American Addiction Centers Blog

Drinking is a socially acceptable activity in which to partake. A beer with friends while watching a game. An occasional glass of wine with dinner and loved ones. Rubbing elbows with colleagues or business associates at “Happy Hour.” Scenarios that are legal and acceptable, contingent there’s no underage drinking. However, an individual facing alcoholism, or […]

For over two decades, the United States has struggled with an opioid epidemic that is continuing to worsen each year. Despite efforts to fight drug abuse, the booming use of fentanyl has only increased the death toll. But overdoses aren’t the only consequence of drug abuse. Many people are living with the physical, mental, and emotional effects of […]

In recent years, America’s addiction treatment industry has been transformed by twin forces: the opioid epidemic and the Affordable Care Act. Overdose deaths have climbed steadily since the early 2000s, creating a crisis of unprecedented proportions. Simultaneously, the ACA extended health coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans and mandated the coverage of substance abuse treatment. This combination of widespread need […]

We are all aware that illicit and some legal drugs can be harmful to our bodies and can lead to addiction, which in turn, can bring a wide range of long term negative effects on the body including health conditions affecting our quality of life. We are conditioned to think about drug use in a […]

Habitual drug use has been a societal issue for as long as there have been societies, and it’s clear that things need to change. Drugs, like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, are getting easier to purchase and consume, which only increases the number of times users are compelled to take them. In fact, it’s not uncommon […]

Substance use disorder can affect people from any background, ethnicity, or gender with equal opportunity, but there are certain factors that place people more at risk of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. One major risk factor that contributes to substance use disorder (SUD) is another co-occurring mental health disorder. Those diagnosed with mental health […]

How Substance Abuse Treatment Varies by State: Substances Used, Dropouts, and More Unfortunately, many individuals across the world struggle with substance misuse. It’s no small problem. In fact, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimated that 19.7 million American adults dealt with a substance use disorder in 2017. Millions of adolescents struggle as well. […]

Substance use in the food service industry is a habit thought to be, albeit stereotypically, commonplace by many Americans. The high stress, often late-night work conditions fuel an environment where substance use is viewed as more socially acceptable than in other workplaces. With over 5 million restaurant jobs available in the United States, we decided this was […]

Across America, perhaps no one single group of people sacrifice more for their country than the armed service members – both active duty and retired veterans who at some point in their lives were willing to give up everything to protect and defend their nation. At the same time, the suicide rate among American veterans has increased by […]

College campuses are busier than ever. With midterms and finals fast approaching, college students’ stress levels are skyrocketing. It isn’t just during these weeks, though, that students experience high levels of stress. In 2017, 45 percent of college students reported high levels of stress and that is only considering students who sought help from counselors. Between 2010 […]

A Look at Marijuana Busts Across the U.S. Earlier this summer, Illinois became the most recent state to legalize recreational marijuana – and this is just the latest of many feats made by the marijuana legalization movement. Since Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize recreational cannabis use back in 2012, 9 other states have […]