Sobering Statistics
for Today’s Society
Preparing for a continuing education lecture, I came across
some recent statistics on drug and alcohol use and abuse. These statistics are derived from various
studies by private and governmental organizations, repeated on an annual or
bi-annual basis over decades. For the
most part, these studies reveal basically the same numbers and
conclusions: roughly 35% of the U.S. population is negatively impacted, either
directly or indirectly, by substance abuse.
What I would like to share are statistical results regarding
substance abuse, treatment, and treatment resistance (denial) while
highlighting some governmental definitions of “alcohol abuse” and “heavy
drinking.” Impact on the family,
children, and society are also addressed.
According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), for ages 12 and older:
■
8.1%
or 21.7 million people needed substance
use treatment in the past year.1
■
An estimated 2.3 million people who needed
substance use treatment actually
received treatment at a specialty facility in the past year. 1 In other words, only 10.8% of the 21.7
million people who needed substance use treatment in the past year sought
help.
■
Among the estimated 19.3 million people who were
classified as needing but not receiving substance use treatment at a specialty
facility, about 18.4 million or 95.4% did not think that they needed treatment in
the past year for their substance use. 1
In a 2014 summary
study of alcohol consumption patterns, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism finds that, for ages 18 and older:
■ 24.7% of people reported that they engaged in
binge drinking in the past month.2 SAMHSA defines binge drinking as drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks
on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.3
■ 6.7% reported that they engaged in heavy
drinking in the past month.2 SAMHSA
defines heavy drinking as drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on
each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days.3
Family and societal
impact of substance abuse, those who interact and depend on the
addict/alcoholic:
■ According to The National Council on Alcohol
and Drug Dependence, for every one addict/alcoholic requiring treatment, there
are 3.5 persons (family, coworkers, and friendships) who are negatively
impacted on a recurring basis by their behavior.4
■ In a 2012 study by SAMHSA, more than 10%
of U.S. children live with a parent with alcohol problems.5
Sobering statistics
for today’s society.
REFERENCES
1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). America's
Need for and Receipt of Substance Use Treatment in 2015. Available at:
http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2716/ShortReport-2716.html
2 National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol
Facts and Statistics. Available at:
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AlcoholFacts&Stats/AlcoholFacts&Stats.pdf
3 Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Binge Drinking: Terminology and
patterns of use. Available at:
http://www.samhsa.gov/capt/tools-learning-resources/binge-drinking-terminology-patterns
4 The National Counsel
on Alcohol and Drug Dependence.
Available at: https://www.ncadd.org/family-friends/there-is-help/family-disease. Website: http://www.ncadd.org
5 Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Data spotlight: More than 7
Million Children Live with a Parent with Alcohol Problems, 2012. Available at:
http://media.samhsa.gov/data/spotlight/Spot061ChildrenOfAlcoholics2012.pdf-
