It’s the unfortunate truth that many of us in America live lives intertwined with drug abuse whether directly or indirectly. A good number of us know close relatives or friends who have been engaged in painful battles throughout their lives to overcome, once and for all, the chains of addiction. There are also many who pass by struggling individuals every day, completely unaware that there is a drug problem at play.
Some Staggering Statistics
When it comes to illegal drugs, the problems are only increasing. According to the Addiction Center:
There are over 100,000 new Heroin users each year.
About 5 million Americans are regular cocaine users.
There are almost 1 million Americans currently addicted to Meth
While these are just a few figures representing illegal drug use in our country, the more frightening numbers are those that deal with the improper use/abuse of legal drugs. The Addiction Center reports that:
Between 20 and 30 percent of those who take prescription opioids misuse them.
About 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.
About 6 percent of American adults have an alcohol use disorder.
Fighting the Numbers
It’s evident that a much-too-large portion of our population is struggling with drug abuse and addiction. In many cases, prolonged drug abuse can cause the user significant harm and even lead to death. Alcohol alone is the cause of 1 out of 20 deaths worldwide, many of those deaths being sober parties.
Increased resources have been dedicated to combatting the country’s drug abuse and addiction epidemic, but it continues to grow. Much of this is a result of poor in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation care. A large percentage of drug abusers can’t cover the costs of proper treatment and, therefore, don’t even seek it out.
Quality Care Can Help
Because such a small percentage of drug abusers seek professional care, we must consider possible flaws in the system. There is a large body of evidence boasting the positive long-term effects of proper drug and alcohol rehabilitation efforts. If this is the case, why do so many avoid it?
While there are many behavioral components involved, there is also a systemic issue that acts as a barrier to those seeking help. As stated before, good care is expensive— a thing that inadvertently perpetuates the issue.
Because of the prevalence of drug abuse and the difficulty many encounter when seeking the treatment they need, we have created The Solida Foundation. Our foundation awards financial scholarships to qualifying individuals that help cover the costs of their care.
For more information on our foundation, please contact us today at 801-635-9650.