The state of South Carolina enjoys a rich cultural history and attractive natural diversity. This is why many visitors and residents alike flock to the state. However, many of these people struggle with a substance use disorder or an addiction which often prevents them from enjoying all that the state has to offer.
Various statistics report that South Carolina has a growing substance abuse and addiction problem. Since there has been a rise in the number of people who abuse drugs and alcohol, the state has been taking several steps to reduce this problem.
In particular, many of its residents struggle with binge drinking - one of the riskiest patterns of alcohol misuse and abuse. A recent survey reported that over 18 percent of these people engage in binge drinking on a regular basis.
The average binge drinker in the state often exceeds the threshold for binge drinking - with some people consuming between 7 and 10 alcohol drinks in one session or sitting. Not surprisingly, many of these binge drinkers end up making poor choices. This is why it was reported that more than 23,000 people in the state were involved in a motor vehicle accident involving excessive alcohol consumption between 2011 and 2015.
Other figures report that close to 50 percent of all heroin users also struggle with a prescription opioid pain relief medication abuse problem. The same report showed that more than 18 percent of all hospital related visits related to an opioid abuse episode also involved alcohol.
NIH - the National Institutes of Health - also reports that the abuse and use of meth can boost the levels of dopamine in the brain. Other figures show that the state has seen a rise in the number of meth laboratories where people produce this dangerous drugs.
According to CNN, for instance, more than 82 meth labs were discovered in the state. Most of these labs are in private homes and residents where they pose a danger to inhabitants and neighbors.
South Carolina reported that 684 of the 876 overdose deaths were linked to prescription medications. Examples of these drugs include prescription stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, prescription opioids like Percocet, and benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax.
Many of the residents of South Carolina who abuse opioid drugs either do so by taking heroin or by using legal prescription pain relief medications. According to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, prescription opioid medication abuse has been exceeding heroin abuse as the main opioid related problem among its residents.
In 2016, for instance, residents filled more than 5 million prescriptions for this class of drugs. This amounted to an average of 1 prescription for every resident of the state - a problem that has been growing since then.
If you are addicted to any type of intoxicating and mind altering substance, it is recommended that you check into one of the addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers that exist in the state of South Carolina so that you can get help getting started on the road to recovery.