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Drug Abuse Is A Major Problem

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Drug abuse is a major problem in the United States and throughout the world as more and more people become addicted every day. “ We live in a society where millions of Americans are dependent on drugs or alcohol and only a small percentage receive treatment at a facility. In fact, the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 21.5 Americans age 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the previous year; however, sadly only 2.5 million received the specialized treatment they needed.” (Drug abuse.com) Addiction does not discriminate; it makes no distinction between a person’s age, sex, color, or financial situation. However, your treatment options do.
Getting help for addiction can be tough. It is a serious problem that can
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Everest does little to no good. Most people who are struggling with dependence won’t seek help until they hit rock bottom if even then.
Mental Health issues usually go hand and hand with addiction, and research shows how important it is to move quickly when an addict reaches out for help. “According to the National Institutes of Health, the most effective treatment strategy for addiction is to combine medications, when available, with behavioral therapy (Szalavitz).”. However, finding help is not always easy. As mentioned before, some programs will only accept a particular type of insurance, and most have a two to a six-month wait list. Most facilities will only treat the addiction component, but not the mental health aspect of a person’s condition. Another issue is that most programs have limited funds and capacity, so have to release patients before they are ready to go. These barriers increase a person’s chance of failure and relapse. People start taking drugs for many different reasons. They may feel peer or social pressures, have family issues, and experience pain. “According to the CDC, in 2013 more than sixteen thousand people died from prescription opioids, an increase of 50 percent in three years.” (Addiction, Gale). Many people become addicted to prescription drugs when given for
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