Drug Abuse Trends in Bellevue
Part of Sarpy County, Bellevue, Nebraska, holds a little more than 50,000 people. One of the state’s major employers, the US Air Force has a base in the city with approximately 8,900 active duty service members living there. The most common addictions in Bellevue thus reflect the most common substance use disorders in the military.
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Substance Abuse among Military Members
Young adults in the military are more likely than their civilian counterparts to engage in heavy drinking.
Due to a zero-tolerance policy, rates of abuse for illicit substances are low among military members. However, alcohol consumption is legal and has a long history in the military. Heavy drinking has been used as a reward for hard work, as stress relief, and to promote unit cohesion and camaraderie. Half of military men and women report weekly binge drinking (categorized by 5 or more drinks in one sitting). Studies show that soldiers who return from combat are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs as well.
Despite low rates of illicit drug use, prescription opioid painkiller use is on the rise among military members and in Bellevue. Recent years have seen an increase in the number of court-martials given to military members due to drugs. In 2008, 11% of military men and women had reported misusing their prescription medication. Because service members are prescribed 4 times the number of painkillers compared to civilians, rates of dependency and addiction are on the rise.
12.7
percent
In 2012, of 17,600 seeking substance abuse treatment in Nebraska, 12.7% were for amphetamines.
44
percent
Nearly half of young adults between 19 and 25 reported past-month binge drinking in the state in 2016.
54
people
In 2015, 54 people died from opioid overdose in Nebraska.
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Addiction Treatment in Bellevue
Increases in prescription opioid addictions have resulted in more heroin addictions as individuals move on to cheaper, more widely-available alternatives. Authorities and addiction treatment centers in the Bellevue area are also starting to see offshoots of heroin, like “black tar,” “China white,” and “Mexican brown.”
For servicemembers seeking recovery, the 55thMedical Group Ehrling Bergquist Clinic provides:
- Outpatient rehab
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Buprenorphine
- Naltrexone (oral and injectible)
- Vivitrol
- Individual, family, and group counseling
- 12-step programs
- Interventions
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For residents of Bellevue, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services provides multiple Sarpy County facilities with the funds to detox patients and provide recovery care. For those trying to get away from local stressors and triggers and seek addiction treatment elsewhere, it is time to reach out to a dedicated treatment provider.
