Resurgence Behavioral Health Serves African American and Native American Communities Hit Hard By Surging Meth Overdoses

Costa Mesa, California -

Costa Mesa, CA – While the opioid epidemic captures much of the attention in the US drug crisis, public health experts say methamphetamine addiction also continues to be a significant problem and is surging at an alarming rate. Resurgence Behavioral Health offers safe, effective treatment for people struggling to free themselves from the drug, including in communities hit hardest by it.

Deaths connected to meth use have spiked by nearly 180% from 2015 to 2019, according to a study published recently in JAMA Psychiatry, a journal of the American Medical Association. The numbers are stunning: from 5,526 a year to 15,489 a year. Minority communities show the highest rates of addiction, according to the researchers. Native American communities have the highest rate of methamphetamine addiction, while meth use by African Americans increased tenfold from 2015 to 2019.

Meth accounts for a large share of drug overdose deaths. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 96,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2020. Of those, about 15-20% involved methamphetamines.

Like opioids, much of the methamphetamine supply is being contaminated by the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which experts say is fueling the rapid rise in meth overdoses. Meth also has spread rapidly into communities where it was once considered rare. Also driving the overdose numbers is an increase in high-risk behaviors. For example, more meth users are injecting the drug with needles, leading to more combining of methamphetamines with other drugs.

In the wake of these troubling findings, addiction experts have called for more research and funding for effective methamphetamine treatment. Progress toward this goal could come from $10.7 billion in drug-treatment programs the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has proposed to Congress.

Meth is one of the substances targeted at Resurgence Behavioral Health, a nationwide network of treatment centers offering relief from drug and alcohol addiction and related mental health disorders. Its facilities serve many of the communities that have been most significantly affected by the meth problem, including residents of Oklahoma, California (Costa Mesa), Texas, and Tennessee.

Meth treatment programs at Resurgence begin with medically supervised detox to ease symptoms of withdrawal as the body adjusts to not using meth. Both residential and outpatient rehab is offered, and the residential option is typically recommended before outpatient care. Living at the center during treatment enables the client to better confront the complex issues presented by their addiction without the distractions and pressures of daily life. Resurgence is a safe space where clients are helped to discover the underlying causes of their addiction. Treatment programs include behavioral therapy, 12 Step or SMART Recovery integration, and even virtual therapy. All are custom-designed for the individual needs of each client, working through the unique physical, psychological and neurological challenges posed by their addiction. Treatment can last several weeks, several months, or even longer, depending on the addiction’s severity and other individual factors.

After inpatient treatment, clients move to outpatient therapy or another level of care, depending on where they are in their recovery journey. Ongoing outpatient treatment and aftercare provide important support as clients begin to apply what they’ve learned in their daily lives.

Resurgence’s clinical team is made up of addiction experts who provide a comfortable, compassionate environment where meth addiction can be overcome with the best treatment available. Anyone searching for addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one may begin the process of recovery by visiting Resurgence Behavioral Health online or calling 855-458-0050.

SOURCE: Press Advantage [Link]