St. Lucie in St. Lucie County is one of the largest cities in South Florida, with a population of over 204,851 residents calling this city home. St. Lucie County was “one of the fastest-growing counties in the US” from 2000 to 2010. Like many places in the United States, an increase in population might coincide with a change in the St. Lucie drug statistics and alcohol statistics.
Alcohol Statistics in St. Lucie County
Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie county are impacted by the current alcohol and drug use increase experienced nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many areas are opening up and a sense of normalcy returns, many Americans were affected by lockdowns and other stressors of the pandemic.
A study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health surveyed US adults age 21 and older in May of 2020 found that:
- “60% reported increased drinking . . . compared to pre-COVID-19” (while 13% actually reported a decrease)
- 34.1% reported binge-drinking, with 7.0% reporting “extreme binge drinking”
- Drinking among respondents increased due to:
- “increased stress (45.7%),
- increased alcohol availability (34.4%), and
- boredom (30.1%)”
Hopefully, as things return to normal, drinking statistics will decrease nationwide. However, if you or a loved one are concerned about increased alcohol use during the pandemic, treatment centers in South Florida and nationwide have continued safely serving clients in need.
St. Lucie Drug Statistics
St. Lucie County has not been immune to increased drug use nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “overdose deaths increased by over 4% from 2018 (20.7 per 100,000) to 2019 (21.6 per 100,000).” Opioid abuse accounts for a significant amount of increase in these statistics:
- Over 70% of these deaths was due to opioids (either natural or synthetic)
- Synthetic opioids accounted for nearly 73% of all opioid-related overdoses
Opioids are drugs that activate the opioid receptors in the brain. Some opioids are prescribed by physicians to manage pain following an injury or due to a chronic illness. Other opioids are illegal or street drugs. Both prescription and illicit opioids can be dangerous when misused or abused.
Some of the most commonly misused or abused opioids include:
- Codeine
- Fentanyl
- Oxycodone
- Morphine
- Heroin
In Florida alone, the drug overdose death rates increased an alarming 11.8% from 2018 to 2019. While opioids account for most overdose deaths nationwide, other drugs, like methamphetamine and cocaine, also contribute to St. Lucie drug statistics.
Statistics on Drug Use and COVID-19
These numbers only went up nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) states, “Researchers have observed increases in substance use and drug overdoses in the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in March 2020.”
COVID-19 presented other challenges for those with substance use disorders (SUD). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that “while individuals with a SUD constituted 10.3% of the total study population, they represented 15.6% of the COVID-19 cases.”
In other words, those with SUD were more susceptible to COVID-19 than those without SUD. Treating SUD during the pandemic was essential to the nation’s effort to combat further infections from the virus.
Statistics for Overcoming Drug and Alcohol Addiction
You cannot be cured of a drug or alcohol addiction. However, you can be treated for the disease, much like other chronic medical issues. With treatment at a rehab facility, you can overcome your alcohol or substance use disorder and minimize your risk of relapse.
The statistics for relapse on substance use disorders provided by NIDA show that “Relapse rates for drug use are similar to rates for other chronic medical illnesses.” Relapse is not a failure, and your ongoing recovery will have some ups and downs. However, with professional treatment and ongoing care, you can recover from alcohol and drug addiction.
Comprehensive treatment will begin with detoxification of the harmful substances in your body.
Detox in St. Lucie County
Overcoming drug or alcohol addiction can be challenging. You might attempt to quit “cold-turkey” without support only to find yourself using substances again. Many people relapse during early addiction recovery due to adverse withdrawal symptoms.
Your body can become dependent upon alcohol and drugs after long-term misuse and abuse. When you stop using or drinking, your body needs time to adjust to not having these substances. As you detox, you might experience painful, uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
When you detox at a rehab facility, you can get the medical and social support you need to withdraw from substances safely. Detoxing alone at home can be difficult and even deadly. Detox facilities in Port St. Lucie and the South Florida area can help you safely detox from drugs and alcohol.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment in Port St. Lucie
If you or a loved one are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction in Port St. Lucie or surrounding areas, Ambrosia Treatment Center is here to help you. We are located in West Palm Beach, and we’re here to help residents of South Florida overcome addiction to drugs or alcohol. Your life is waiting; we’ll help you get there.
