Recovery Support Groups: Exploring the Options
Originally posted on Futures Recovery Healthcare Our nation has seen an increase in the misuse of alcohol and other substances that continues to grow each year. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 14.4 million adults 18 years and older had an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes each year. When it comes to substance abuse, the same survey reported more than 20 million Americans over the age of 12 with a substance use disorder (SUD). AUD is defined by the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) as a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by the inability to stop or control alcohol use despite negative consequences such as social, economic, or health issues. A SUD is categorized into three subgroups; mild, moderate, and severe. It is defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) as compulsive drug seeking despite negative cons...