You Do Need Help!
March 22, 2008
An estimated 23.6 million people in the United States need some form of addiction treatment help, according to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. However, only 4 million of those people seek addiction treatment each year.
A little less than a million people believed that they needed assistance with alcoholism or drug addiction, and out of those individuals, just under a third actually took steps to get involved in a treatment program.
This shows that the vast majority of people in this country who deal with substance abuse issues are in denial that they have a problem or don’t recognize how significant it really is. The criteria used to determine who needs treatment for a substance abuse or addiction problem were the guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Out of the 23.6 million individuals who would benefit from an addiction treatment program, over 15 million only suffered from alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Nearly 4 million only deal with drug addiction, and around 3 million were in need of treatment for alcohol and drug abuse together.
There are many barriers to people getting help from an addiction program, including cost, social stigma, and child care. However, these numbers suggest that the biggest issue of all is that people who need assistance don’t believe that they do. This means that other people such as friends, family members, and health care professionals need to be proactive in encouraging individuals to seek out addiction treatment programs. Interventions are sometimes necessary to make a person realize how significant their problem really is.
There are a wide variety of rehab centers in the United States to fit the unique needs of every individual’s situation. Some combination of an outpatient treatment center, a residential rehab facility, support groups, counseling, and other methods can help anyone maintain addiction recovery.
Comments
Got something to say?
Contact Us