UNITED HEALTHCARE INSURANCE

The most recent global statistics put the death toll of alcohol abuse at 3.3 million per day. In the US alone, at least 261 die from excessive use of alcohol each day. Of this figure, at least 80% of the deaths are from adults at least 35 years or older.

The sad reality is that even when regulated, alcohol-related deaths still occur because alcoholics tend to get their inebriation fix from any source, including mouthwash. As the concentration of alcohol in mouthwash is quite high, inebriation is faster and could lead to organ failure or death quicker.

The need for additional energy to accomplish more at work or in sports has pushed quite a several people into abusing stimulants. Some of those found to have substance dependencies on stimulants are popular personalities, such as professional athletes and entertainment industry figures. Studies show there are at least 1.2 million nonmedical users of prescription stimulants in the US alone, and this figure has grown exponentially since then.

A recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health report state at least 1.6 million people in the US have used crystal meth, an illicit stimulant, while the most recent death toll in the US crack cocaine overdose is at 14,666.

Mounting stress from everyday life has pushed a huge number of people to abuse substances that could help them sleep, such as benzodiazepines or benzos. In the US, statistics put the number of benzo addiction at a reported 30.5 million, with 22.4% of this figure reportedly hooked on it to help reduce tension and anxiety or to improve sleep.

People typically get benzos from their doctor, but the most recent report indicates that only 20% of benzo addiction cases acquired their drug via prescription. The rest got their benzo illegally, and the huge number suggests a massive market for it.

In the most recent statistical study on heroin addiction, an estimated 0.3% of American adults have been found to have a heroin addiction. The same report also suggests that there are at least 100,000 new heroin users each year. This steady growth indicates a severe heroin addiction problem in the US.

The study also showed that more than four deaths in every 100,000 Americans are due to heroin overdose. This number was seen to edge off during the pandemic, although this is associated with the fact that acquiring heroin could have been difficult, as the quarantine may have also limited the availability of drug sellers.

While marijuana-related addiction cases don’t account for the largest overdose death figures, it does account for the largest population of users. In the US, the estimated count of illegal marijuana use is 48.2, which translates to at least 18% of the American population. Broken down, that suggests 3 in every 10 people in the US have used marijuana illegally.

Rehabilitation and recovery from substance abuse begin with detoxification. This is where the patient is made to stop taking the abused substance so that it is completely flushed out of the body.

Withdrawal symptoms soon come out during this phase, as the body reacts to the substance leaving it, and the patient is wracked with pain and the need to take abused substances again. This is why this phase is always done within the confines of a rehabilitation clinic or facility.

The first few weeks when a patient has been completely cut off from using substances is the time when they question if they did the right thing. This is because most of the time they are filled with anxiety, fear, and other stressful emotions due to not having any abused substance in them.

This is the time when caring professionals are most needed, as the patients need people who understand what they are going through, and also have the patience to put up with their behavior during this period.

For many patients this time could also be more effective if spent away from loved ones or anyone who would enable their habits once more due to misplaced pity. This is why staying in an inpatient or outpatient facility with trained staff would be best for them.

In some instances, a patient could be responding much better than others to kicking their habit. These people would still need to participate in therapy sessions, whether it be an individual, group, or any of the other types.

These people are now given the necessary training and mindset development to prepare them to reintegrate with society and resume their normal lives free from addiction. The trust invested in this phase helps them to assume a sense of responsibility to stand on their own and have the strength to say no to habitual urges.

Others might have been able to quit the habit, but have become withdrawn, severely depressed, or even suicidal because of it. These people need constant monitoring and care to ensure they don’t end up hurting themselves or others.

Therapy and dealing with destructive behavior are addressed here because continued deprivation from their abused substances could make their mental and emotional state even worse. As this is done in a facility staffed with specifically-trained medical professionals, there is little to no chance of the patient hurting themselves. The patients are treated with sensitivity and care so as not to further damage their fragile mindset.

Many cases of substance abuse could be traced to or be heavily influenced by the events in a dysfunctional family. This is addressed in family therapy sessions. This is particularly important to some patients as this could be the main reason why they got into substance abuse in the first place.

While this treatment is not designed to fit any family interpersonal disputes and differences, it is designed to foster better avenues of communication and encourage family members to solve their issues together rather than just dismiss them or make them worse.

While these treatments are all readily available to any policyholder, it is necessary to check how extensive the insurance policy with United Healthcare might be, to see how far the coverage goes.