Alcohol and club drugs in New Hampshire are a major threat to New Hampshire families, who may not be aware that the state also sits in proximity to the New England Pipeline for drugs smuggled out of Canada. Meth, PHP, and Ecstasy, along with good old-fashioned alcohol, are all abused in quantity by thrill-seeking young people, and prescription drug abuse lurks in many medicine cabinets. Parents should learn to recognize the signs of drug abuse and addiction and be proactive in drug prevention, before they find themselves hunting for New Hampshire drug and alcohol treatment centers.

New Hampshire residents should also seek treatment for substance abuse as early as possible, and not just for health reasons. The state’s drug laws hand down stiff penalties and jail time for even minor drug offenses. Getting help before compounding a drug problem with legal troubles is particularly smart in New Hampshire, which, fortunately, does have a wide network of drug and alcohol rehab centers and treatment programs. Most larger communities and many small towns offer mental health counseling, inpatient and outpatient treatment for drug or alcohol abuse, detox centers, and other services.

The local community may or may not offer the sort of comprehensive rehabilitation program required to effect a positive outcome for most drug and alcohol addictions. Families need to carefully evaluate the type and level of services offered locally to see if the local New Hampshire treatment center has the experience and staffing or the facilities required to adequately address the problem. Some smaller communities use a combination of clinics and hospitals and counseling centers, which can have a negative effect on the continuity of the treatment process.

Likewise, for many addicts, their best hope lies in getting clear away from the old life for a while. This means inpatient care in a facility dedicated to providing a 24/7 approach to drug and alcohol treatment. Rehab centers in New Hampshire, close to home, are preferred by most families, but it can be a mistake to try and keep the addict where the old stresses, the old enabling friends, and the old drug sources are close by. Any number of things can trigger cravings. For outpatients, life can be a daily exercise in beating off temptation. Receiving treatment outside the local community may be essential to making a clean transition from the old, drug-driven lifestyle.

Whether outside the community or in New Hampshire, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment centers need to offer three essential components of recovery: detoxification, to clear the drug toxins from the body; counseling to help the addict overcome the emotional cravings; and behavior modification to break the pattern of abuse. A “mind-body-spirit” approach encompasses all three of these, with a goal of living clean for life. Beware any detox center, mental health clinic, or rehab facility that does not focus on this long-term philosophy and offer a holistic program for achieving it.