Bloomington, Indiana is one of the more unique cities in the region, with dozens of historical neighborhoods, as well as natural caves, ravines, underground streams, and miles of beautiful, rolling hills. This is part of the reason Bloomington’s economy relies so heavily on research in the field of life science. As the home of Indiana University Bloomington, the city has a large population of young residents and a total population of 79,107. When looking at the Bloomington Metropolitan Area, which includes segments of Greene, Monroe, and Owen Counties, the population is closer to 200,000.
Bloomington serves as the county seat of Monroe County and a major center for medical technology and research. However, the state of the local economy has been a point of frustration for many residents. An astounding 32.3% of the population lives below the poverty line, which is far above the 12.6% average seen in the rest of Indiana.[1] While there’s no doubt that residents have faced economic difficulties in recent years, the city population continues to grow. The economic outlook is also looking more positive in the last two years, with dozens of small businesses being established in the city since the pandemic.
Despite these signs of growth and recovery, Bloomington still struggles with substance abuse and addiction. As the 7th largest city in Indiana, Bloomington sees some of the highest numbers of drug and alcohol abuse cases in the state. The high levels of poverty in Bloomington have only increased the presence of illicit street drugs, including meth, heroin, and even illegally traded prescription opioids.
Continue reading to learn about substance abuse and addiction in Bloomington, Indiana. If you or a loved one are fighting addiction in Bloomington, you can always reach out to Addiction Rehab Centers for help.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Bloomington
An analysis of substance abuse in Bloomington has shown that young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are at the highest risk of abusing opioids. Since Bloomington is a college town, many students (particularly those who are involved in Greek campus culture) are pressured into misusing opioids, alcohol, and other addictive substances.[2] However, substance abuse is not just limited to young adults and university students. Every year, thousands of Bloomington residents from nearly every age demographic abuse drugs and alcohol, with many developing long-term addictions.
According to data collected by the Indiana Next Level Recovery project, drug and alcohol arrests have fluctuated in recent years. The table below shows the number of arrests and percentage of arrests associated with different substances in Monroe County between 2015 and 2023:[3]
Year | Total Arrests | Alcohol | Cocaine | Marijuana | Meth | Opioid | Drug Paraphernalia |
2015 | 1,606 | 56.3% | 2.7% | 9.3% | 6.6% | 4.6% | 10.2% |
2016 | 1,287 | 47.9% | 1.6% | 9.9% | 9.2% | 2.9% | 12.8% |
2017 | 1,395 | 37.8% | 0.7% | 10.7% | 16.5% | 3% | 15.9% |
2018 | 1,329 | 34.1% | 0.9% | 13.1% | 18% | 3.4% | 17.1% |
2019 | 1,386 | 34.2% | 2.6% | 10.6% | 19.5% | 3.3% | 17.8% |
2020 | 816 | 23.9% | 4.2% | 13.3% | 21.5% | 3.3% | 19.9% |
2021 | 694 | 26.3% | 4.2% | 12.7% | 24% | 6.2% | 15.3% |
2022 | 666 | 31.5% | 4.3% | 10.9% | 25.6% | 5% | 14% |
2023* | 747 | 35.2% | 1.1% | 10.6% | 25.3% | 3.4% | 17.4% |
*Statistics for 2023 are still preliminary and do not account for the entire calendar year.
The data above indicates that substance abuse arrests have declined over the years in Monroe County, though the preliminary data from 2023 shows a strong resurgence in the number of arrests, particularly those involving alcohol and meth. While alcohol and cocaine arrests have generally declined, marijuana arrests have increased slightly. Arrests involving meth have increased substantially, accounting for more than 1 in 4 substance abuse arrests in the county. And though opioids are heavily abused in Bloomington and the rest of Monroe County, the data doesn’t show much change over the years. This is because abuse of prescription opioids is more likely to result in death than incarceration.
The comparatively high number of alcohol arrests is commonplace for a college town like Bloomington. However, the increasing instances of illicit drug abuse and prescription opioid abuse are not. This shows that the substance abuse crisis has spilled over into nearly every part of the city, making it difficult for local officials to contain the epidemic.
It’s important to remember that arrests are not the only way to analyze rates of substance abuse in Bloomington. Much like other counties throughout Indiana, Monroe County saw an increase in substance abuse deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021). In 2016, the county recorded 26 deaths as a result of drug overdose. By 2020, that figure increased to 48, and Monroe County saw another 48 deaths from overdose in 2022. Data for 2023 is still pending, so it is unclear if overdose deaths have declined since the height of the pandemic.
Bloomington Substance Abuse Resources
The city of Bloomington provides a written resource guide to help prevent substance abuse and help those who are already struggling with addiction seek out treatment.[4] Some of the services promoted in this guide include:
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Indiana Crisis Hotline
- First Call For Help
- Monroe County Pathways
- Indiana Recovery Alliance
It’s important to point out that most of these programs are not managed at the city level. For example, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Indiana Crisis Hotline, First Call For Help, and Indiana Recovery Alliance are statewide services. This means that, while Bloomington is relatively proactive in its approach to substance abuse prevention, it does not invest in many of its own programs to help people at the local level.
That said, the city promotes various free support groups for drug and alcohol addiction throughout Bloomington. Monroe County Pathways is a free-to-use hotline that can help you get a referral to a detox or rehab clinic in your area. Additionally, students of Indiana University Bloomington can seek help from the school’s program for Substance Use Intervention Services.[5] Unfortunately, this service is not available to people outside of the Indiana University school system.
In addition to the Pathways program, Monroe County offers the following services and initiatives to local residents:
- Overdose Response Project
- Overdose Fatality Review Team
- Naloxone education and distribution
- Syringe exchange programs
These programs work to analyze overdose statistics and make plans to reduce death and abuse in the future. Additionally, the free distribution of Naloxone is vital for those struggling with opioid abuse, as Naloxone can help prevent death in the event of an overdose. Finally, Monroe County’s syringe exchange program can help prevent the spread of Hepatitis C and HIV through the sharing of needles. At the state level, residents of Bloomington can turn to Indiana Next Level Recovery for additional support, which can help connect residents with any and all resources in their area.
Bloomington Drug Rehab & Alcohol Rehab
Bloomington is full of natural beauty and historical significance, but these positive attributes cannot undo the damage done by substance abuse. The local population has struggled to overcome economic difficulties in recent years, and many have tried to cope with the stress by abusing drugs and alcohol. Even though arrests have gone down (in spite of the pandemic), deaths caused by overdose continue to rise each year. And even though the city of Bloomington, Monroe County, and the state of Indiana have implemented dozens of programs to help those in need, the programs have proven insufficient in the battle against addiction.
However, there is no reason to give up hope on the citizens of Bloomington. It’s true that addiction is an uphill battle, but for residents of Bloomington, there is professional help nearby. Just an hour’s drive from Bloomington, Addiction Rehab Centers offers detox, inpatient rehab, and outpatient rehab services to those in need. Additionally, we have the expertise to treat dual-diagnosis cases and provide a comfortable and private place in which to recover.
If you or a loved one need help, don’t hesitate to reach out as soon as possible. Addiction Rehab Centers is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can contact us on our website or call us directly at 844-551-4673.
