Substance Abuse Treatment Program Statistics and Results

There is a pressing need for effective substance abuse treatment programs across the United States. Today, of the 23.5 million teenagers and adults who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, only one in 10 will get the treatment they require. Of these, only 10 percent will prevent a relapse while 90 percent will fall back into the addiction. There are numerous studies that have been conducted as to why the percentage is so small when it comes to successful treatment of substance abuse. And while conclusions have been hard to come by, there are common threads found in every effective substance abuse treatment program. Critical to treating addiction is to understand that it is a medical problem, as well as an emotional or psychological issue. Programs that seek to treat one or the other, without having a comprehensive understanding of the medical aspects of treatment or the psychological backing, too often fail their patients.

The Statistics: Drug Abuse is Common but Treatment is Not

A study by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse highlighted the need for medical professionals to be at the forefront of the war on addiction. This was an extremely comprehensive study that looked at five different national data sets, reviewed over 7,000 publications and conducted interviews with leading experts, as well as individuals who had suffered from addiction. The results were startling, finding that only one in 10 people who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, or nicotine will seek treatment. The report was extremely critical of some of the archaic approaches being used as a substance abuse treatment program, citing the fact that between 70 percent and 80 percent of people with high blood pressure or diabetes receive medical treatment, facilitated by a medical professional. The report concluded that it was time for medical science to be fully engaged in any substance abuse treatment program and that we need a national, evidence-based standard for addiction treatment. Essentially, it is time for the healthcare industry to take on addiction as it would any other disease.

Long-Term Solutions are Critical 

In order for a substance abuse treatment program to be effective, there has to be a scientifically validated method that combines the medical elements of treating this kind of abuse as a disease — which it is — and also ensuring that patients have the access to the kind of psychosocial therapy they need. It is also critical to understand that a typical 30-day stint in an inpatient rehab facility is probably not going to help a patient dealing with serious substance abuse disorders. In fact, the revolving door of many inpatient substance abuse treatment programs is directly responsible for a large proportion of treated addicts who go right back to abusing the substance after they're done with the treatment. The bottom line, scientifically proven, is that somebody who is addicted to a substance needs a long-term substance abuse treatment program that works with them over the long haul in order to help them get clean and more importantly, stay clean. Such a program is best facilitated by medical professionals who have experience in dealing with long-term care and patients who have a reoccurring disease.

We Can Help

Our substance abuse treatment program is designed to provide addicts with both immediate and long-term support.  If you have a loved one struggling with addiction or you are an addict ready to make a change, we can help.  Call today to learn more about the effectiveness of our program.