In 2022, opioid-related deaths reached an all-time high, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting nearly 74,000 synthetic opioid overdoses.
That same year, the New Jersey Department of Health tallied 3,171 lives lost from addictive substances, particularly fentanyl.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a lethal affliction that continues to impact millions of people and families across the country, including in the Garden State. While we’re seeing a significant decline in trends, we’re nowhere near out of the woods.
Just in 2025, the state documented over 1,300 drug overdose deaths, which is 27% less than the previous year, but just as deeply concerning.
If you or someone you know is presently struggling with opioid misuse, prompt expert intervention is important.
Garden State Treatment Center, located in the scenic Sparta Township, is an accredited provider of OUD treatment and interventions in New Jersey. The facility offers personalized, evidence-based programs and clinical support.
Here’s everything you should know.
Table of Contents
What Makes Opioid Addiction Dangerous?
When used as prescribed by physicians, opioid medicines can be useful in managing short-term severe and chronic pain, such as in post-surgery and cancer-related circumstances.
However, using these drugs outside a doctor’s prescription carries serious risks.
In the medical setting, opioids are generally considered a class of pain relievers. They work by binding with certain brain receptors, which dulls pain perception and alleviates discomfort in patients.
Among its other immediate effects are sedation, drowsiness, and euphoria.
Unfortunately, what makes opioids effective for pain treatment is also the very thing that makes them addictive and dangerous.
The pleasure derived from taking the drug can make some individuals want to continue using without supervision, increasing the risk of dependence and addiction.
Lower doses of the substance can make someone sleepy. Higher amounts of the drug can lead to fatal side effects like slowed breathing and heart rate.
Heightened physical dependence due to long-term opioid misuse increases the likelihood of overdose and death.
Synthetic Fentanyl
Morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are common examples of prescription opioids. But there are also illegal iterations of the substance that are more dangerous, such as heroin and fentanyl.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is especially deadly. It’s 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. A two-milligram dose of fentanyl can quickly become a lethal poison.
To date, fentanyl has claimed more lives than prescription opioids and heroin combined, with risks doubling when combined with alcohol.
Recognizing Warning Signs of Opioid Use Disorder
Several warning signs could indicate that a person is struggling with an OUD. These symptoms can be physical, behavioral, or social. Knowing how to recognize them could save a friend or a loved one’s life.
An individual spiraling into opioid addiction can exhibit one or more of the following:
- Moodiness, irritability, and anxiety
- Changes in physical appearance, such as extreme weight loss or weight gain in a short period of time
- Secrecy and constantly wearing long sleeves to hide track marks on the arms
- A profound and unexpected shift in overall attitude or personality, making the individual seem like a totally different person
- Sudden decline in performance at school or work
- Withdrawing from friends and family, often actively missing social occasions with loved ones
- Loss of interest in hobbies, activities, and things that they once enjoyed doing
- Noticeable dishonest behaviors, like lying and stealing
A person with an opioid use disorder will continue to use despite knowing the consequences to their health and relationships. They might also start taking the drug in dangerous circumstances (e.g., when driving).
As the chronic brain disorder progresses, more serious symptoms will emerge.
Opioid Dependence
Physical dependence occurs when the body has already adapted to functioning with the drug’s presence. Someone who’s become physically dependent on an opioid often develops increased tolerance to the substance.
A person with heightened tolerance will need larger quantities of the drug to achieve the same effects as the first time they used it, significantly amplifying the risk of an overdose reaction.
If you think you or someone near you is overdosing, promptly seek medical attention by calling 911 or other emergency hotlines.
Loss of control over their drug use is among the classic symptoms of OUD. Someone struggling with opioid addiction may attempt to cut back or stop using entirely, but find themselves unable to do so.
Because opioids change how the brain looks and functions, withdrawal syndrome usually follows periods of abstinence.
Muscle aches, agitation, anxiety, sweating, insomnia, stomachache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are examples of physical withdrawal that individuals diagnosed with OUD go through.
These uncomfortable symptoms emerge almost immediately, making quitting significantly difficult without professional guidance. They can also last for a long time, depending on their severity.
Why Professional Intervention For Opioid Use Disorder Matters
There’s a good reason why healthcare providers actively discourage quitting alcohol and drugs “cold turkey” or alone.
Abruptly stopping the use of a substance the body has become dependent on can result in serious complications. Alcohol and benzodiazepines, for instance, are known for their life-threatening side effects.
Withdrawal from long-term opioid abuse is generally not considered lethal, but it can still pose intense and painful symptoms. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are common, which often require intravenous treatment.
People with other co-occurring disorders or underlying ailments, such as cardiovascular conditions, may face an elevated risk of complications, such as high blood pressure and heart rate issues.
Detoxing from opioid drugs without help can prevent individuals from learning practical coping and recovery skills. Even if they successfully abstained for a while, the likelihood of relapse remains high.
Addiction treatment experts will not just help you navigate withdrawal safely, but will also provide sufficient resources to facilitate long-term recovery.
For those living in Northern New Jersey, Garden State Treatment Center offers multiple levels of care for opioid treatment, allowing OUD patients to receive suitable interventions tailored to their unique needs.
Levels of Care
One of the common reasons addiction treatment fails is not getting the level of care matching the patient’s circumstances.
Substance use disorder is experienced differently by everyone, which is why programs must be personalized to fit the severity of symptoms and unique challenges someone is facing during recovery.
This includes co-occurring mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) defines five levels of care, namely: early intervention, standard outpatient, partial hospitalization (PHP), residential rehab, and medically supervised intensive inpatient.
This continuum of care forms a structured path that guides people to overcome addiction in every stage of recovery.
Garden State Treatment Center offers standard outpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs for individuals and families in New Jersey.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your healthcare provider can prescribe certain drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help taper the effects of addictive opioids.
These prescriptions can be administered in both residential and outpatient settings to support someone’s recovery by alleviating uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
- Methadone: This is a long-acting synthetic opioid used for treating heroin and morphine addiction, as well as other opiates. It works by slowly binding to opioid receptors, curbing cravings without producing a high.
- Buprenorphine: Like methadone, buprenorphine blocks the effects of other opioids and helps make withdrawal manageable. Unlike methadone, which is heavily regulated, buprenorphine is more widely accessible. It’s often used alongside naloxone.
- Naltrexone: Classified as an opioid antagonist, naltrexone binds with opioid receptors in the brain. This prevents other opiates from acting and triggering their euphoric effects. Compared to the other two, there’s no potential for abuse with Naltrexone.
Effective approaches to opioid addiction intervention combine behavioral therapy and medication treatment.
Facilities like Garden State Treatment Center combine holistic medication-assisted recovery alongside counseling and evidence-based talk therapies.
Evidence-Based Counseling and Therapies
Addiction impacts thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. Counseling and talk therapy can help patients learn healthier ways of thinking about their condition, as well as encourage adherence to their programs.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most used therapies in addiction treatment environments.
A goal-oriented form of psychotherapy, CBT helps individuals identify and change toxic thoughts and behavioral patterns that enable opioid abuse. Besides OUD, the therapy is employed to treat other co-occurring mental illnesses.
Studies show that CBT significantly improves treatment retention rates.
Contingency management is a therapy that uses rewards to reinforce positive behaviors. By incentivizing actions that achieve specific recovery goals, CM motivates patients to stay engaged in their treatment plan.
In addition to CBT and CM, many programs incorporate motivational interviewing for treating opioid addiction. Developed in the early ‘80s, this counseling method is used to resolve ambivalence.
OUD programs at Garden State Treatment Center integrate evidence-based therapies and counseling. The center administers individual, couples, and family-focused strategies to address opioid addiction and build a reliable support network.
Robust alumni and relapse prevention initiatives sustain patients beyond the early stages of recovery.
Choose a Trusted Opioid Treatment Center In New Jersey
Once you decide to reach out, the next step is to find a facility that delivers the quality and type of care you need.
When choosing an opioid rehab center, you want to ensure they’re accredited and certified to administer treatment, provide evidence-based care, and are actually committed to helping you recover.
For families and individuals impacted by opioids in New Jersey, Garden State Treatment Center is a premier expert in delivering structured OUD and effective support.
Accredited Expertise in Addiction Treatment
Accreditation serves as the gold standard in healthcare. One of the quickest ways to gauge a treatment provider’s credibility is by looking at the organizations that acknowledge their services.
Garden State Treatment Center is accredited by the Joint Commission (JCAHO), an independent, non-profit body that evaluates healthcare providers in the United States.
Addiction centers recognized by the Joint Commission have undergone rigorous and careful assessments in terms of safety and quality.
In conjunction with the Joint Commission, the New Jersey Department of Health approved Garden State Treatment Center to operate and offer personalized addiction care to those who need it.
You can check out Garden State Treatment Center on recovery.com, rehab.com, and Better Business Bureau.
Humane Care Delivered by Clinical Professionals
Dedicated and experienced clinical experts guide Garden State Treatment Center’s programs.
The team is spearheaded by CEO Daniel Schaffer, whose extensive knowledge in Health Law drives initiatives to make addiction care accessible.
Behind Daniel is Dr. Michael Ganon, Medical Director, and Melissa Forte, MA, LCADC, CCS, CGRS, Clinical Director, who collaborate to provide the highest quality of care and services for each patient.
Primary therapists Anthony Ricci, LSW, and Charlee Miller, LSW, along with the entire staff and management, are instrumental in administering effective interventions with compassion and professionalism.
Bottom Line: Find Professional Help Closer to Home
Opioid use disorder is a chronic, relapsing condition. Without sufficient support, overcoming OUD can be difficult with a risk of relapse.
But help is always available and may be closer to home than you realize.
Garden State Treatment Center provides a continuum of evidence-based, structured, and ongoing care. We’ll walk with you every step of the way in your journey toward lifelong healing.
