreversible, and people must adjust to learning how to live with them.
Once substance abuse reaches the addiction stage, it means the substance use disorder is so severe that the person is unable to control the compulsive use of addictive substances despite the consequences.
Recovery from substance addiction is possible. Plenty of options are available, but an approach that involves care and guidance from addiction care professionals can help make long-term sobriety a reality for many people who work to have it.
Addiction treatment takes time, patience, and the use of a multi-disciplined approach that uses methods that treat the whole person. This means it is designed to address the individual’s physical, psychological, and social needs.
Treatment programs that address unresolved issues and underlying mental health conditions are effective, as both of these factors can directly or indirectly lie at the root of a substance use disorder.
The decision to seek treatment at a facility is personal and critical to getting on the road to sobriety. If you or your loved one take this important step, be sure to choose a tailored program that addresses the specific needs of the person receiving treatment. Several approaches and therapies are used to treat addiction, so finding the right one is just as important as deciding to get help.
A therapist and other addiction care professionals will work with you to create a program that helps you meet your treatment and post-treatment goals.
