Addiction Recovery Statistics
Unlike addiction treatment, addiction recovery refers to life after treatment is complete. During this crucial period, addicts must apply what they learned in treatment and make lasting changes to their lifestyle and mindset to be successful. Thankfully, the likelihood of recovery is much higher than abuse statistics imply. Understanding the obstacles to recovery and how to overcome them can motivate addicts to stay strong through treatment and reach lasting recovery.
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Addiction Recovery Rates
Addiction recovery is often the next step after completing an addiction treatment program. However, addiction recovery can look very different depending on the individual’s unique situation.
Recovery typically includes options such as therapy, sober living, recovery coaching, and support groups.
While statistics on rising rates of addiction and overdose deaths often make headlines, many people find their way to recovery.
A study from the Recovery Research Institute revealed that roughly 22.3 million Americans (more than 9% of adults) are in recovery from some form of substance use disorder (SUD).
In a 2020 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 3 out of 4 people who experience addiction eventually recover.
The Importance of Addiction Treatment
Although some people attempt to treat their addiction themselves, many are unsuccessful. Addiction is a complex disease that often requires a combined treatment approach. Quitting cold turkey or trying to self-treat frequently leads to relapses and possible accidental drug overdoses.
However, it’s not impossible for individuals to self-treat their addiction. People with mild or moderate substance abuse issues commonly report cases of successful self-treatment. Even still, self-treatment usually takes longer and is far more difficult for individuals to manage on their own.
Professional help can lead to quicker recovery and allow addicts to avoid potential harm. Seeking professional treatment improves the chance of successfully entering recovery, addressing underlying mental health challenges, and helping patients develop strategies to remain in recovery.
While some addicts may require several attempts at treatment, the data proves that treatment does work when the addict is committed to their recovery. According to SAMHSA, 68% of people who complete drug and alcohol detox programs report their treatment to be successful.
Improving Addiction Recovery Success
Successful addiction recovery typically requires a multi-layered approach. In many cases, ongoing therapy, maintenance medication, and intentional support systems are essential to successful recovery.
However, each addict’s recovery will be unique to their needs and circumstances. One person’s recovery cannot be compared to someone else’s, as each effective method will vary from person to person.
Support Systems
Support systems refer to any family or peer support offered to an addict as part of their recovery. Such support could be a loved one fully engaging in the addict’s recovery and helping hold them accountable.
In the case of peer support, this could include support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery or online forums or chat rooms focused on recovery. Support systems provide a sense of belonging to combat the isolation drug use tends to worsen.
Support systems also improve accountability, motivation, and practical assistance like driving the addict to support meetings, outpatient treatment, or errands.
According to a Recovery Research Institute study, among the roughly 22.3 million Americans in recovery from some form of a substance use disorder (SUD), 17% successfully recovered through support services. Among that 17%, 9% were faith-based services, and 6% were community recovery centers.
Medications
Addiction medicine, also known as medication-assisted treatment (MAT), has significantly improved treatment and recovery outcomes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has currently approved medications for only opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder.
These medications can help with various symptoms like intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
All MATs are safe to use and do not simply replace one addiction for another. Instead, they replace a potentially fatal substance with a safe alternative that often lowers relapse rates.
According to a study from the National Academies of Sciences, treatment using agonist medication is associated with an estimated reduction in deaths of approximately 50% among people with an opioid use disorder.
MATs used to treat opioid use disorder include:
MATs used to treat alcohol use disorder include:
Therapy
Therapy has long been a staple of addiction recovery. One-on-one psychotherapy is often used at every stage of addiction treatment and recovery support.
Not only can it help individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions, but it also helps address behavioral health issues that lead to addiction.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is by far the most common form of addiction therapy used in both inpatient drug rehab and outpatient substance abuse treatment settings. However, other therapy types cater to different learning styles and experiences.
The purpose of therapy during recovery is to help the addict further what they learned in treatment, identify and treat any co-occurring disorders, and develop strategies that prevent relapse.
Unfortunately, there are no current statistics on the efficacy of therapy for SUD treatment. However, addiction therapy remains a bedrock treatment for all drug use disorders and alcohol addiction.
Potential Challenges to Recovery
The more an addict commits to their treatment, the more likely they are to recover. However, commitment is not always enough, with many addicts facing other external challenges.
Relapse
Relapse is one of the biggest challenges addicts face when entering recovery. Sadly, the mentality around relapse is rather harsh, with many addicts assuming they’re a failure for relapsing.
Relapse does not mean failure, however. Many recovering addicts will relapse at some point.
According to NIDA, the relapse rate for drug addiction is 40% to 60%. While that may appear high, consider that the relapse rate for hypertension and asthma is 50% to 70%. Relapse can be a typical part of recovery for some, but it should never be encouraged or taken lightly.
When a relapse occurs, patients should speak with their healthcare providers immediately so they can make any adjustments needed to their treatment plan.
Comorbidity with Mental Illness
According to NIDA, 7.7 million people in America have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders.
Of the 20.3 million people with SUDs, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Of the 42.1 million people with mental illness, 18.2% had SUDs.
Addiction often co-occurs with other chronic diseases like mental illness. Mental health conditions like depression, personality disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders frequently occur alongside addiction and worsen the effects of addiction.
Ideally, treatment and recovery would also address mental health symptoms, but this is not always the case. Some addicts may find recovery upkeep impossible to manage due to their mental illness and require help from loved ones.
Access to Treatment
Many addiction treatment centers are notoriously expensive. High-end inpatient residential treatment can often be thousands of dollars a day, with many less expensive options still too costly for low-income patients to afford.
In fact, according to NIDA’s 2017 report on addiction treatment, 52.2% of respondents reported treatment costs as the main reason they did not seek addiction or mental health treatment.
While more affordable or free options are slowly becoming more accessible, distance can be another significant barrier to treatment. Patients in rural or underserved areas may lack access to treatment or have limited transportation options.
Lacking a Support System
Unfortunately, many addicts do not have a support system to strengthen their recovery. Some addicts lose their support systems due to repeated failures to reach sobriety or never had stable support from the start.
For these individuals, support groups can provide community socialization and accountability that help addicts maintain their efforts toward recovery. Support groups can help addicts feel less alone, less judged, more motivated, and more connected to others.
Find Addiction Treatment Near You
Addiction affects millions of Americans every day. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, the good news is that addiction is treatable. Talk to your healthcare provider about your substance abuse issues and see what treatment they recommend.
If you don’t have a doctor or don’t know where to start, check out SAMHSA’s helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or visit their online program locator to find addiction treatment options in your area.
What percentage of people are in addiction recovery?
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), of the 29 million adults with a substance use problem, 72.2% (or 20.9 million) considered themselves to be in recovery or to have recovered from their drug or alcohol use problem.
What is the recovery rate for addiction?
Based on research from the CDC, 3 out of 4 people (75%) recover from addiction. However, recovery can look very different from person to person. For some, it’s complete abstinence from all substances, while others focus on avoiding substances they struggle to moderate.
What percentage of people are likely to relapse?
The CDC reports that the relapse rate of drug and alcohol addiction is 40% to 60%. Although this may seem high, these numbers are lower than the 50% to 70% relapse rate of asthma and hypertension.
How many people abuse drugs every year?
According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 70.3 million people aged 12 or older (or 24.9%) used illicit drugs in the past year.
How many years is considered long-term sobriety?
While responses vary somewhat between healthcare providers, typically, sobriety lasting more than five years is considered long-term, while one to five years is considered sustained.
What percentage of addicts have mental health issues?
NIDA reported in 2017 that, of the 20.3 million people with SUDs, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Common co-occurring mental illnesses include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and personality disorders.
What is the average length of addiction treatment?
The average inpatient residential treatment lasts 30 to 90 days, depending on the program. However, the length of treatment can vary even further for other treatments like therapy or support groups. Some addicts will attend therapy or support groups for months to years.
Because addiction is a lifelong chronic disease, treatment is always ongoing, even when not in a treatment center or therapy.
What factors influence the success rate of addiction recovery programs?
Several factors can either aid or complicate the success rate of addiction recovery programs. For example, having no support system, other co-occurring mental illnesses, and barriers to access treatment can make recovery more difficult to achieve.
On the other hand, having a solid support system, better access to treatment, and medication-assisted treatments can increase the chances of successful recovery for addicts.