How Many People Are Addicts

It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way

Addiction costs our country more than $740 billion each year. And the costs keep rising. Were hemorrhaging money on this crisis, and all that spending is not doing much to protect our loved ones.

With the science we have today, we could save countless lives and spend a fraction of that amount by increasing access to addiction treatment with an approach thats compassionate, evidence-based, and rooted in public health.

Each Year Approximately 3040 Million Americans Use Marijuana By Smoking It

What is the most commonly used illicit drug among persons aged 12 and older? In 2017, about 1.2 million Americans aged 1217 and 525,000 over 26 years used marijuana for the first time. Marijuana is increasingly becoming legal across the United States, both for medical and recreational use, but it still isnt entirely secure because it can be addictive and cause health issues.

How Our Helpline Works

For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, the PsychGuides.com helpline is a private and convenient solution.

We are standing by 24/7 to discuss your treatment options. Our representatives work solely for AAC and will discuss whether an AAC facility may be an option for you.

Our helpline is offered at no cost to you and with no obligation to enter into treatment. Neither PsychGuides.com nor AAC receives any commission or other fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a visitor may ultimately choose.

For more information on AACs commitment to ethical marketing and treatment practices, or to learn more about how to select a treatment provider, visit our About AAC page.

If you wish to explore additional treatment options or connect with a specific rehab center, you can browse top-rated listings or visit SAMHSA.

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The Consequences Of Drug Abuse

In 2017, the cost of drug abuse in the US was nearly $272 billion, taking into account crime, healthcare needs, lost work productivity and other impacts on society.

• $193 billion was incurred in overall costs for illegal drugs in addition to $78.5 billion for prescription opioids.
• $11 billion was incurred in healthcare costs related to the use of illegal drugs and $26 billion for prescription opioids.
• 326,000 hospitalizations occurred for nonfatal drug poisonings or overdoses occurred in 2016, including unintentional, undetermined intent, and intentional self-harm.
• 577,794 emergency room visits occurred for nonfatal drug poisonings or overdoses in 2016 with the most patients experiencing opioid poisoning.
• There are new psychoactive substances entering the market every year. Between 2012 and 2016, the number of known psychoactive substances being sold increased from 269 to 479.
• Drug abuse often results in comorbidity- nearly 50% of persons who have substance abuse disorder also experience mental illness.

Heightened Risk of Disease

High-risk behaviors and drug abuse also result in much higher chances of contracting viral infections such as hepatitis or HIV.

Three Waves Of Opioid Overdose Deaths

From 19992019, nearly 500,000 people died from an overdose involving any opioid, including prescription and illicit opioids1.

This rise in opioid overdose deaths can be outlined in three distinct waves.

Many opioid-involved overdose deaths also include other drugs9.10.

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How And When To Take It

Follow your doctors instructions about how to use this medicine. This is particularly important because oxycodone can be addictive.

Take oxycodone with, or just after, a meal or snack as its less likely to make you feel sick.

Its important to swallow slow-release oxycodone tablets whole with a drink of water.

Oxycodone comes as:

• capsules these contain 5mg, 10mg or 20mg of oxycodone
• slow-release tablets these contain 5mg, 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 60mg, 80mg or 120mg of oxycodone
• liquid this contains 5mg of oxycodone in 5ml or 10mg of oxycodone in 1ml of liquid.

Oxycodone liquid, capsules and injections work faster . Theyre used for pain which is expected to last for a short time and often used when you start taking oxycodone, to help find the right dose.

Oxycodone tablets are slow release. This means the oxycodone is gradually released into your body over either 12 or 24 hours. This type of oxycodone takes longer to start working but lasts longer. Its used for long-term pain.

Sometimes your doctor may prescribe both fast-acting and slow-release oxycodone to manage long-term pain.

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Alcohol Abuse Among Veterans

Alcohol abuse is prevalent among Veterans. The 2017 NSDUH reports that veterans were more likely to use alcohol than non-Veterans . They were also more likely to report heavy use of alcohol . Furthermore, 65% of Veterans who enter a substance abuse treatment program report that alcohol is their main substance of abuse.11

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New Data Show Millions Of Americans With Alcohol And Drug Addiction Could Benefit From Health Care Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. New government data demonstrate the continued, urgent need for more Americans to have access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, according to an analysis by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap initiative. If implemented properly, federal health care reform legislation could help remove financial barriers to treatment for millions of Americans.

According to Defining the Addiction Treatment Gap, a CATG review of the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and other national data sources, addiction continues to impact every segment of American society.

Drug use is on the rise in this country and 23.5 million Americans are addicted to alcohol and drugs. Thats approximately one in every 10 Americans over the age of 12 roughly equal to the entire population of Texas. But only 11 percent of those with an addiction receive treatment. It is staggering and unacceptable that so many Americans are living with an untreated chronic disease and cannot access treatment, said Dr. Kima Joy Taylor, director of the CATG Initiative.

Defining the Addiction Treatment Gap is intended to provide statistical context for efforts to close Americas addiction treatment gap, including the design of an addiction treatment benefit as part of health care reform implementation. According to CATG, a number of important factors should be considered:

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What Do We Know About The Opioid Crisis

• Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.6
• Between 8 and 12 percent of people using an opioid for chronic pain develop an opioid use disorder.6
• An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.79
• About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.7
• Update: Among 38 states with prescription opioid overdose death data, 17 states saw a decline between 2017-2018 none experienced a significant increase.11
• Likelihood of developing an opioid use disorder depends on many factors, including length of time a person is prescribed to take opioids for acute pain, and length of time that people continue taking opioids .

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The Food And Drug Administration

Under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act and implementing regulations, the FDA regulates the advertising and promotion of prescription drugs and is responsible for ensuring that prescription drug advertising and promotion are truthful, balanced, and accurately communicated. There is no distinction in the act between controlled and noncontrolled drugs regarding the oversight of promotional activities. Although regulations require that all promotional materials for prescription drugs be submitted to the FDA for review when the materials are initially disseminated or used, it is generally not required that these materials be approved by the FDA prior to their use. The FDA has a limited number of staff for overseeing the enormous amount of promotional materials. In 2002, for example, 39 FDA staff members were responsible for reviewing roughly 34 000 pieces of promotional materials.19 This limited staffing significantly diminishes the FDAs ability to ensure that the promotion is truthful, balanced, and accurately communicated.

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Rate Of Drug Overdose Deaths In The United States In 2015 By Drug Type

• Again, opioids were the most prevalent drugs in 2015 when it comes to fatal overdoses, with 4 deaths per 100,000 population.
• Prescription opioids and heroin had the highest rate of drug overdose deaths among all opioid-based drugs.
• Heroin caused almost twice as much fatal overdoses as cocaine and psychostimulants with abuse potential.
• Methadone scored the lowest rate of all drug overdose deaths .

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% Of The People Who Misuse Opioids Become Addicted To Them

The opioid addiction facts show that most people dont think its a big deal to frequently share their unused pain relievers, apparently oblivious to the hazards of non-medical opioid use. When a friend or relative gives opioids to an adolescent, theres a good chance they will misuse the prescription pain relievers and possibly even develop an addiction.

Overdose Statistics By Age Group

Drug Overdose Deaths By Age

Drug overdose deaths have increased in every age category, and particularly impacts those 25 to 34 years old.

Nonfatal Overdose Emergency Room Visits by Age

Nonfatal overdose emergency room visits were higher in every age group in 2017 than in 2016. In both years, ages 15-19 had the highest rates of needing emergency medical care for overdose.

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Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

Prevalence Of Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction prevalence is difficult to measure, especially because so many people who live with gambling addiction dont recognize it as a problem. However, there is some data available about the prevalence of gambling addiction in each state. According to a 2018 study conducted by WalletHub, Nevada had the highest rate of gambling addiction. Nevada was also ranked as the most gambling-friendly state. The states with the next highest frequencies of gambling addiction included Mississippi, Minnesota, Kansas, New Jersey and Nevada. New Mexico, New York, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, and Michigan had the lowest rates of gambling addiction.

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The Chemistry Of Addiction

All addiction can be characterized as a hijacking of the brains reward system. The human brain is designed to reward us for activities that help us survive and succeed in life. It does this primarily with a chemical called dopaminea hormone that both makes us feel good and motivates us to seek out the thing or activity that made us feel good. Dopamine release constitutes a high, and we experience it when we eat good food, laugh at a joke, engage in sexual activity, or achieve the aptly-named runners high.

Why are people addicted to porn? Its in large part due to this dopamine reward.

In the normal pattern of reward, we perform an activity that makes us feel good, our brain rewards us with dopamine, and then begins building memories of where that good feeling and dopamine release came from. In the future, we seek out those things that gave us a dopamine high in the past and repeat them. This is how we develop habits, preferences, and hobbies.

Learn About Oxycontin Addiction

OxyContin is a powerful prescription painkiller. This medication contains oxycodone, which is a semisynthetic opioid. OxyContins beneficial effects include the easing of pain and the elevation of mood. Dangerous effects of OxyContin include suppressed respiration, slowed heart rate, and risk of addiction.

Whether you use OxyContin for a legitimate medical reason or for illicit recreational purposes, you can become dependent on this drug. OxyContin addiction can compel you to use the drug with increased frequency and in larger and larger doses. It can also cause you to experience considerable distress when you try to end your OxyContin use, or when you are incapable of acquiring the drug.

In the absence of proper care, OxyContin addiction can quickly overwhelm your ability to live a healthy, satisfying, and productive life. Thankfully, OxyContin addiction is a treatable condition. When you receive the type and level of professional assistance thats right for you, you can learn to manage your symptoms and regain control of your thoughts and actions.

Statistics

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Illegal Drug Use Global Prevalence

• The percentage of the global population using illegal drugs increased by 0.8% between 1990 and 2016. As the graph suggests, it was a slightly sinusoidal tendency.
• The greatest increase in global drug users was recorded between 2008 and 2016, from 4.6% to 5.2%.
• From 2004 to 2013, about 0.6% of the global population experienced problems with drug use.
• The lowest percentage of people using illicit drugs was recorded in 2008 , which is also when the drug use problem in global population peaked.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Substance Use Disorder

According to the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the signs of substance use disorder include:

• Taking the substance in larger amounts and for a longer amount of time than youre meant to if its a prescription.
• Having a strong desire or urge to use the substance.
• Having unsuccessful efforts to cut down on or control substance use.
• Spending a lot of time obtaining or using the substance or recovering from its effects.
• Having issues fulfilling responsibilities at work, school or home due to substance use.
• Continuing to use the substance, even when it causes problems in relationships.
• Giving up social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use.
• Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger.
• Continuing substance use despite an ongoing physical or psychological problem thats likely caused or worsened by the substance.
• Developing tolerance .
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance.

Seeking medical care as soon as you have signs of substance use disorder is essential.

Other symptoms and behaviors of substance use may include:

Brain chemistry

Substances affect your brain, especially the reward center of your brain.

This can create an unhealthy drive to seek more pleasure from the substance and less from more healthy experiences.

Genetics

Mental health conditions

• Post-traumatic stress disorder .

Access and exposure

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Comparison With Other Substances

All substances that affect the mind carry their own set of risks and harms, some unique to the substance. The most well-established, long term harm of regular cannabis use is addiction. It is often difficult to compare risks and harms between substances. Nevertheless, based on what is currently known, the risk of cannabis addiction is lower than the risk of addiction to alcohol, tobacco or opioids. And, unlike substances such as alcohol or opioids where overdoses may be fatal, a cannabis overdose is not fatal.

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Number Of Drug Overdose Deaths In The Us In 2016 By State

• Significant increases in drug overdose deaths were seen between 2015 and 2016 in California , Florida , Illinois , Indiana , and Georgia .
• Alaska noted the lowest number of drug overdose deaths in 2016, with 125 such recorded cases. In comparison, Florida noted almost 38 times more drug overdose deaths.
• Aside from Alaska, there are other states that had a relatively low number of drug overdose deaths in 2016. Hawaii, Idaho, Delaware, District of Columbia, Arkansas these are the safest places according to the chart.

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Homelessness And Addiction In Seattle: Exploring The Connection

Seattle is no stranger to the rapid growth of drug and alcohol addiction. Seattle is also no stranger the growing homelessness problem, as King County has the third largest homeless population in the entire United States. Both issues are plaguing the Seattle community and there are common bonds between the two.

There is not one united cause of homelessness those who are homeless become so for a variety of reasons and for varying lengths of time. Some are born into a homeless life and never have access to means by which to escape their environment. Others can come from financial stability and have circumstances arise that change everything.

The cost of living in Seattle is 80 percent higher than the national average, making it difficult for anyone who experiences a loss of job or disability to maintain rent and mortgage payments. Loss of a loved one can mean less income entering the household, which can quickly lead to a life on the street. Misappropriation of funds, being victims of scams, or overindulgent spending can also contribute to someone losing a home.

Tragically, far too often, an addiction to drugs and alcohol is either the cause or result of homelessness.

Addiction Abuse And Substance Use Disorder

All people affected by substance addiction have a chronic brain disease triggered by the excessive use of certain drugs or medications. The most common culprits include:

• Methamphetamine

Addiction is marked by some core symptoms. Chief among these symptoms are loss of control over substance intake, increased tolerance to the effects of substance use and the development of unpleasant physical and mental symptoms when the brain doesnt receive its accustomed substance supply.

The same substances responsible for triggering addiction can also play a role in the development of a non-addicted pattern of abuse. Common symptoms of this pattern include substance-related problems at work, at home or at school. They also include repeated substance use in hazardous circumstances and continuation of substance intake despite exposure to obviously negative aftereffects. However, unlike a person dealing with addictions, someone dealing with non-addicted abuse doesnt have a physical need to maintain a certain level of substance consumption.

Statistically speaking, anyone coping with addiction stands a good chance of experiencing at least some symptoms of non-addicted substance abuse. The reverse also holds true to some degree. To account for this overlap of symptoms, U.S. doctors and public health officials use the term substance use disorder. A person affected by this disorder may have any possible combination of addiction- and/or abuse-related problems.

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