Drug Addiction

Over 25 million people in the United States suffer from drug addiction. Young and old, rich and poor, the problem of drug addiction is an issue that has touched the lives of far too many families around the world. Drug addiction can lead to the end of relationships and the destruction of careers and goals. Individuals who suffer from drug addiction are often in a deep state of denial about the true nature of their problem – and can only find help professionally, via the life-saving care offered by a drug treatment facility.

DRUG ADDICTION FACTS AND STATISTICS

Too many people go through life without a tacit understanding of just how big the drug addiction problem is in the United States. The following facts and drug addiction statistics are intended to provide a window into the sheer scope of the issue of addiction and substance abuse in this country.

• Over 24 million U.S. residents age 12 or older are currently suffering from addiction, yet only 10% of these individuals will receive help from a professional treatment facility.
• 24% of all 10th graders have used marijuana at least once in the past year.
• Over 6% of all Americans aged 16-25 have engaged in non-medical use of prescription drugs in the past month.
• Every year, over 20,000 individuals die as a result of illicit drug use.
• In the past 20 years, the number of people with drug addictions in the United States has skyrocketed by over 500%.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DRUG ADDICTION?

Throughout the history of the United States, the popularity of certain drugs has waxed and waned. Some drugs are associated with certain decades (such as powder cocaine in the 1970’s, crack cocaine in the 1980’s and to some degree heroin in the 1990’s).

Here in 2009, the most common forms of drug addiction include:

• Marijuana addiction
• Prescription painkiller addiction (including Vicodin addiction and OxyContin addiction)
• Cocaine addiction
• Heroin addiction
• Crystal meth addiction

Although this is by no means an all-inclusive list, it represents the conditions that tend to show up most often in both drug rehab facilities and hospital emergency rooms.

WHO NEEDS DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT?

Being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug addiction is absolutely essential in the effort to get that individual the life-saving help they need.

The following represents some of the most common signs that someone needs drug addiction:

• Withdraws from family and friends
• No longer interested in favorite hobbies or activities
• Spending time with new friends and acquaintances who use drugs
• Poor performance at work or school
• Is argumentative or suffers from mood swings
• Suffers from depression or anxiety
• Has brushes with the law, or engages in self-destructive behavior

If friends and family recognize any of the symptoms above they are urged to help that person get treatment at a drug rehab facility. This can be achieved by holding an intervention, talking to the individual calmly about their problem or assisting them in the actual process of finding an addiction treatment facility.

WHY DO PEOPLE DEVELOP DRUG ADDICTIONS?

There are a number of environmental and hereditary reasons why individuals may develop a drug addiction, including:

• Genetics. A large proportion of those who receive treatment for a drug addiction report having a parent or other family member who had a similar condition.
• Co-dependence. Found predominantly in women, co-dependence occurs when an individual becomes addicted to drugs because their significant other has the same condition. Women tend to be co-dependant over fears that they will lose their relationship if they stop taking drugs.
• Self-esteem or self-image issues. Many women and young people develop a drug addiction after concerns about their appearance lead them to substance abuse. This commonly occurs with teens who have trouble fitting in at school and women who suffer from eating disorders due to a distorted view of their own self-image.
• Physical or sexual abuse. An inordinately high number of drug addicts have incidence of sexual or physical abuse in their personal history. The pain and shame they experience as a result of these incidents lead them to self-medicate their pain with drugs or alcohol.
• Mental health issues. It is believed that over half of those individuals with a drug addiction also have a mental illness of some kind. People with clinical depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder are all at a high risk for addiction.

HOW CAN DRUG ADDICTION DESTROY SOMEONE’S LIFE?

Obviously, drug addiction can exact a huge toll on their individual and his or her family. Some of the most common ways that drug addiction destroys lives include:

• Violating the trusts between family members
• Leading to suicidal thoughts and actions
• Engaging in unlawful behavior which leads to prison time
• Causing death as a result of overdose or physical illness

Seasons Recovery Centers offers addiction treatment from its luxury residential facility in Malibu, California. The caring of team of experts that comprises the Seasons staff can help any individual overcome the physical and psychological components of addiction and go on to live the happiest, most fulfilling lives imaginable. For more information, contact Seasons today.