Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s Maritime Provinces, located to the southeast of New Brunswick and south of Prince Edward Island. It is the most populous of the Maritime Provinces, with a population of just under 1 million. It is also the second smallest province in Canada, with an area of only 55,284 km². Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, is the major economic hub of the Canadian Maritime region. Fishing, forestry, and agriculture are the main industries in the region.
According to a study recently published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry and conducted by researchers out of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Nova Scotia has a drug and alcohol abuse rate of 13.8%, which is higher than the national average of about 11%.
According to a 2007 study conducted by the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection in collaboration with Dalhousie University, cigarette smoking as well as abuse of cannabis-based drugs (e.g., marijuana, hashish), psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”), mescaline, and amphetamines has declined among students in Nova Scotia since 2002. Unfortunately this decline was mirrored by an increase in the abuse of MDMA (ecstasy), and they found no change in the rate of alcohol abuse during this same period. Of particular alarm, it was found that a substantial proportion of adolescents in Nova Scotia abuse drugs and alcohol in such a way that can place them in harm’s way. For instance, 26% reported being a passenger in a vehicle being driven by someone who had been using cannabis, and 23% of high school seniors with a driver’s license had driven a vehicle while under the influence of cannabis. Another 33% of students had unplanned sexual intercourse while under the effects of alcohol or drugs.
Drug & Alcohol Addiction, Recovery, & Rehabilitation Information for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and the economic hub of Canada’s Maritime region. In 1996, the city of Halifax was agglomerated into the Halifax Regional Municipality, which is home to nearly 400,000 individuals. While agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry, and natural gas extraction are the region’s main resources, tourism is also an important source of income. Nova Scotia boasts some beautiful beaches, and Halifax is alive with festivals in the summer months.
To combat drug addiction problems in Halifax, the Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy has joined forces with Dalhousie University to initiate an interesting pilot project. The project will explore the benefits of massage therapy on patients undergoing withdrawal from various illicit drugs. Treatment will take place at the Withdrawal Management program run by Addictions Prevention and Treatment Services at the Nova Scotia Hospital. Drug addiction experts at this program understand the importance of a biopsychological approach to drug addiction recovery.
Sobriety.ca Foundation, a private residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation center located near a short drive from Ottawa is also aware of the importance of alternative therapy and biopsychological treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. At the Sobriety.ca Foundation, several types of evidence based psychotherapy (as cognitive behavioural therapy) are available for clients from neighbouring provinces and across Canada. However as good as our psychotherapy is, no one can spend all day long in counselling. To balance the healing of your days with us, we integrate a number of alternative holistic treatments as Yoga, Acupuncture, Tai-Chi, Mindfulness Meditation, Massage, Native Healing, and others. We also have an excellent recreational program to help you have fun and get more fit in the process, several types of psychotherapy are available for clients from neighboring provinces and across Canada. Spa services such as massage and yoga as well as therapeutic recreation are all important components of care.
Sobriety.ca Foundation offers a comprehensive Aftercare program so that clients who complete the residential alcohol and drug addiction recovery program can continue to obtain the help and support they need to stay sober.