The Transition House Blog

Drug and alcohol abuse affects nearly 22 million people in the United States. Did you know that 1 in 7 people will develop an addiction in their lifetime? Though recovery and sobriety are related, there are important differences you need to understand if you or a loved one is seeking substance abuse treatment and looking to achieve long-term recovery. Let’s take a look at some of the similarities and differences in more detail.

Opioid addiction - also known as opioid use disorder - affects 2 million people. Opioid drugs were responsible for 33,000 deaths in the US in 2016 and over half of drug overdoses involved opioids. So, what makes opioids so addictive?

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a serious disease that affects 17 million people in the US. In fact, excessive alcohol use causes 88,000 deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The good news is that alcohol addiction, just like many other diseases, is treatable and recovery is possible. An addiction treatment program such as medication assisted treatment (MAT) with Vivitrol can help people struggling with alcohol use disorder leave a life of addiction behind.

Addiction is a complex and chronic disease, but it is treatable. Treatment options like medication assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone can help you overcome opioid addiction.

El abuso de sustancias, el alcoholismo y la adicción pueden tener un impacto negativo en las familias. Las familias que están lidiando con el trastorno de abuso de sustancias de un ser querido pueden enfrentar situaciones como violencia doméstica, abuso físico o emocional, trastornos de salud mental concurrentes y dificultades socioeconómicas, ya que las personas que luchan con la adicción pueden tener dificultades para encontrar o conservar un trabajo. Puede interrumpir una dinámica familiar saludable al romper la confianza, agregar estrés significativo y prevenir la formación de límites saludables.

Juan piensa que su hermano, Fred, no era él mismo la última vez que se vieron.

La apariencia de Fred parecía arrugada a pesar de que, por lo general, se esforzaba para verse lo mejor posible. Fred también parecía desinteresado en las cosas que siempre le interesaban, es por eso que John sospecho que algo en la vida de Fred había cambiado.

Addiction is a complex and chronic disease, but recovery is possible. Addiction treatment like medication assisted treatment (MAT) can help someone with substance or alcohol use disorder achieve recovery and maintain sobriety. By combining behavioral therapy with specific addiction medications, MAT is the safest and most effective option for recovery.

Opioids such as prescription painkillers and heroin are highly addictive. It’s important to know that addiction is not a choice. Addiction is a complex and chronic disease. Like any other medical illness, addiction is treatable. With the right opioid addiction treatment, recovery is possible.

While detoxing from addictive substances is an important component of addiction treatment, it is only the beginning when it comes to achieving sobriety. Creating a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan that includes continuing care is necessary to successfully achieve sobriety and leave behind a life of addiction.

In 2013, an estimated 18 million people struggled with symptoms of alcohol dependence or abuse. However, only 1.4 million - less than 10% - received any type of treatment. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommend medication assisted treatment (MAT) for the treatment of moderate to severe alcohol use disorder.