What Are the Key Drug and Alcohol Rehab Statistics and Success Rates?
KEY POINTS
- Drug Overdose Deaths: Over 106,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2021 were attributed to drug overdoses, emphasizing the critical need for support and treatment.
- Relapse Rates: While 40-60% of individuals relapse during treatment, this also means 40-60% complete their rehab programs and remain sober.
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD): Only about one-third of individuals with AUD attempt to quit annually, and 25% of those reduce their alcohol intake for over a year. Seeking treatment offers a better chance of lasting sobriety.
If you are someone who is in the grips of a drug or alcohol dependency, it might seem sometimes like there is nowhere to turn.
You may feel that your friends and family members don’t understand what you are going through. Perhaps you feel that getting help is hopeless and won’t yield positive results.
If you live in the area, a Los Angeles partial hospitalization program might answer your problem. You can also look into an inpatient facility if you feel that is a better move for your particular situation.
Though things might seem hopeless when you are in your darkest moments, you should know that some encouraging statistics might convince you it’s worth it to seek treatment. Let’s look at some of them right now.
How Many People Die From Drug-Related Overdoses?
First, it’s essential to understand how serious of a problem drug-related overdose deaths are in the US. If you look at data that’s available from 2021, you’ll see that there were over 106,000 deaths in America from drug overdoses.
That’s sobering, and it might scare you. What it means is that you’re not alone, though. Even if you sometimes feel that way, many others are going through the same experience.
Alcohol and Drug Relapse Rates
If you look at alcohol or drug relapse rates, they usually remain pretty steady year after year. The relapse rate of individuals who seek treatment is normally anywhere from 40-60% while those people are in recovery.
That might not sound like the best news until you realize the inverse is true. If 40-60% of individuals in treatment relapse, that also means 40-60% do not. They successfully get clean and finish their treatment program.
What About Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder?
Some doctors and other medical professionals no longer like to use the term alcoholism when describing someone with a physical dependency on alcohol. They use the term alcohol use disorder or AUD.
Of the individuals with AUD who seek treatment, only one-third or so try to quit drinking each year. Of those that do, about 25% successfully reduce their intake of alcohol for more than one year.
Again, that might not sound very hopeful, but think of it this way. If you don’t seek treatment, the chances that you will be able to stop using alcohol on your own are very slim.
That is because you probably won’t have the support network of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in your corner that you will have if you find a program that you’re comfortable with.
Getting help gives you a better chance of becoming one of the drinkers or drug users who permanently kick the habit.
If you don’t find a program that works for you, and you continue to use alcohol or your drug of choice, then you will likely end up with one of the more troubling statistics that we’ve mentioned in this article.
