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Drug and Alcohol Abuse is Now One of Top American Health Problems

If there was a disease suffered by one out of every ten Americans over twelve years of age, wouldn’t you agree that this disease was raging out of control? That’s exactly the situation that exists with drug abuse and dependence.

The government agency that monitors the statistics on drug abuse and dependence is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA). In 2006, SAMHSA estimated that more than twenty-two million Americans were suffering from drug or alcohol abuse or drug or alcohol dependence. This compares to the Centers for Disease Control’s estimate of 1.1 million Americans who are HIV positive and it’s twice the number of people who suffered from all types of cancer combined.

SAMHSA classifies a person as suffering from abuse or dependence when that person has health or emotional problems associated with substance use, unsuccessful attempts to cut down on usage, they have developed a tolerance (meaning more drugs must be taken to get the same effect), they experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to cut down or stop, or they have experienced one of a number of negative changes in their lives as a result of using the substance, such as damage to job, school or family. These are the people who need drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment to be able to resume a productive, enjoyable life.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of these people did not receive treatment because they didn’t feel they needed it. According to SAMHSA, a full 95.5 percent of those who needed treatment did not feel it was needed.

“This is what we hear from families every day,” said Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “And it’s one of the most tragic aspects of addiction. Drug and alcohol abuse lowers a person’s awareness, including their awareness of needing to get help. We work with families every day who must convince their addicted loved one to get the help they so badly need.”
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source: PR Urgent

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