In a state with one of the smallest populations in the Union, drug and alcohol abuse still exists. Marijuana heads the list, but abuse of prescription painkillers and sleep aids is catching up. Any family in Wyoming could have a potential problem lurking in the medicine cabinet. Accidental addiction is just as painful as deliberate abuse. Either one will require that families get smart—fast—on the relative merits of drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment centers.

Many families learn the hard way that kicking an addiction to Ambien or Xanax or marijuana is almost impossible without professional help. Meth addiction, one of the most widespread drug abuse problems in Wyoming, produces an extreme psychological dependency as well as permanent long-term physical damage. Simply hoping that a suspected drug problem will cure itself is wishful thinking, and could prove deadly. However, seeking help from the wrong type of facility, or one that does not have experience in your particular problem, could lead to failure and discouragement and a lengthening cycle of abuse and relapse.

The list of Wyoming drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers is fairly short, and individuals may have to look outside their local community for help. This may actually be a good thing. Often a clean break from the old lifestyle is necessary to kick start the recovery process. Just wanting to quit is not enough. Many addicts have a whole network of enablers, or are too fragile to cope with daily life and withdrawal at the same time. Inpatient care at a rehab facility in Wyoming or perhaps in another state is sometimes the best way to let the addict focus completely on the recovery process.

Wherever you seek treatment, make sure the rehab facility focuses on the long-term goal of living clean for life, not just on short-term detoxification. Clearing drug residue from the body is essential as a first step in recovery, but it is only a first step. Intensive counseling is required to deal with the intense cravings that linger even after detox, and every addict faces a constant temptation to relapse. Many alcoholics and addicts do not even realize what triggers an urge for a drink or a pill. Fear of failure, inability to deal with an argument, even a smell associated with the abuse can trigger a craving. Addicts must learn, through a long course of behavior modification, how to identify these triggers and overcome them.

Whether you choose a Wyoming treatment center or alcohol recovery program or one far away, make sure it takes a “sober for life” approach and seeks to reintegrate the addict into a normal lifestyle. Simply managing a problem means you still have a problem. Getting past the need for drugs should be the goal.

Options for drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment in Wyoming may be a bit more limited than in other states, but that should not be an excuse to go on living with a drug or alcohol problem. Help is out there for anyone who really wants it.