Youngstown is a small city in northeastern Ohio that currently has around 65,000 residents. It is the seat of Mahoning County and is currently a hotspot for drug activity in Ohio. With its proximity to Cleveland and Pittsburgh, opioids have been a major issue in Youngstown along with many other drugs. Getting treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab in Youngstown can be a crucial step for someone who is trying to change their life and be free from addiction.
Substance Abuse In Youngstown
Youngstown has a serious opioid problem that has been ongoing for many years now. While heroin has been prevalent in the area for over a decade, prescription opioids, except for Suboxone, have been decreasing in availability over the last few years. That being said, they are still relatively common. Some of the most commonly abused substances in Youngstown include alcohol, heroin, marijuana, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids, crack, crystal meth, and powdered cocaine. While the availability of many drugs has remained consistent, heroin, marijuana, Suboxone, and crystal meth have all increased in availability and prevalence. Additionally, drugs not historically prone to abuse, such as gabapentin, have been increasingly available around Youngstown.
A concerning trend among heroin in the Youngstown area is the recent diversification of cutting agents and adulterants used in the drug. For many years, heroin around Youngstown was consistently cut with fentanyl and fentanyl analogs such as furanyl fentanyl, 3-methylfentanyl, and valeryl fentanyl, this has expanded in recent years. While these dangerous drugs are still used, there has been an increase in the use of other compounds such as diphenhydramine, inositol, lidocaine, mannitol, quinine, and sorbitol. There have also been reports of methamphetamine and cocaine being used as a cutting agent in heroin, and this introduces additional risks, as these drugs are powerful stimulants and can produce unpredictable consequences when mixed with a powerful sedative like heroin.
The Youngstown area is also a major thoroughfare for drug trafficking in Ohio and the northeast in general. Its proximity to I-80 and I-76 and its situation in between Cleveland and Pittsburgh cause a heavy flow of drugs through Youngstown. Opioids, in particular, are trafficked in vast quantities along with cocaine, crack, and crystal meth. Between late 2020 and early 2021, there were several high-profile indictments and arrests in and around Youngstown for drug trafficking, including one man who was arrested was in possession of 2.8 kilograms (6.16 pounds) of fentanyl at one of his residences.
Youngstown’s Response To Substance Abuse
Drug overdoses are on the rise in Mahoning County in general and Youngstown in particular. While the numbers are still being consolidated, 2020 is looking to be a devastating year for drug overdose deaths and emergency room visits for drug overdoses. While the problem is still very much present, the Youngstown community has been quite responsive to the problem and many prevention and community service projects have been mobilized to combat the drug problem in the area. These include non-profit efforts along with state and community-funded programs that are working to provide education and access to naloxone for opioid overdoses. While these programs are extremely helpful, more is certainly needed.
Just a few of the helpful overdose prevention programs in Youngtown and Mahoning County include:
- Mahoning County Public Health: A community service board dedicated to improving health around Youngstown, this site provides helpful information about prescription opioids and heroin overdose prevention. They also have a helpful directory of prescription drug drop boxes around Youngstown.
- Help Network of Northeast Ohio: 330-747-2696 A crisis intervention hotline, their website also provides other helpful hotlines and crisis services for anyone struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues.
- Compass Family and Community Services: A non-profit mental health and substance abuse treatment program, they have locations in and around Youngstown and may be able to provide free or low-cost care.
- Meridian Healthcare: A non-profit organization that provides mental health and substance abuse care, they work with the Mahoning County Mental Health & Recovery Board to provide treatment and care for those in need.
- Ohio Cares – Mahoning County: A government site, their resource page provides a variety of helpful services in Mahoning County and Youngstown.
Drug and Alcohol Detox & Rehab in Youngstown
Realizing that help is needed is the first step towards recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, but seeking help is where the rubber meets the road. Depending on the specific substance that someone may be addicted to, it may be medically necessary to enter a detox program. While some drugs are uncomfortable to withdrawal from, others can produce dangerous or even deadly consequences if someone suddenly stops using them without medical supervision. Our Ohio Addiction Recovery Center detox program provides some of the most effective therapies for enabling someone to make it through the detox process as safely and comfortably as possible. Once detox has been completed, our drug and alcohol treatment program can help someone begin walking the road to recovery and rebuild their life free from drug or alcohol addiction.
Addiction Recovery In Youngstown
Ohio Addiction Recovery Center can help someone begin the journey of recovery and provide assistance and support along the way, but to achieve long-term recovery, more help is needed. Thankfully, there is a wealth of recovery communities, fellowships, and support groups in and around Youngstown that can provide this oftentimes necessary help and support. We will encourage our clients to forge new friendships with others in recovery during our treatment program and provide as much help as possible. It can be helpful to find a recovery fellowship where someone can relate, such as a fellowship dedicated to someone’s drug of choice, be it alcohol, heroin, or anything. Some of the recovery fellowships around Youngstown include:
- Alcoholics Anonymous: This website of the Youngstown Area Intergroup provides information about in-person and virtual AA meetings in the area.
- Narcotics Anonymous: This site provides information on in-person NA meetings all throughout Northeast Ohio with times, dates, and locations.
- Heroin Anonymous: This HA world services site provides information on meetings in Youngstown. There is currently only 1 in-person meeting within Youngstown proper, but there are many more nearby.
- Cocaine Anonymous: This website provided by the Ohio Area of Cocaine Anonymous provides information about CA meetings in Youngstown and the surrounding areas.
- Crystal Meth Anonymous: This meeting map provides CMA meeting locations around Youngstown. There is currently only 1 meeting that is near Youngstown, although this may change in the future.
The recovery fellowships listed above are all 12-step fellowships, although there are other types of recovery programs available. Some of these may be religious-oriented and may be more or less appropriate for someone depending on their individual beliefs. Some of these non-12-step recovery fellowships include:
- Recovery Dharma: A Buddhist-inspired recovery fellowship, they have 3 in-person meetings in Ohio but there are many virtual meetings that someone is welcome to join in Youngstown.
- Celebrate Recovery: A Christian-focused recovery program, they currently hold 8 meetings per week near Youngstown.
- SMART Recovery: Self Management And Recovery Training hold meetings across Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, although there are none currently in Youngstown itself.
Aside from recovery support groups for people struggling with addiction themselves, there are also support groups for the friends and families of people struggling with substance abuse. These can be extremely helpful for someone who has watched a loved one battle their addiction to find support and comfort from others who have been through the same struggle. Some of these support groups include:
- Al-Anon: This 12-step program provides support and guidance for people who watch a loved one struggle with alcohol or drugs. They currently have multiple meetings all around Youngstown and the surrounding areas.
- Nar-Anon: These support groups are for the friends and family of someone struggling with drug addiction. They currently have 6 meetings within 25 miles of Youngstown.
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