Many families have seen their lives changed in some way by substance abuse or drug addiction. Statistics from drug treatment centers and US government agencies have been closely monitoring the impact of substance abuse and drug addiction in society, including how many people are admitted to treatment for narcotics addiction or abuse on a yearly basis.(source: Christians Drug Rehab)
Statistics show that this is still a very serious problem in the United States, with the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reporting that over 8% of the national population, or just under 22 million people, required substance use or abuse treatment that year. In 2015, a total of 2.5 million people received treatment for narcotics abuse or use in the US, meaning that millions of people were still in need of treatment. The Rand Corporation conducted research that found that annually, people in the US are spending around $100 billion on drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
More Statistics on Drug Use:
While the numbers do change every year, one thing that remains the same is that there are millions of people in the country who are affected either directly or indirectly by narcotics addiction and abuse.
Statistics show that nationwide, over two million visits to emergency rooms are related to drug abuse, with more than five thousand visits every day. Around 23.5 million people in the US are estimated to have a problem with drugs or alcohol, and only a small percentage of these people can get the help that they need. Statistics also show that there is a continuing, significant problem with people who abuse and become addicted to drugs including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and various new synthetic drugs that become available each year.
While many people do enter rehab and are able to get clean, there is still a large percentage of people who relapse and repeat the process.
The Impact of Narcotics Abuse:
Drug abuse and addiction can be very serious problems. Addiction is a disease that can have a significant negative impact on families emotionally, psychologically, physically, and financially. Those who are faced with a drug abuse problem in the home may often feel alone and confused about where they can turn to find the help and support needed.
Treatment Program Statistics:
Going into a drug rehab facility is a rather personal and private matter, with many people embarrassed or ashamed when they make the decision to seek out this type of help and support, whether as part of an inpatient or outpatient program. Due to this and the fact that drug rehab centers have very stringent privacy policies, it’s often difficult to obtain the exact numbers relating to how many individuals seek this type of treatment for narcotics abuse problems on a yearly basis.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration does compile an anonymous report using the actual number of admittance events each year, however, it’s important to understand that the number of patients that are admitted into a facility might not always be an accurate reflection of the number of patients who are actively seeking treatment.
In 2009, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicated that around 23.5 million people suffered from a problem with narcotics or alcohol abuse throughout that year, with just 11.2% of these people obtaining help from a specialized facility.
Emergency Department Statistics:
Drug abuse occurs over a wide range of narcotic types, and no single drug is worse or better than another when abuse and addiction take hold and cause problems within families. The Drug Abuse Warning Network compiles annual reports to reveal the number of emergency department visits that are due to substance abuse and addiction. In 2009, this report estimated that over two million visits to emergency rooms through the US were in some way connected to drug misuse or abuse.
Commonly Abused Narcotics:
Statistics also show that the type of drugs that are most commonly misused or abused also tend to vary a lot. Some visits to the ER are related to pharmaceutical drugs such as Xanax, Vicodin, or Lortab. Others are due to a combination of both pharmaceutical drugs and illicit drugs including methamphetamines or heroin. Other visits are the result of misuse of both prescription and illicit drugs, along with alcohol misuse. Statistics showed that the largest percentage of drug-related visits to the ER involves the use of prescription pharmaceutical drugs, which has seen an increased prominence in ER visits over the past twenty years.
Due to the nature of this problem and the fact that patients who seek help with drug abuse and misuse are entitled to privacy, it’s hard to gauge the exact amount of people who are admitted to treatment facilities each year. Currently, only around 8-12% of people with a drug abuse problem get treatment.
