It’s a staggering statistic, but one that is so important to know: 16.7% of the U.S. population ages 12 and up has struggled with addiction to substances in the last year. That’s 48.5 million Americans, and the number just keeps climbing.1 Of those statistics, researchers also know that there are likely many more people who are keeping their substance abuse secret.
The National Cancer Institute defines substance abuse this way: “ The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs or alcohol for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts. Substance abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.”2 Substance abuse deeply impacts the person dealing with addiction, their family and community of friends, their workplace, and their health. And that’s not all. Substance addiction also delivers a significant blow to our nation’s economy, with costs associated with substance abuse estimated to be at almost 6% of the country’s income, over $532 billion every year.3 Georgetown University also reports that factors like alcohol abuse, tobacco, and illegal drug use (including the use of prescription drugs that are abused) are involved in almost 28% of all U.S. deaths annually.4
Comparing substance abuse between the United States and Europe also gives more insights into just how big a problem we have here in the States. American teens have tried illegal drugs at almost twice the percentage of teens in Europe, 35% versus 18%.5 American teens have higher percentages of amphetamine use, Ecstasy, and other drugs, while alcohol consumption is lower for teens in the U.S. than in Europe. However, this likely has to do with drinking laws in the U.S. that require an older age for legal drinking.
With this data in mind, SAMSHA, the government agency for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, started National Recovery Month, held in September each year. First launched in 1989 by SAMSHA, National Recovery Month is, “a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.”6 Throughout the month, greater awareness is brought to the issue of substance abuse, why prevention is so important, and what recovery resources are available. Most importantly, those who are in recovery are celebrated and their stories are highlighted to help educate and inspire those who are themselves struggling or care about someone who is.
Navigating the road to recovery can feel complex and overwhelming, especially for families trying to help a loved one. If you’re a Member of Altrua HealthShare on certain memberships, you can find someone to help you process the journey with Telus. Altrua HealthShare partners with Telus (formerly known to Members as LifeWorks) to bring Members counseling and coaching for family and marriage challenges, financial issues, and more. (If you’re not currently a Member of Altrua HealthShare or have questions about your membership, call a Member Services Representative at 1.888.945.1057).
Recovery takes time and takes support. Let National Recovery Month be a starting place for awareness and healing.
1 https://americanaddictioncenters.org/addiction-statistics#:~:text=Quick%20Facts%20on%20Drug%20Addiction,disorder%20in%20the%20past%20year.
2 https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/substance-abuse
3 https://hpi.georgetown.edu/abuse/#:~:text=Substance%20abuse%20is%20a%20preventable,over%20%24532%20billion%20a%20year.
4 https://hpi.georgetown.edu/abuse/#:~:text=About%2028%20percent%20of%20all%20deaths%20annually%20can%20be%20traced%20to%20the%20use%20of%20tobacco%2C%20alcohol%2C%20or%20illicit%20drugs.
5 https://www.issup.net/knowledge-share/resources/2016-09/usa-and-europe-drug-use-compared#:~:text=On%20average%2C%2018%25%20of%20European%20students%20have%20used%20an%20illegal%20drug%20at%20least%20once%2C%20compared%20to%2035%25%20of%20students%20in%20the%20United%20States%2C
6 https://www.samhsa.gov/recovery-month#:~:text=a%20national%20observance%20held%20every%20September%20to%20promote%20and%20support%20new%20evidence%2Dbased%20treatment%20and%20recovery%20practices%2C%20the%20nation%E2%80%99s%20strong%20and%20proud%20recovery%20community%2C%20and%20the%20dedication%20of%20service%20providers%20and%20communities%20who%20make%20recovery%20in%20all%20its%20forms%20possible.