Data Suggests Drug Rehab Demographics Don’t Show the Whole Picture

Rehabilitation centers were created as ways to provide a separation of the addict and the abused substance. Originally known as “sober houses,” drug rehab facilities served a purpose that by some estimates, only affected a specific portion of the population.

This Scientific American blog took an interesting look at drug rehab and statistics that suggest the search for treatment is skewed. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 23.5 million Americans needed specialized treatment for some form of substance abuse; yet only 2.6 million received such treatment.

The individuals seeking drug rehab, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, tend to be white alcoholics in the 20-59 age range. These individuals are not celebrities seeking customized care, but rather everyday addicts seeking help from rehab facilities.

Surprisingly, those who opt for rehab tend to be alcoholics, white, and of any age. A large proportion of those seeking drug rehab are also marijuana users. And, while opiate use and abuse is high, only 5.9 percent of those seeking help in 2009 were claiming an opiate addiction.

Higher check-in percentages were reported among those struggling with an addiction to heroin, crack or other stimulants. Given that prescription medications have surpassed illegal drugs in terms of use, abuse and arrests, it’s surprising that drug rehab in publically funded facilities are treating so few cases.

The question to ask in light of this data is whether or not the prescription drug abuse problem is genuinely perceived as a problem by users. Likewise, the age of the data could be an indicator that addictions had not yet been identified.

This data is likely to be updated in the near future, providing an opportunity to determine whether or not prescription medications have driven users to the breaking point.