The most recent data, in 2021, shows overdose deaths in the United States rose to their highest point ever at over 100,000 deaths per year.

The staggering statistic reflects the importance of meeting the recent rise in substance use disorders with effective, life-saving treatments.

Yet, the reality is that the majority of people experiencing addiction—whether to alcohol, opioids, stimulants, or cannabis—don’t seek treatment.

There are many reasons someone may choose to not initiate care, including a fear of judgment from their family and community to simply not being ready to ask for help.

This is why it’s important to normalize conversations around substance use, to learn about the science of addiction and to support the lived experience of those in recovery.

In a recent Michigan Medicine webinar, experts from the University of Michigan Addiction Center break down facts about addiction and recovery.

Below are eight facts about addiction and recovery, along with key takeaways from Monwabisi Makola, Ph.D., an addiction psychiatry fellow at the U-M Addiction Center, Emily Smith, M.S.W., a clinical social worker at the University of Michigan Addiction Consult Team and Mark Ilgen, Ph.D., associate director for Adult Research at the U-M Addiction Center.

They were also joined by Mark Hassett, a successful entrepreneur and musician from Southeast Michigan who’s in recovery and spoke about his own experiences recovering from an alcohol use disorder.

8 facts about addiction and recovery

1.Substance use rose considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic 

The COVID-19 pandemic occurred at the same time we saw overdose deaths rise to their highest level. 

During that time, the United States also saw a significant increase in substance use across the board.

Why?

“The opposite of addiction is connection,” said Smith. 

“During COVID, with all the necessary separation we created, people were put into isolation.”

And that’s important to note because social isolation contributes to addiction risk. 

The public health measures that kept us safe from COVID-19 made it more difficult for people to check-in with one another. It also made it harder for people to receive addiction treatment. 

For those in recovery, there were disruptions to their support systems, such as 12-step programs and group therapy. 

The stress of the pandemic also made people more likely to use substances to cope. 

Many Americans turned to alcohol and cannabis, as they are widely available in many states across the country.

2. Addiction is treatable

Addiction is not a moral failing. 

It’s a chronic medical condition that affects 1 in 6 Americans. 

Yet, unlike other common conditions, like asthma or heart disease, stigma around addiction is very high. 

Individuals and families facing addiction often avoid talking about the issue, afraid they’ll be judged by others. 

Someone experiencing addiction may worry that talking about it could lead to them losing their job or the trust of people closest to them. 

But it’s important to remember that addiction is a disease and it can be treated.

“This is a treatable chronic medical disease,” said Smith. 

“The care we provide to those who use substances should look like the care we provide for other chronic conditions.”

And that approach is catching on. 

No matter which substance is involved, there are many effective, evidence-based treatments for substance use disorder that center compassionate, holistic care.

3. Addiction treatment can improve your quality of life

While there’s no cure for addiction, there are many treatment options that can help people manage their condition and regain control of their lives.

These treatments save lives by preventing overdose. 

They also reduce the long-term, negative health effects of substance use on the body, a complication of addiction that is often forgotten.

“Alcohol causes a lot of other health issues,” said Makola, offering an example. 

“There’s a really strong understanding that tobacco comes with a lot of other health issues, but there is less of an understanding of the downstream health issues that come with alcohol.”

Timely treatment can not only save a life, it can also make that life a healthier one to live.

4. Treatment isn’t a one-size-fits-all; there are many paths to recovery

Addiction treatment varies depending on the substance in question. 

If you’re experiencing an opioid or stimulant use disorder, medication treatments are the most effective option, especially when they are paired with therapy interventions.

For those experiencing an alcohol use disorder, formal treatments like therapy or outpatient services can be helpful.

In addition, people may seek peer support through mutual help groups. 

The most well-known of these programs is Alcoholics Anonymous, though other community groups exist. 

Choices depend upon your recovery philosophy and whether or not you want to seek out faith-based approaches.

Because there are different treatment options, everyone’s journey looks a little different. 

It’s a partnership between the individual and the professional helping to coordinate their care. 

Often, recovery will look like a combination of approaches, like pairing formal treatment with a community-based group. 

“It’s not just one thing,” said Hassett. 

“What I found is that a combination of things has helped me a great deal.”

5. Relapse is part of treatment

People in treatment for a substance use disorder are often judged harshly when they relapse. 

You may think you’ve failed and that the situation is hopeless. 

Your family and friends may question your dedication to getting sober. 

In reality, relapse is part of the care trajectory for many diseases. 

In fact, relapse rates for addiction are very similar to relapse rates for other chronic health conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

“What’s different is the care that’s provided,” said Smith. 

“When I think about the care that’s provided to a patient with diabetes, if they end up in the emergency department three times in one month, there’s not shame and guilt. We don’t cut them off from treatment. Whereas for substance use disorders, these patients are stigmatized … it’s a startling contrast.”

On average, it usually takes five attempts for someone in addiction treatment to reach a resolution of their disease. 

Relapse is an expected part of the process and not a mark of failure. 

Some people may need more or fewer attempts to reach recovery, so it’s important to support every new attempt at treatment—as it could be the one that sticks for the long term.

“What I tell folks is let’s keep doing the work. Let’s find the thing that works best for you,” said Makola.

6. Addiction treatment isn’t about having the “will power” to stop

The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a “chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.”

You’d never tell a person to use will power to lower their high blood pressure, and it isn’t a relevant factor in addiction care either. 

Addiction is a complex condition that impacts the way the brain and body function.

It cannot be thought away or reasoned against.

“This isn’t a choice and it isn’t about will power. It takes a tremendous amount of work,” said Hassett. 

“Alcohol affects your brain and changes the way you view everything.”

7. Despite good treatment success rates for addiction, few people receive treatment

A surprising 92% of people with a substance use disorder don’t seek treatment, and yet, with so many evidence-based treatment options that work, why do so few try?

One reason is systemic. 

Those who don’t have healthcare coverage can’t afford the cost of meeting with a health care provider, let alone enrolling in a formal treatment program. 

For those with gaps in their health care coverage, the costs may simply be too high to pursue treatment all the way through. 

In some parts of the country, access to treatment services are limited, or people may not know what options are available to them.

“It’s really frustrating for me and many of my colleagues when someone is ready [for treatment] and there are just not enough places for people to be able to go,” said Makola.

Stigma contributes as well. 

People who are worried that treatment will interfere with their job prospects or how their family and community view them are more likely to avoid seeking help.

But the biggest reason?

A majority don’t see a problem with their substance use and don’t believe they need to seek treatment. 

“People say, ‘I haven’t gotten to the point where I lost my job, so I don’t need treatment.’ There’s this scaling of ‘if x happens, then I’ll get treatment.’ But that bar keeps getting pushed farther and farther,” said Smith.

“Addiction is complicated. By very definition, it creates ambivalence. ‘I want the change’ and ‘I don’t want the change.’ That’s part of the condition,” said Makola. 

“People aren’t trying to be difficult. They’re working through a difficult thing which affects the way their brain is processing information. It highlights the importance of meeting people where they are.”

8. You don’t need to have the answers before you ask for help

No one with a new health condition would expect to go into a doctor’s appointment already knowing what their treatment plan will be. 

Yet if you’re seeking help for an addiction, it can feel like a lot of pressure to have all the answers upfront, even before making the first phone call.

“One of the misconceptions people have is that somehow they need to know what answer exists for them before they seek addiction treatment,” said Ilgen. 

“It’s really the job of treatment professionals to find what might be useful for you.”

It’s enough to show up and learn what options are available.

Addiction treatment is a personalized process that can take many shapes and forms with many paths to recovery that a qualified provider can help you walk through. 

The “right” option will be the one that works best for you, and helps you feel and lead a healthier, happier life.

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