The NSDUH data provide estimates of substance use and mental illness at the national, state, and substate levels. NSDUH data also help to identify the extent of substance use and mental illness among different subgroups, estimate trends over time, and determine the need for treatment services. […]
Today, thanks to science, our views and our responses to addiction and the broader spectrum of substance use disorders have changed dramatically. Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of compulsive substance use, enabling us to respond effectively to the problem. […]
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Access information and instructions on how to request an opioid treatment exception request to the federal standards for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. […]
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Recovery-oriented care and recovery support systems help people with mental and substance use disorders manage their conditions successfully. […]
Since 1975 the MTF survey has measured substance and alcohol use and related attitudes among adolescent students nationwide. Survey participants report their substance use behaviors across three time periods: lifetime, past year, and past month. […]
Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. Even people with severe and chronic substance use disorders can, with help, overcome their illness and regain health and social function. […]
Learn background information and tips to keep in mind while using person-first language, as well as terms to avoid to reduce stigma and negative bias when discussing Substance Use Disorders. […]
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Tobacco and vaping devices contain nicotine, an ingredient that can lead to addiction, which is why so many people who smoke or vape find it difficult to quit. […]
Nearly all substances directly or indirectly target the brain’s reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation, and reinforcement of rewarding behaviors. When activated at normal levels, this system rewards our natural behaviors. Overstimulating the system with substance, however, produces effects which strongly reinforce the behavior of substance use, teaching the person to repeat it. […]
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People may drink to socialize, celebrate, or relax. Alcohol often has a strong effect on people—and throughout history, people have struggled to understand and manage alcohol’s power. Why does alcohol cause people to act and feel differently? How much is too much? […]
A person who’s trying to stop using substances can make mistakes, feel bad, and start using again. This return to substance use is called a relapse. Relapse is common and normal and happens to a lot of people recovering from substance use disorders. People will often have one or more relapses along the way. It takes practice to learn how to live without using substances. […]
Many people who have substance use issues also have other mental health problems like depression, anxiety or Bipolar disorder. […]
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Shared decision-making is an emerging best practice in behavioral and physical health that aims to help people in treatment and recovery have informed, meaningful, and collaborative discussions with providers about their health care services. […]
Evaluating community prevention programs can be challenging. Community leaders often consult with evaluation experts, such as local universities or State agencies, to assist in evaluation design. […]
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Many substances can alter a person’s thinking and judgment, and can lead to health risks, including addiction, drugged driving, infectious disease, and adverse effects on pregnancy. Information on commonly used substances with the potential for misuse or addiction can be found here. […]
Peer support workers are people who have been successful in the recovery process who help others experiencing similar situations. Through shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment, peer support workers help people become and stay engaged in the recovery process and reduce the likelihood of relapse. […]
Substance use disorders change the brain in fundamental ways, changing a person’s normal needs and desires and replacing them with new priorities connected with seeking and using the substance. This results in compulsive behaviors that weaken the ability to control impulses, despite the negative consequences, and are similar to hallmarks of other mental illnesses. […]
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Using a substance can feel really good for a short time. That’s why people keep taking them—to have those good feelings again and again. But even though someone can take more and more of a substance, the good feelings don’t last. Soon the person is taking the substance just to keep from feeling bad. […]
As with other diseases and disorders, the likelihood of developing a Substance Use Disorder differs from person to person, and no single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to substances. In general, the more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking substances will lead to continued substance use and addiction. Protective factors, on the other hand, reduce a person’s risk. Risk and protective factors may be either environmental or biological. […]
Read More… from Why Do Some People Become Addicted to Substances, While Others Do Not?
The National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) was first funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 2014 as an expansion of its longstanding Community Epidemiology Workgroup (CEWG). Ongoing data collection will provide an integrated and comprehensive characterization of drug use and availability by synthesizing traditional, indirect sources with new, direct sources of data, as well as on-the-ground epidemiologic investigations within high-priority areas of concern. […]
Substance Use Disorder is not a choice. Nobody is born with the idea that they want to choose to become addicted and lose control over their desire, intense desire to take substances. It’s something that you may have the vulnerability because actually, you have a genetic risk, family history, or because you have a very stressful environmental upbringing. The choice starts, and again it’s relative when you are exposed for the first time to the substance. And then some people become addicted and others do not. And that’s where a lot of the research is going. To try to understand what are the differences in that transition. […]
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A study conducted among 517 youth in the rural areas of the southeastern United States demonstrates the effectiveness of a parenting enhancement program in both preventing substance use and obesity, two potentially life-threatening conditions for which people living in disadvantaged communities are at an elevated risk. […]
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Risk and protective factors can affect children at different stages of their lives. At each stage, risks occur that can be changed through prevention intervention. Early childhood risks, such as aggressive behavior, can be changed or prevented with family, school, and community interventions that focus on helping children develop appropriate, positive behaviors. If not addressed, negative behaviors can lead to more risks, such as academic failure and social difficulties, which put children at further risk for later substance use. […]
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Adolescence is a key window of vulnerability for using substances and developing substance use issues. The still-developing teenage brain is prone to act on impulse, take risks, and follow the influence of peers. […]
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MAT has proved to be clinically effective and to significantly reduce the need for inpatient detoxification services for these individuals. MAT provides a more comprehensive, individually tailored program of medication and behavioral therapy that address the needs of most patients. […]
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Browse opioid treatment programs in Oklahoma. […]
Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Specifically, naloxone allows an overdose victim to breathe normally. It is not addictive and cannot be abused. Training on recognizing and responding to opioid overdose is encouraged and available for first responders and community members. Contact overdose.prevention@odmhsas.org for more information. […]
If you can’t stop using a substance, even if you want to, or the urge to use a substance feels too strong to control, you could be struggling with a substance use disorder. Ask yourself questions like: 1. Have I ever tried to stop using this substance but couldn’t? 2. Have I ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time without using a substance? […]
Treatment is customizable and unique for every individual. Read these tips on finding quality treatment tailored to your specific needs. Finding the right treatment is crucial to your recovery. […]
Yes! People who get treatment and stick with it can stop using or misusing substances. Recovery from substance use is a commitment to stopping use and learning new ways of thinking, feeling and dealing with problems. […]
You can tell your employer or friends you need to go on medical leave. If you talk to your doctor or another medical expert, privacy laws prevent them from sharing your medical information with anyone outside of the healthcare system without your permission. In addition, most health care providers who specialize in addiction treatment can’t share your information with anyone (even other providers) without your written permission. […]
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To understand substance use, it’s crucial to understand the impacts of substances on the brain that can lead to addiction and unfamiliar behaviors in individuals. Learn about the effects of substances on the brain and the steps communities can take to combat substance use. […]
The doctor will ask you a series of questions about your use of alcohol and substances and other risky behaviors like driving under the influence or riding with other people who have been using substances or alcohol. Your doctor can help you the best if you tell the truth. The doctor might also ask for a urine and/or blood test. This will provide important information about your substance use and how it is affecting your health. […]
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Gender-related substance use treatment should attend not only to biological differences but also to social and environmental factors, all of which can influence the motivations for substance use, the reasons for seeking treatment, the types of environments where treatment is obtained, the treatments that are most effective, and the consequences of not receiving treatment. […]
Though all treatment is unique to the individual, self-help groups can complement and extend the effects of professional treatment. The most prominent self-help groups are those affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA), all of which are based on the 12-step model. […]
People with substance-use disorders have a unique risk for developing one or more primary conditions or chronic diseases. The coexistence of both a mental illness and a substance use disorder is common among individuals undergoing medication-assisted treatment or MAT. […]
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Treatment approaches must be tailored to address each patient’s substance use patterns and also other medical, psychiatric, and social problems. Some treatment centers offer outpatient treatment programs, which allow patients to continue to perform some daily responsibilities. However, many people do better in inpatient (residential) treatment. […]
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Asking for help is the first important step. If you have a good relationship with your parents, you should start there. […]
Read More… from I’m a Teen With a Substance Use Issue… Where Do I Start?
It’s common for a person to relapse, but relapse doesn’t mean that treatment doesn’t work. As with other chronic health conditions, treatment should be ongoing and should be adjusted based on how the patient responds. Treatment plans need to be reviewed often and modified to fit the patient’s changing needs. […]
Read More… from Does My Loved One’s Relapse Mean They Won’t Ever Get Over Their Substance Use?
Many employers, friends, and family members will be compassionate if they see a person is making a sincere effort to recover from a substance use problem. But you can also reassure your friend that laws protect the privacy of a person seeking drug treatment—or in fact, any medical treatment. […]
Substance use changes the function of the brain, and many things can “trigger” substance cravings within the brain. While a loved one is in treatment, it is critical to learn how to recognize, avoid and help them cope with the triggers they will face in the outside world. […]
If your child talks to a doctor or other medical expert, privacy laws might prevent that expert from sharing the information with you. However, you can speak to the doctor before your child’s appointment and express your concerns, so the doctor knows the importance of a substance use screening in your child’s situation. In addition, most health care providers that specialize in substance treatment can’t share your information with anyone (even other providers) without your written permission. […]
If your child has health insurance, it may cover substance use treatment services. Many insurance plans offer inpatient stays. When setting up appointments with treatment centers, you can ask about payment options and what insurance plans they take. They can also advise you on low-cost options. […]
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Because successful outcomes often depend on a person’s staying in treatment long enough to reap its full benefits, strategies for keeping people in treatment are critical. Whether a patient stays in treatment depends on factors associated with both the individual and the program. Individual factors related to engagement and retention typically include motivation to change drug-using behavior; degree of support from family and friends; and, frequently, pressure from the criminal justice system, child protection services, employers, or family. […]
Trying to locate appropriate treatment for a loved one, especially finding a program tailored to an individual’s particular needs, can be a difficult process. However, there are some resources to help with this process […]
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People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) often face social stigma, discrimination, and other challenges not encountered by people who identify as heterosexual. They also face a greater risk of harassment and violence. As a result of these and other stressors, sexual minorities are at increased risk for various behavioral health issues.
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Read More… from Substance Use and SUDs in LGBTQ* Populations
