Prevalence of Substance Use in California and Treatment With Lakehouse

Substance use disorder (SUD) is continuing to ravage the lives of millions of Americans year after year. As a condition that does not discriminate, Americans from every background are suffering with the majority of them doing so in silence. Even the people you may least expect are often suffering from an addiction to substances like opioids, stimulants, or several other kinds of illicit drugs.

In particular, about 2 million individuals, if not more, in the state of California are suffering from SUD. While in the Golden State, you need to know how many of your fellow Californians are struggling, how you can help, and the prevalence of becoming victims of SUD yourself.

Thankfully, there are several facilities throughout the state of California offering mental health and addiction treatment services to those in need. It is important to preface that there is always hope for recovery despite the difficulties you or someone you love may be facing.

At the Lakehouse Recovery Center, we pride ourselves on helping you understand that you do not need to stop your life to save yourself. If you are suffering silently, decide for yourself to reach out and seek treatment today.

Recognizing Signs That You Might Be at Risk

Genetic or psychological factors make you more susceptible to mental disorders such as SUD. For example, you should consider whether or not your immediate family members have suffered or are suffering from addiction. If you have family suffering from SUD, that does not mean you will.

Although, it can put you at a slightly greater risk, which is why you should be cautious about any decisions made regarding substance use. During your battle with SUD, you may misinterpret or have difficulty recognizing the signs. For this reason, it is important to educate yourself to recognize the signs in yourself or others.

Signs vary physically, behaviorally, and psychologically and depend on the specific substance in use. For example, symptoms of excessive alcohol use will most likely look different compared to those of someone using hallucinogens. In general, you can expect to recognize SUD symptoms such as:

• A decline in physical appearance from a lack of grooming or hygiene.
• Excessive weight loss or weight gain in short periods.
• Financial struggles, asking to borrow money, or even stealing.
• Legal trouble resulting from erratic decisions made while under the influence.
• Noticeable changes in mood, personality, and a lack of motivation to partake in once enjoyable activities.

If you recognize any of these symptoms in someone close to you, or even yourself, then it is time to seek treatment.

Data Surrounding Substance Use

Based in Thousand Oaks, California, about 45 minutes west of Los Angeles, the Lakehouse is able to help individuals not only in Los Angeles County but throughout our beautiful Golden State. With a genuine love for the clients we serve and the surrounding communities, we are able to assist many in need of treatment for SUD. Often, it requires breaking down the figures to realize just how serious the growing struggle with SUD and addiction really is.

The County of Los Angeles Public Health did a great job in 2019 of condensing some of the fixtures into the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) data brief. They were able to break down the prevalence of substance use in Los Angeles County by age and substance. The SAPC found that 6.9% of adults aged 26 and older were suffering from SUD.

That figure may not seem alarming initially, but keep in mind that it does not even consider those aged 25 and under or all the people who are suffering silently. Any number is too many, and the lives affected by SUD in total are monumental.

Treatment With the Lakehouse

As an outpatient addiction recovery center comprised of staff who are all in recovery, we hope you can feel reassured that we truly understand what you are going through. Embarking on a path with the Lakehouse is genuinely like becoming a member of a family. Everyone has the chance to learn, cry, and celebrate the ups and downs of recovery together for new clients and alumni. Through our programs, you can expect individual and group therapy, an array of workshops, relapse prevention counseling, and individualized treatment plans designed to empower you in your recovery.

Thanks to our virtual offerings, we can lend support across the entire state. Do not let geography stop you from reaching out and letting the Lakehouse start you on your path to recovery today. We wholeheartedly believe you do not have to stop your life to save it. To our fellow Californians in LA county and beyond crushed by the burden of substance use, we implore that you wait no longer and seek treatment with the Lakehouse today.

Millions of people, as we speak, are suffering from mental health conditions like addiction and substance use disorder throughout the state of California. Despite its sunny skies and golden state status, the inhabitants of the most populated state in the country are no strangers to hardships. The Lakehouse Recovery Center is an outpatient addiction facility where we prioritize treating clients not just as clients but as members of our Lakehouse family. Based in Thousand Oaks, California, we can provide individualized care, relapse prevention counseling, and endless workshops to those throughout Los Angeles County. Thanks to our virtual offerings implemented at the beginning of the pandemic, we also have the means of helping our fellow Californians across the state. Taking the initial steps to treatment are yours first and foremost, which requires education and acknowledgment of your struggles with SUD. To learn more and begin your path to recovery today, give us a call at (877) 762-3707.