Drug and alcohol addiction affects millions of people across the United States. Unfortunately, the number of individuals who develop this disease grows each year, primarily as a result of opioid and alcohol abuse. Below are three addiction statistics that speak to the prevalence and dangers of addiction today.
6 Out of Every 100 People Struggle with Alcohol Use Disorder
If the number doesn’t surprise you this way, consider a football stadium. Each professional football stadium seats about 100,000 people. On any given Sunday, the chances are good that at least 6,000 people in attendance have an alcohol addiction — and this is a low estimate.
Of those 6,000 people, maybe 600 will receive treatment for alcoholism in their lifetimes. 5,400 others will continue living with this disease day in and day out.
45% of Overdose Deaths are a Result of Prescription Opioid Abuse
Drug statistics show that prescription opioids are the most dangerously addictive drugs in the United States. Additionally, they contribute to more overdose deaths than most other drugs combined.
The problem with opioids is that even people with the best intentions to take the medications as their doctors prescribe can develop a dependency. When the medicine no longer works as well as it first did, an individual may pop another pill to feel better again. Before he or she knows it, the prescription stops working altogether. At that point, the person may turn to something stronger or begin doctor shopping. It’s a slippery slope from taking the prescription in a safe way to taking too much and overdosing.
Worse yet, many people begin using heroin when they can no longer get another opiate prescription.
Heroin Overdose Deaths Increased 60% in 13 Years
While opioid prescriptions were responsible for the majority of overdose deaths in recent years, heroin overdose deaths also increased significantly. Some common causes of a heroin overdose include relapse, getting a more potent batch than usual, and taking heroin laced with other drugs.
Drug dealers sometimes lace heroin with fentanyl to make for a more potent high. However, they often don’t share this information. This can quickly lead to a deadly overdose.
Help Change These Addiction Statistics Today
If addiction is affecting your life or that of a loved one, it’s time to reach out to an Oregon drug rehab facility for help. Err on the side of addiction recovery statistics, instead. At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, you can begin your journey to a life free of substance use. We offer a number of treatments and programs that promote mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Our programs include:
- Inpatient treatment
- Outpatient rehab
- Men’s drug rehab program
- Women’s drug rehab program
- Partial hospitalization
- Long term drug rehab program
To learn more about addiction statistics or speak with an admissions counselor, call 866-323-0531 today.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
