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Across most generations, genders and demographics in the U.S., drug use has increased. Whether discussing heroin, prescription drugs, marijuana or synthetics, American drug abuse has reached alarming levels. With so much information available about the dangers of drug use and headline after headline about record opioid abuse and overdoses, one would think that these numbers would be headed in the opposite direction. Why have Americans seemingly gone backwards in the fight against drug abuse?

Current Prevalence of Drug Use and Abuse in America

Quest Diagnostics, one of the nation's leading providers of employee drug testing, reported in September of 2015 that the percentage of employees testing positive for drugs had reached a 10-year high. This was based on an analysis of nearly 11 million drug test results, in which 4 percent of urine tests were positive, an increase of 2.6 percent from 2014. In oral drug testing, there was a positive test increase of 47 percent over the previous three years, and positive urine tests for heroin have increased 146 percent since 2011.

In 2014, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that an estimated 24.6 million Americans over the age of 12 had used an illicit drug during the last month. This accounted for 9.4 percent of the demographic, which is an increase from 8.3 percent in 2002.

According to the U.N.'s World Drug Report 2016, the amount of heroin users in the United States hit a 20-year high. The number of heroin users in the U.S. reached near one million in 2014, representing a three-fold increase from 2003. Heroin-related deaths have increased five-fold since 2000.

Results from the European Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) combined with those from the U.S. Monitoring the Future Survey revealed that American teens have high rates of illicit drug use when compared with European teens. On average, 18 percent of European students had used an illicit drug in their lifetimes, compared to 35 percent of U.S. students.

Since 1999, the number of drug overdose deaths involving opioids in the U.S. has quadrupled, totaling over a half a million fatalities during that period.

Being that drugs are illegal and many individuals are not likely to openly speak about their drug habits, determining the exact scope of drug use in the U.S. is nearly impossible. There are, however, several surveys, studies and reports that suggest that American drug use is extremely high, perhaps even approaching historic levels.[1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6]

While we now know more than ever about the dangers of drug abuse, it appears that this knowledge has failed to act as a deterrent. Heroin use and overdoses have skyrocketed, more people are using and abusing prescription drugs than ever before and the rise of synthetic drugs has created a potentially more dangerous threat.[7]

Who is Doing More Drugs?

With drug abuse being so rampant in the U.S., it's safe to say that there are no demographics that are immune to the temptation of drug abuse. However, there are some specific groups who have seen significant increases in drug consumption over the past decade. The biggest change in drug use has been among groups that aren't typically viewed as demographics prone to substance abuse.
Women: Affluent: Baby Boomers:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the gaps in heroin use between men and women and rich and poor have narrowed throughout the 21st century.[8] From 2002 to 2013, the rate of heroin use among women increased 100 percent. During the same time, the rate of heroin use among people in households making $50,000 or more annually increased 60 percent.[9]

Why Are People Doing More Drugs than Ever?

It's clear that drug abuse and addiction have increased in the U.S. over the last decade or so, what's unclear are the specific reasons why, though there are several theories. The most obvious potential explanation is the rise in chronic pain leading to an increase in opioid prescriptions, which has paved a path to heroin abuse and addiction.

At some point, Americans began suffering from chronic pain at higher levels than ever before. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that 11.2 percent of American adults experience chronic pain and 17.6 percent struggle with severe pain. An estimated 126 million Americans reported some level of pain, according to the organization's data.[15] When you consider that prescription painkillers are the most likely remedy to be prescribed to these adults and that prescription drug abuse is the strongest risk factor for heroin abuse or addiction, the correlation becomes clearer.

"People addicted to painkillers are 40 times more likely to abuse heroin." - Source: Centers for Disease Control"

Changing Views on Drugs

Americans of all ages have a different perception of the dangers of drug use than in the past. This is especially true of marijuana, with several states now legalizing it for recreational and medicinal use. In 1969, a Gallup poll of 1,028 adults from across the nation revealed that only 12 percent were in favor of marijuana legalization. In 2001, that number had swelled to 31 percent. However, a 2015 poll showed that 58 percent were in favor of legalizing the drug.[17]

While favorable views on marijuana don't necessarily equate to favorable views on all other drugs, it's not too far of a stretch. The most recent Monitoring the Future Survey reported that fewer 10th graders than from the previous survey perceived a risk in taking inhalants, synthetic cathinones, crack or Vicodin occasionally.[18]

America is Stressed Out

Perhaps the simplest explanation for the increase in substance abuse in America is our collective mental state. Several employee surveys have shown that American workers are struggling with high levels of stress and anxiety related to job security, income and the threat of discrimination.

A 2015 study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), measuring stress on a scale from one-10 found that the average stress level for Americans stood at 5.1, a slight increase from the year before. Of those surveyed, nearly one-quarter reported "extreme stress." Since introducing the survey in 2007, the APA has consistently found that money and work were the top two sources of stress reported among Americans.[19] The survey also found that 61 percent of adults reported experiencing unfair treatment on a day-to-day basis and that it resulted in higher levels of stress.

Another survey, which included 500 American workers, revealed that 90 percent of workers were stressed out about finances. More than 50 percent of those surveyed reported "moderate" or "significant stress."[20] There are many reasons why people choose to abuse drugs or alcohol, but few have the same impact of stress.[21]

How to Reverse the Trend
Common Risk Factors for Addiction:

Poor education

Mental illness

Poverty

Parental substance abuse

Environment

Signs of Substance Abuse:

Problems at school or work

Physical health issues

Neglected appearance

Behavioral changes

Unexplained money spending

[23] [22]

1. http://newsroom.questdiagnostics.com/2016-09-15-Drug-Positivity-in-U-S-Workforce-Rises-to-Nearly-Highest-Level-in-a-Decade-Quest-Diagnostics-Analysis-Finds

2. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends

3. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-drugs-usa-heroin-idUSKCN0Z90UX

4. http://www.unodc.org/wdr2016/

5. http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pressreleases/16ESPADpr.pdf

6. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/

7. https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse

8. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0707-heroin-epidemic.html

9. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/heroin/infographic.html

10. https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/addiction-update/alcoholism-drug-dependence-and-women

11. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHresultsPDFWHTML2013/Web/NSDUHresults2013.pdf

12. http://www.drugfree.org/news-service/study-finds-rich-kids-more-likely-to-use-drugs-than-poor/

13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410945/

14. http://claad.org/cdc-data-shows-rx-abuse-and-overdose-deaths-on-the-rise-for-baby-boomers/

15. https://nccih.nih.gov/news/press/08112015

16. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0707-heroin-epidemic.html

17. http://www.gallup.com/poll/186260/back-legal-marijuana.aspx

18. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/monitoring-future-survey-high-school-youth-trends

19. http://time.com/4253107/americans-are-getting-more-stressed-out-study-finds/

20. http://www.workplaceoptions.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WPOResults-financial-stress-feb-2016.pdf

21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732004/

22. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-abuse-among-children-adolescents/chapter-1-risk-factors-protective-factors/what-are-risk-factors

23. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/basics/symptoms/con-20020970

Despite the war on drugs and several other efforts to curb drug use in America, these efforts have only been successful in small groups. The best way to reduce drug abuse in the nation is for parents and community leaders to take proactive approaches to substance abuse prevention. This includes recognizing the risk factors for developing an SUD and the signs of abuse, among many other things.

In most cases, prevention of drug use begins at home and school. Parents need to lead by example, and educators need to be diligent in talking about the dangers of substance abuse. Among young and older adults, finding drug-free pain management alternatives in addition to healthy ways to manage stress would go a long way in reducing drug use.

Unfortunately, substance abuse and drug addiction are inevitable in every society. Natural curiosity, youthful rebelliousness and many other factors will always make it so people experiment with drugs. In some cases, that experimentation grows to abuse and then addiction. It's at this time that you need trained professionals to help you fight back against addiction, and Unity Behavioral Health is ready to lead the way. We offer dozens of programs to treat all kinds of drug addictions. To begin drug rehab or learn more, contact us at 561-708-5295.

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Why Is American Drug Use On The Rise and What Can Be Done?

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Across most generations, genders and demographics in the U.S., drug use has increased. Whether discussing heroin, prescription drugs, marijuana or synthetics, American drug abuse has reached alarming levels. With so much information available about the dangers of drug use and headline after headline about record opioid abuse and overdoses, one would think that these numbers would be headed in the opposite direction.

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Learn how addiction affects your brain and behavior.

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Anas Aremeyaw Anas: How I named, shamed and jailed

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Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has broken dozens of stories of corruption and organized crime all over Ghana -- without ever revealing his identity. In this talk (in which his face remains hidden) Anas shows grisly footage from some of his investigations and demonstrates the importance of facing injustice.

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Drug addiction can cause many long-term negative consequences, including physical health problems like liver damage and heart disease as well as mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorders. Drug abuse also causes long-term changes to the brain that make quitting so difficult and that take years to change back to normal. Indirect long-term effects of drug addiction include broken relationships, legal problems, financial problems, injuries, and poor overall health.

There are many potential long-term effects of drug addiction and abuse. Long-term substance abuse changes the brain, leading to addiction and making it nearly impossible to stop using. These brain changes can then lead to mental health issues, like depression or anxiety. Drug use impairs thinking and memory, and impacts how a person learns.

Drug abuse also affects the body and overall health, causing potentially lasting issues like heart disease, lung cancer, kidney failure, and liver damage. Some of these long-term effects may be permanent, but many can be reversed by quitting and getting treatment.

While recovering from drug addiction is challenging, there is hope for anyone struggling with this disease. It is possible to recover with effective and long-term treatment, and for the body and brain to re-adapt to living without drugs.

Long-Term Effects on the Body

Abuse of drugs can cause serious harm to physical health. Some of the effects of drug abuse on the body include damage that lasts for years and in some cases forever. The impact on the body can range from mild symptoms to serious health problems. Nearly every system and organ in the body may be affected by drug abuse:

Cardiovascular system. Stimulants like cocaine are particularly hard on the heart, causing damage every time they are used. Stimulant abuse can lead to long-term heart disease, including heart failure. Injectable drugs like heroin can cause veins to collapse and even infections in blood vessels or the heart.

Respiratory system. The lungs can be damaged by any drug that is smoked, causing diseases like emphysema, lung cancer, and chronic bronchitis. Opioids depress breathing, which can worsen asthma.

Kidney damage. Many drugs can cause long-term kidney damage, including kidney failure, which is life threatening. This is caused by increased body temperature, breakdown of muscle tissue, and dehydration.

Liver damage. Heroin and prescription opioids can cause liver damage. This damage is more severe when the drugs are combined with alcohol. In severe cases, a person may have life-threatening liver failure.

Gastrointestinal damage. Many kinds of drugs cause damage and decay in the stomach or intestines. This can result in chronic pain, acid reflux, and constipation.

The sooner a person gets the help needed to stop abusing any type of drug, the better the chances are of being able to minimize these physical health problems. While permanent effects of drugs on the body are possible, the body can also recover in many ways. Quitting and getting treatment has great benefits for physical health.

Long-Term Effects on the Brain

Drug addiction is such a difficult disease to overcome because drug abuse actually changes the brain. Drugs produce a sensation of pleasure because of how they act in the brain. Whether directly or indirectly, drugs of abuse target and activate the reward system in the brain. They cause a neurotransmitter called dopamine to be released in large quantities, triggering an extreme sensation of pleasure or euphoria. In other words, drugs overstimulate the part of the brain that naturally produces pleasure and rewards a person for doing something positive, like socializing or hugging a loved one.

Because of that extreme sense of pleasure, drugs work in such a way that a person is inclined to use them again and again. Over time, the continual overstimulation of the dopamine reward system can lead to lasting, even permanent changes in the brain. One important change is that the brain begins to produce less dopamine. This is a way to compensate for the flooding of the brain with dopamine that drug abuse causes, but the result is that a person will begin to struggle to feel any pleasure at all. This change explains why long-term drug users begin to feel depressed and lifeless.

These changes in dopamine levels are what cause a person to develop a tolerance to a drug and the need to take more and more of a substance just to get a normal or elevated sense of pleasure. How drugs impact the brain is complicated and involves more than just dopamine. There are other ways in which the brain is changed from long-term drug abuse:

Impaired cognitive function. Another neurotransmitter involved in the reward system, glutamate, is affected by drug abuse. The brain's attempt to compensate for that causes changes to how a person thinks, making it more difficult to think and learn.

Changes in memory. Drug abuse causes changes in memory and learning, actually conditioning a person to crave and use drugs. Cues in a person's environment act as triggers that make them crave and want a drug reflexively.

Changes in brain connections. It is not just the reward system in the brain that is affected by drug use. Over time, drug abuse changes other areas too, actually making physical changes to the connections between neurons, or brain cells. In some areas, more connections develop, while in others they decrease.

Brain cells die. Many drugs are actually toxic, and they can kill brain cells. These cells will never come back to life, and the damage is permanent.

While substance abuse does trigger lasting changes in the brain, there is hope. These changes make it very difficult to stay away from drugs, but over a period of time the brain can recover and once again adapt to functioning without drugs. It takes a lot of time, though. Imaging studies of brains of drug abusers have shown that even after 100 days of no longer using a drug, the brain has still not fully recovered. This is why treatment for addiction has to go well beyond detox and should be long-term.

Alta Mira is a Safe Place to Get Your Life Back on Track

The Lasting Psychological Effects of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse and addiction often occur alongside mental illness. This can be explained by the fact that the risk factors for both are similar, but there is also evidence that drug abuse can trigger, contribute to, or worsen mental health conditions. According to statistics, people who abuse drugs are twice as likely to struggle with mood disorders, like depression, or anxiety disorders. Drug abuse may trigger any mental illness or make any condition worse, but the most common and lasting mental health issues from drug abuse are anxiety and depression.

Indirect Effects of Drug Addiction

People who abuse drugs or become addicted to drugs typically make decisions and do things-or fail to do things-that they otherwise wouldn't. These choices are not directly caused by drugs, but they are a result of drug abuse and addiction and can have serious and lasting impacts on a person's life. For instance, a person may get in legal trouble or even go to prison over drug-related activities. The repercussions will follow someone for years to come.

Other poor decisions someone may make while abusing drugs include having unprotected sex or sharing needles, which can lead to diseases like HIV or hepatitis. Drug abuse can lead to someone dropping out of school or losing a job, with lasting financial consequences. Trauma, assault, and injury from violence may also result from drug abuse and addiction. Relationships often suffer during periods of drug abuse, causing damage that is difficult to repair.

Drug abuse and addiction can also lead to generally poor health in indirect ways. For instance, someone abusing drugs may not eat well and may suffer from weight loss, weight gain, malnutrition, or nutritional deficiencies. Sleep can also be an issue, and someone who is addicted to drugs may not get enough sleep for long periods of time, which can trigger more health problems.

The Risks of Overdose

The most serious potential long-term effect of drug abuse and drug addiction is death. Drugs can kill slowly over time, but they can also cause a fatal overdose. Any misuse of any type of drug puts a person at risk for having an overdose that may be fatal. That risk increases when using street drugs, because the strength or purity is impossible to know. The risk also increases when combining drugs or using drugs with alcohol. For example, combining substances that depress breathing, like opioids and sedatives, greatly increases the risk of a fatal overdose.

Drug abuse and drug addiction have serious and lasting impacts on all aspects of a person's health, as well as other areas of life, like relationships and finances. But anyone who abuses drugs has reason to hope in spite of these effects. Good, effective, long-term treatment can help reverse much of the damage caused by drugs and gives a person a chance to put his or her life back together.

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Long-Term Effects of Drug Addiction - Alta Mira Recovery

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Drug addiction can cause many long-term negative consequences, including physical health problems like liver damage and heart disease as well as mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorders. Drug abuse also causes long-term changes to the brain that make quitting so difficult and that take years to change back to normal.

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1. Love and affectionate as the child grows.
2. Consistent and fair discipline.
3. Open channels of communication for thoughts and feelings.
4. Opportunities for successful experiences at home and in school.
5. A stable family atmosphere (family time together, family rituals).
6. Tolerance of the child's mistakes (no put-downs).
7. Models of strong, thoughtful and feeling adults.
8. Accurate information about the problems of growing up today (sexuality, drugs, crime, etc.)

There is NOTHING more important in preventing drug abuse than spending time with your children. Take time to do what they enjoy, to share some skills, to build family rituals and rapport.

What else can be done? Educate yourself, have enough facts to clarify your point of view, and talk to your children. Unfortunately, many parents wait until after their children are involved with drugs or alcohol to sit down with them and talk. Don't make this discussion a onetime thing; children and teenagers need to be constantly reminded of where their parents stand. They also need parents who will listen without being critical and without over reacting.

Finally, your attitude and use of drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) will influence your children. Children learn more by watching what their parents do than they learn by what their parents say. Children need models of strong, responsible adults who are aware of their own chemical use. One reason we're seeing younger and younger children use alcohol and drugs is that they are "second generation" users, simply modeling their parents behavior.

Zero tolerance for drug/alcohol use in our children and teenagers is the most reasonable stance for their long-term well being. Part of prevention is taking reasonable action at the earliest possible time. This means a parent should be vigilant to the subtle signs and symptoms as discussed in the preceding article and take immediate action when use is suspected.

Common drugs of abuse By far, the three most common drugs of abuse for teens are cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. If that isn't bad enough, use of all three substances nearly triples from junior high to high school. Even worse, adolescents with ADHD have an approximately 35 percent greater likelihood of becoming involved with illicit substances. As parents of children with ADHD the more knowledge you have the more you can help your child in both a preventative and treatment manner.

According to statistics, about one in four adolescents report being a current smoker. Boys and girls reported similar frequency of use. Regular alcohol use is reported less frequently than regular cigarette use. Slightly less than one in five adolescents say they drink alcohol (including beer and wine) more than one time per month. Almost 10 percent admitted to drinking at least once per week. The highest levels of alcohol use are found among youth living in the suburbs. Approximately 25 percent of all adolescents report having smoked marijuana at least once in their lives and about 19 percent report using one or more times in the previous month. Approximately one in five teenagers report regular use of marijuana.

Figures indicate alcohol use is sometimes tolerated by parents, especially those of older teens. If that's the case, parents should think again! In small doses, like all depressants, alcohol has a calming effect but long-term heavy use affects the liver, muscles, bonus, digestive tract, heart and brain. For some, alcohol can provide an easy escape from dealing with boredom, fears, depression, symptoms of ADHD, and frustration. The major problem with alcohol, however, is that teenagers and alcohol don't mix. Impulsive and easily influenced by their peers, teenagers often underestimate the seriousness of driving while intoxicated. They are inexperienced as to how alcohol affects perception, coordination and judgment.

​One quarter of all young people have reported smoking marijuana at least once. Long-term studies indicate marijuana can cause serious physical and mental problems. Of particular concern are the effects of marijuana on young people who smoke while their bodies and minds are still rapidly developing. Marijuana, like alcohol, can affect a person's memory, driving ability and school performance. It is particularly dangerous for an impulsive teenager to be using marijuana. Would you care if you found out that the driver of car you were riding in was high on marijuana? What about your son or daughter?

Steps to solving a drug problem:

1. Identify the problem in your home. If you are unsure, but suspect of a problem, consult a trusted professional. It is often difficult to tell if a teenager is abusing substances. We have seen families where the parents were medical professionals, yet a substantial alcohol/drug problem was completely missed.

2. Talk with your teenager about your concerns. Listen to what he or she has to say. Your teenager may become very angry, defensive, noncommunicative, hostile or disgusted. Don't be intimidated. Most teenagers when confronted will deny or grossly minimize a problem. If your teenager refuses to talk about a drug problem and you are still concerned you must act because a teenager with a drug problem won't take the first step. Take your teenager to a trusted professional (physician, psychologist, etc.) for an assessment. Your actions must convince your child that you mean business.

3. Put your plans into action! Firm rules must be set. As a parent, you need to recognize you can't stop your adolescent from using drugs if they really want to. However, you can control drug usage in some environments (like your home) and you can be a major reason for their deciding to stop using drugs. Research clearly shows parent/family connectedness and parental presence (before school, after school, dinner and bedtime) are definite protective factors in the use of alcohol and drugs.

Finally, because drug usage is often a complex problem, many parents find outside professional support is essential. Trained and experienced family physicians or psychologists in the treatment of teenage substance use are the best sources of help. Though the road to success and drug-free living is sometimes painfully long and difficult, we have personally witnessed many successes.
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1. Love and affectionate as the child grows.2. Consistent and fair discipline.3. Open channels of communication for thoughts and feelings.4. Opportunities for successful experiences at home and in school.5. A stable family atmosphere (family time together, family rituals).6. Tolerance of the child's mistakes (no put-downs).7. Models of strong, thoughtful and feeling adults.8.