Lawrence Drug & Alcohol Rehab, Detox & Treatment Resources

Lawrence is a city situated in the Merrimack valley and along with Salem, is one of the county seats of Essex County, Massachusetts. The city is culturally diverse with large parts of the population direct descendants of Irish, Polish, German, Lebanese, Jewish, and French-Canadian immigrants that arrived in the area at different time periods during the 19th and 20th centuries. Lawrence also has a significant Native American population that originally inhabited most parts of The Bay State. The city falls approximately 30 miles north of Boston. Here, you will find popular attractions like Den Rock Park, Canal Street Antique Mall and the Great Stone Dam.

Lawrence, however, is plagued by the alcohol and substance abuse epidemic. Opioid use has brought the city to its knees. Law enforcement officials in the city have been tasked with the job of rounding up heroin cartels. Still, curbing the menace will require the combined efforts of law enforcement, medical specialists, substance abuse professionals, and the residents themselves.

Though Lawrence is a small city, it serves as somewhat of an informal heroin capital for the entire New England region. The fact that street-level heroin dealers are increasingly mixing the opiate with fentanyl — a highly potent synthetic painkiller — has further compounded the problem. An online publication notes that a recent police raid in one of the residential areas within the city led to confiscation of 2.2 million dollars’ worth of heroin and fentanyl. The city’s proximity to larger cities like Boston also fuels the drug trade.

Our Closest Facility:
The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Drug & Alcohol Rehab
761 Cuthbert Boulevard Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
856-890-9449
The IAFF Center of Excellence does not operate in the state of Massachusetts. Our closest facility is in Maryland and can be seen in the map above.

Finding Help & Recovery in Lawrence, MA

Alcohol & Drug Rehab Centers in Lawrence, Massachusetts

The opioid epidemic is ravaging through most parts of New England. In Massachusetts, specifically, fentanyl has risen along with heroin to cast most cities within the state into bleak times. Lawrence, an old mill town, is one of the worst hit. A 2012 online report defines Lawrence as Massachusetts’s poorest city, a telling statistic. With economic failure, jobs have become scarce to come by and a state of depression has crept in. Many drug users in the city are poor and in need of a cheap, powerful high. This is where fentanyl comes into the equation, with the drug responsible for several overdose deaths in the city in recent times.

One thing that should be clear, though, to everyone is that substance use is a chronic disease, not a choice. Residents are urged to avoid having a judgmental mentality towards those affected. Also, those struggling with the problem are advised to seek treatment services at Lawrence drug rehab programs or a Lawrence alcohol rehab programs as it has come to the attention of medical practitioners that most people affected are afraid to seek help due to the stigmatization. The types of treatment programs available at different centers in Lawrence are defined below.

Residential Treatment Programs

In residential treatment programs, it is necessary that substance misuse patients stay at the rehabilitation facility for the entire duration of their treatment. This is to enable round-the-clock supervision and to accord them a tranquil recovery environment devoid of external influences that may cause relapse. The program also comprises individual and group therapy sessions and activities that enhance personal wellness. Upon completion of treatment, patients are given an aftercare plan that largely involves attending recovery meetings.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) consists of therapy sessions that are restricted to daytime hours after which patients can revert to their daily lives. PHPs are preferred by those with family, school or work commitments that they cannot afford to put on hold for treatment purposes. The treatment process, however, imitates that of residential programs.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

Outpatient programs operate via varied forms of behavioral counseling. Sessions may be up to three or four times a week at first, but reduce over time depending on patient progress. Outpatient programs are befitting for those whose drug dependency levels are not acute. Those who have completed intense inpatient treatment are usually advised to join outpatient programs afterward as a continuation of their treatment process.

Those affected and wishing to enter a program should carefully go through the available options in relation to their situation before deciding on which type of program to choose. These can include Lawrence, Massachusetts drug rehab programs and Lawrence, Massachusetts alcohol rehab programs. For instance, partial hospitalization is befitting for those whose home surroundings are stable and not likely to set off triggers that could lead to relapse. Also, inpatient programs are costlier due to the accommodation and specialized care accorded to patients.

Lawrence Drug & Alcohol Detox Centers

Detoxification refers to interventions meant to alleviate severe intoxication and control withdrawal symptoms. It is important to note that detoxification does not cure the emotional and psychological torment linked to drug and alcohol dependency, thus patients are advised to pursue long-term treatment plans afterward.

When one goes for detoxification at a medical facility, the process involves three major steps. First is patient evaluation, whereby the patient is assessed and then the doctor comes up with an appropriate treatment plan. The second step is stabilization, which aims to achieve patient withdrawal from drugs. This may be done with or without pharmacological support. Facilitating entry into substance treatment is the third step, whereby patients are urged to enter treatment programs to strengthen their abstinence capabilities. Those who do not go for treatment after detoxification are more prone to relapse. There are several Lawrence drug detox centers and Lawrence alcohol detox centers.

Recovery Meetings Near You in Lawrence

Recovery meetings offer a support system for people after they complete treatment at a Lawrence drug rehab center or a Lawrence alcohol rehab center. Recovery programs offer patients an avenue through which they can collectively raise each other’s morale and build hope for the future. For those struggling with alcohol and substance misuse in Lawrence, there are different types of recovery meetings in Essex County and the surrounding areas, as described below.

AA Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid program for those that have a drinking problem. AA was founded in 1935 in Ohio but has built a global presence and is open to both male and female members. The only requirement to join is the desire to cut alcohol out of your life for good. AA abides by a 12-step program that believes in surrendering your addiction to a higher power. If you wish to join an AA meeting group in Lawrence, feel free to check out the following venues.

Daybreak Shelter
19 Winter St.
Lawrence, MA 01841

Rear Suite 413
15 S Union St.
Lawrence, MA 01843

People’s Recovery Center
11 Union St.
Lawrence, MA 01840

NA Meetings

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Meetings

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a recovery program for those recovering from drug dependency. NA meeting groups also adhere to the principles of the 12-step traditions, just like AA fellowships. Meetings are open to people of all ages and both genders. It is also important to note that NA bears no religious or political ties, even though its approach has a spiritual standing whereby members are urged to leave that which they cannot control to a higher power. The 12-step plan encourages such activities as getting a sponsor and meeting up with fellow NA members outside the stipulated meeting hours. The following NA meetings are available in Lawrence.

Our Lady of Good Counsel
128 Ames St.
Lawrence, MA 01841

Daybreak Shelter
19 Winter St.
Lawrence, MA 01841

United Riverside Congregational Church
290 Water St.
Lawrence, MA 01841

SMART Recovery Meetings

SMART Recovery Meetings

SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a recovery program that uses a 4-step approach developed through scientific evidence. Treatment is psychotherapeutic and sessions are run by SMART-approved instructors, as opposed to AA and NA programs where members work by themselves. Find the following SMART meeting groups within 50 miles of Lawrence if you are affected and prefer a secular program.

Universalist Unitarian Church of Haverhill
16 Ashland St.
Haverhill, MA 01830

Christ Church United
10 Arlington St.
Dracut, MA 01826

Middlesex Community College
33 Kearney Sq.
Lowell, MA 01852

Al-Anon and Nar-Anon Meetings

Al-Anon and Nar-Anon Meetings

Someone close to you may be struggling with alcohol or drug dependency and it could be deeply affecting you. If that is the case, you should consider joining an Al-Anon or Nar-Anon program. Al-Anon meetings bring together those whose friends and family are struggling with alcohol dependency and encourages them to exchange experiences for motivational purposes. Nar-Anon groups offer the same for those whose loved ones are suffering from substance use disorder. Find the following Al-Anon and Nar-Anon groups in cities near Lawrence.

Al-Anon
Christ Church
29 Central St.
Andover, MA 01810

Nar-Anon
Forest Street Union Church
15 Forest St.
Methuen, MA 01844

If you are considering Lawrence drug treatment facilities or Lawrence alcohol treatment facilities, remember there are additional options. You can find other treatment facilities outside of town, either in other cities within Essex County or Massachusetts in general. Feel free to explore substance addiction resources in the following cities near Lawrence.