Alcohol and Drug Rehab in Los Altos, California

Located in northern Silicon Valley, Los Altos is about 40 minutes south of San Fransisco. As a residential community, Los Altos is home to several small businesses, schools, and libraries. Los Altos is a seven square mile city in Santa Clara County, but its residents still suffer from alcohol and drug abuse. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Trends in Los Altos & Santa Clara County, California

The number of students at Los Altos High School referred to mental health services increased from 202 in 2019 to 282 in 2020, a local news source reports. This trend indicates the challenges of providing mental health support to teens in a school environment. 

Ensuring mental health resources are available is essential, particularly in Santa Clara County, where it has been noted that most substance abuse issues in residents begin to form in adolescence. 

In most cases, adolescents and adults alike turn to substances to self-medicate undiagnosed mental health issues. Sometimes individuals who have a formal mental health diagnosis will self medicate with substances, as most prescribed mental health medications typically take a few weeks before they are effective. 

A substance use assessment of Santa Clara County found that Los Altos residents most frequently abused the following substances: 

• alcohol 
• prescription drugs 
• marijuana 

Prescription Drug Abuse in Los Altos, Santa Clara

Although opioid abuse is lower in Santa Clara County, compared to the state, there are other prescription medications that Los Altos residents may abuse. According to a local substance use survey, North County, residents, including those from Los Altos, reported the following:

• 14 percent of adults said using prescribed drugs in an unsanctioned way. Unsanctioned use could include taking more than the prescribed dose or taking the medication longer than prescribed.
• 13 percent of adults reported taking a prescription that was not their own, or without a legitimate prescription. 
• Four percent of adults reported abusing over the counter medications (OTC). 

Drug and Alcohol Treatment Types in Los Altos, California

There are a handful of different drug and alcohol treatment types in Los Altos. Most rehab centers will consist of: 

• residential addiction treatment 
• partial hospitalization programs 
• outpatient addiction treatment 

Individuals who have struggled with addiction for a while, experienced relapse, or find themselves addicted to more than one substance at a time, may find inpatient or residential treatment to be the best option. As this type of treatment removes them from the environment, they learned the addictive behaviors and put them in a supportive environment where they can learn to address the root causes of their substance abuse. 

The first step for most maybe a partial hospitalization program, during partial hospitalization treatment, individuals will start their treatment in a hospital setting. This works well for individuals struggling with substances that produce severe and, at times, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. 

Outpatient treatment is the most common type of addiction treatment. It allows individuals to continue to live at home and work while attending treatment sessions on weeknights. Some people may find that this treatment type allows for too much self-regulation when first attempting to come off a substance, so it is common for people to start in an inpatient treatment program and transition into an outpatient program when they feel ready. 

Finding Substance Abuse Treatment near Los Altos, California

About an hour away from Los Altos is Elevate Addiction Services’ Santa Cruz location. Elevate offers a custom addiction treatment that is highly individualized. Our program consists of four phases that focus on improving a specific part of a person’s life. 

At Elevate, we also offer a unique outpatient treatment known as Telehealth. These sessions are entirely online and work well for people who are currently unable to leave their homes. With professional help from the comfort of your couch, there’s no reason not to begin your journey to recovery today. 

Related Links:

• Mountain View Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• Morgan Hill Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• Gilroy Alcohol and Drug Treatment

Sources:

• City of Los Altos – Los Altos Community 
• Santa Clara County – Substance Use Assessment 2017
• Mountain View Voice – Number of high school students seeking therapy spikes