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Helpline Support Speak to one of our trained specialists by phone, email or text, and get answers to your questions, share your concerns and develop an action plan. Website: https://drugfree.org/article/get-one-on-one-help/ Online Support Groups Join our s...

How Science Has Revolutionized the Understanding of Drug Addiction For much of the past century, scientists studying drug abuse labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When scientists began to study addictive...

Why study drug abuse and addiction? Abuse of and addiction to alcohol, nicotine, and illicit and prescription drugs cost Americans more than $700 billion a year in increased health care costs, crime, and lost productivity. Every year, illicit and prescription...

What is drug addiction? Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drugseeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain—they change its structure...

Why is adolescence a critical time for preventing drug addiction? As noted previously, early use of drugs increases a person’s chances of developing addiction. Remember, drugs change brains—and this can lead to addiction and other serious problems. So, preven...

Introducing the Human Brain The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. This three-pound mass of gray and white matter sits at the center of all human activity—you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to breathe, to create an artistic masterpie...

What are the medical consequences of drug addiction? People who suffer from addiction often have one or more accompanying medical issues, which may include lung or cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental disorders. Imaging scans, chest X-rays, and ...

Can addiction be treated successfully? YES. Addiction is a treatable disease. Research in the science of addiction and the treatment of substance use disorders has led to the development of evidence-based interventions that help people stop abusing drugs and ...

Leading the Search for Scientific Solutions To address all aspects of drug abuse and its harmful consequences, NIDA’s research program ranges from basic studies of the addicted brain and behavior to health services research. NIDA’s research program develops p...

Helping Faith-based and Community Leaders Bring Hope to Our Communities Every day, 130+ Americans die from opioid-related overdoses. In 2017, over 11.4 million Americans misused prescription opioids, 2.1 million had an opioid-use disorder due to prescription ...

Increase Awareness Addiction is a treatable, chronic, medical condition. Tap local health experts to help diminish the stigma surrounding the condition, it's symptoms, as well as any contributing factors. 62.6% of Americans misuse opioids for pain. Promote...

A West Virginia pastor wisely said, "Churches are not neutral bystanders: What they don't say is just as important as what they do say." Finding a supportive community is essential to recovery. However, old conventions, based on misunderstandings about substa...

Connecting to a supportive community and reestablishing strong relationships are essential elements to ongoing recovery. To foster recovery, communities can host or connect people to community-based, 12-step and other recovery support programs, such as Alcoho...

We can save lives by referring people to proper treatment and helping them navigate systems of continued care. In fact, leaders in faith and community organizations can be trained to: Respond to emergency situations, Make referrals to treatment and recover...

Addiction can leave the lives of individuals and their families dramatically altered by the loss of jobs, homes, or damaged relationships. For decades, faith and community-based organizations have been providing the kinds of wrap-around services that can help ...

A leader from the Boys & Girls Club of America said recently, "Children may make up 25 percent of our population, but they are 100 percent of our future." Children exposed to abuse, neglect, mental illness, substance-use disorders in the household - or any ot...

With lives being lost daily, the opioid crisis is an all-hands-on-deck epidemic. Across the U.S., treatment professionals, law enforcement, faith communities, service providers, drug courts, schools, recreation centers, media, businesses, policy-makers, famili...

The following are opioid-related resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), and other HHS divisions. Resour...

Website: https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/treatment/opioid-addiction.html#cdc_generic_section_2-everyone-can-play-a-role  Purpose Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD), is a chronic and relapsing disease that can affect any...

Opioids are a class of drugs that include synthetic opioids such as fentanyl; pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine; the illegal drug heroin; and many others. Use of opioids...