The results from a 2007 survey that was sponsored by SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) are very telling. They report that a little over 20 million people in the US are in need of drug addiction treatment, but most are not getting it.

It’s not that people don’t want to quit using drugs, it’s that people are afraid of the social stigma attached to being in rehab, and still more don’t know where to go for help. 2003‘s Access to Recovery program gives those in need vouchers for drug addiction treatment and recovery. In most states, drug treatment facilities are publicly funded. This gives people a lot of choice when it comes to seeking treatment for drug addiction.

Of all the treatment options, self-help and support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous are far and away the most popular. These programs provide much-needed social and emotional support to people who are battling drug addiction. If they can’t help a person, they will refer them to someone who can. Support groups, along with a proper detox program, are absolutely essential parts of drug addiction treatment.

However, despite their desperate need, many people don’t seek treatment at all. There are many reasons why people don’t get help, and some of them are listed below.

Hopefully, as America becomes more sympathetic to those who are suffering from addiction, and more people begin to see it as a disease rather than a character flaw, the numbers of people who fail to seek drug addiction treatment will decrease.

Numerous federal and state-sponsored studies show that not only is there a need for prompt treatment of all kinds of addictions, they also show that the younger a person is when they start using drugs, the more likely they are to become addicted. More people under 25 abuse drugs than any other age group, but research shows that the average age of people seeking drug addiction treatment is just under 40. That means that most addicts waste at least fifteen years of their lives, abusing drugs.

For those that are ready to get help for a drug problem, there are almost 14,000 drug addiction treatment centers and programs in the US. Most are partly or totally state and locally funded, so there’s no shortage of treatment options. Before you choose a drug addiction treatment program for yourself or someone you care about, go to a doctor for an evaluation.

The stigma attached to admitting to a drug addiction is rapidly disappearing. Addiction is generally thought of as a disease, and like any other disease, proper treatment and care is necessary to ensure a positive outcome. With all the treatment options (state, local, faith-based) that are available, there’s no reason to avoid getting drug addiction treatment.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/