All Savers Insurance For Addiction and Mental Health Treatment

Alcohol abuse is a monstrous problem in America. In 2019, the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released a report that stated at least 14.5 million Americans aged 12 years and older had an alcohol use disorder (AUD). As if this figure were not alarming enough, there is an estimated 414,000 of that figure that is made up of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. Many would think that most, if not all, of the 14.5 million Americans listed as having an alcohol abuse problem were adults, but this is not the case.

The same report from the NSDUH noted that people with alcohol use disorder had a higher likelihood of seeking care for an alcohol-related issue, rather than seeking treatment for the source of the problem, which is alcohol addiction. The sheer number of alcohol-related deaths in the US alone is estimated to be 95,000 each year, making alcohol the third leading cause of death in the US.

Despite the staggering figures relevant to the dangers of alcohol abuse, the number of people who seek treatment for dependence is still alarmingly low. Most health centers and hospitals report a high prevalence of alcohol-related medical concerns, as alcohol abuse is closely linked to:

• • Increased risk of drowning
  • High incidence of injuries from violence
  • High incidence of injuries from accidents, particularly falls
  • High chance of motor vehicle mishaps
  • Increased risk of female breast cancer

• Increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer
• High risk of esophageal cancer

Development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

The National Center for Health Statistics of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that from January to December of 2021, an estimated 108,000 people died from a drug overdose. Of this figure, at least 80,000 deaths involved opioid addiction cases.

The Drug Policy Alliance, an addiction policy advocacy group, calls this report “devastating and heartbreaking” as an increasing number of teens are also included in the statistics of a drug crisis that has been going on for over 20 years. The group also notes that not only has the crisis not slowed down a bit but has only gotten worse over the years.

Opioids are among the most widely used drugs because of the ease with which they could be acquired and administered. Statistics from the US Addiction Center reveal that 20% to 30% of people who take prescription opioids abuse their medication, which accounts for the 2.1 million Americans who have an opioid use disorder.

Used properly, benzodiazepine, or benzos, provide relief for several conditions and are also used for its effects in other medical applications, including:

• Anxiety relief
• Insomnia treatment
• Relief from alcohol withdrawal symptoms
• Regulation and control of seizures
• Muscle relaxant
• Induced amnesia for medical procedures

This drug, however, is also one of the most widely used substances today. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that in 2020, 16% of overdose deaths that involved opioids also involved benzos. The US National Center for Health Statistics stated that between 2014 and 2016 in the US alone, at least 66 million doctor’s appointments per year prescribed benzodiazepine. This is a highly alarming figure because it is known that benzo abusers start as legitimate users before they got hooked.

Cocaine is listed as the third most widely used drug in the US and the second most widely used and distributed globally. In 2020, more than 42,000 tons of cocaine were seized by US authorities being smuggled into the country. The paradox of the cocaine problem in the US reads like a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum: the high rate of cocaine addiction could be due to the ease with which it could be acquired, or the ease with which it could be acquired is due to the high rate of cocaine addiction.

Whichever the case might be, cocaine-related deaths from 2014 to 2020 in the US rose steadily from 5,419 to 19,447. Another disturbing facet of the cocaine drug trend is the involvement of young people in the statistics. A 2019 survey from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) revealed that 24% of 12th graders in the US admitted that it was quite easy for them to acquire cocaine if they wanted to.

The process of recovery from addiction begins with stopping the user from taking in any substances typically associated with addiction and dependence. The stage, known as medical detox, is also where the toxins of substances (drugs and alcohol) are purged from the body to prepare someone for their treatment program.

Depending on the duration of abuse and the type of substance abused, there could be a need for medical assistance in either stopping the intense urge to take a substance or treating the debilitating withdrawal symptoms that arise once the patient stops using substances.

Certain drug addictions are simply too difficult for a person to kick on their own. In other instances, kicking the habit could lead to a condition where prolonged rest and medical assistance is required. For these cases, inpatient or residential treatment is required, as the patient could need the care and attention that only medically-trained specialists could provide.

The partial hospitalization program (PHP) is an arrangement where patients could go home at night after spending the day at the rehab facility. This is prescribed for those who have a better handle on their urges and have a home that is conducive to recovery and is not a relapse-promoting danger. Days at the rehab facility are spent in individual or group counseling to gain helpful tools and resources to maintain sobriety and prevent relapse.

Any other treatment that could be needed could also be covered depending on the insurance treatment plan. This also includes the duration of the rehab stay and any other incurred expenses relevant to treatment and recovery in the facility.