Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- Talking about Substance Abuse in the Jewish Community
- Culturally Competent Behavioral Care for the Jewish Community
- Finding A Jewish Drug Rehab Center for You or Your Loved One
- Additional Resources
Overview
Like other religious groups, the global Jewish population faces a variety of adverse factors that render its members uniquely vulnerable to substance use disorder (SUD). Pressure to maneuver within strict religious paradigms, acute and chronic occurrences of antisemitic discrimination, and the trauma associated with persecution are just a few of the elements that may drive members of the Jewish faith to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.
Data from the University of Winnipeg on substance abuse within the North American Jewish population indicates that a significant portion knows someone affected by an addiction, and that more than 20 percent have a family history of addiction. Additional data draws a direct correlation between exposure to terroristic attacks and the development of substance use disorder.
At a time when global antisemitism is on the rise and Jewish communities from New York City to Australia are experiencing more and more terrorist attacks, this correlation cannot be ignored.
In an effort to provide adequate, effective, faith-based treatment that speaks to the unique care needs of the Jewish population, many Jewish drug rehab centers have been established in areas of the country with significant Jewish populations. These programs are shining a light on an often-lesser-discussed issue within the Jewish community, offering a lifeline to treatment in a manner that is tactful and sensitive to religious norms among the different sectors of the Jewish faith.
Talking about Substance Abuse in the Jewish Community
For many members of the stricter Orthodox Jewish communities, it can be incredibly difficult to discuss, admit, or even entertain the notion that a member is suffering from a drug or alcohol use disorder (AUD). The struggle that many Orthodox Jews face when struggling with substance use, not the least of which includes seeking treatment resources within their own community, has been well documented.
Over the past decade, however, the conversation has become increasingly open, leading to the establishment of resources. This includes a crisis support organization that has taken on addiction in the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish worlds. Since its inception, the program has helped more than five thousand clients across the Jewish spectrum. The organization provides treatment and services for those who need help, whether they are victims of abuse or addiction. But there’s another critical component of their mission: raising much-needed awareness, battling stigma, and providing education.
In less devout segments of the Jewish community, substance use issues such as alcoholism and prescription drug addiction are on par with those in other religions and among the secular population. Other types of faith-based addiction treatment include those created for Christians and Muslims.
Culturally Competent Behavioral Care for the Jewish Community
Like other types of faith-based drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers, Jewish drug rehab centers help patients draw strength and inspiration from their faith and use scriptures to guide them on their path to sobriety. Rehab includes recitation of the Torah and Talmud, as well as guided prayer groups and attendance at regular religious services.
Participants also undergo group therapy, individualized counseling, and a range of spiritually and clinically appropriate modalities. In addition to specialized Jewish drug rehab centers, there are general treatment programs all over the country that offer a Jewish program as part of their spiritual treatment offerings. Treatment will include a combination of detox, behavioral rehab, and other aftercare services to help patients thrive in their recovery. Some of the more common options for Jewish drug treatment include:
- Detox: Detox allows patients to expel the toxins that have accumulated in their bodies through prolonged and untreated substance abuse. Detox programs can be administered alone or as part of an overall treatment program, but are best handled by experienced and qualified medical professionals who can manage the acute withdrawal period.
- Behavioral Rehab: Inpatient rehab offers residential programs that generally last anywhere from twenty-eight to thirty days and offer psychiatric and spiritual counseling, family therapy, group dynamics, and a variety of specialized therapies. Inpatient rehab is generally reserved for patients with a more severe history of substance use disorder (SUD) and allows patients to heal in a distraction-free environment.
- Outpatient rehab: Allows patients to attend multiple treatment sessions per week and return home to their families and communities after each treatment day.
- Aftercare. Jewish drug rehab centers should offer customized aftercare plans that allow patients to continue the progress they made in treatment. Specific aftercare interventions should include referral to religious support groups and spiritually sensitive addiction-trained therapists who are mindful of the different substance use issues members of the Jewish faith encounter.
Finding A Jewish Drug Rehab Center for You or Your Loved One
Your faith can be a source of strength, resilience, and empowerment. Use our directory to find a rehab that offers Jewish-centered programming.
