Males Twice as Likely to Wind Up in Treatment for Substance Abuse

Of the many studies and surveys conducted routinely throughout the country regarding drug and alcohol use, one of them includes information on admissions to treatment programs. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) provides a look at statistics related to people seeking rehabilitation services for drug and alcohol abuse.

A recent TEDS report showed that of the nearly 2 million treatment admissions in 2011, two-thirds of them were for males, making them twice as likely as females to be admitted. The numbers seeking help typically reflect the percentage of overall users as well, though there certainly are variations in use patterns among different age groups.

For example, the report stated that the rate of substance abuse for both genders was similar between the ages of 12 and 17. The primary substances used also varied, with alcohol being more prevalent for female teens while marijuana was cited in a greater number of males. A somewhat surprising statistic included that women over the age of 65 were nearly 3 times more likely to abuse prescription painkillers.

Regardless of the gender or substance, Desert Cove Recovery strives to provide excellent treatment for people in Arizona. Clients come from all over the country for this quality treatment program. If you know someone in need of rehabilitation services, contact us today.

Blake Nichols

Blake Nichols is the Director of Operations at Desert Cove Recovery. Blake battled his own addiction to drugs and alcohol and was given the gift of recovery at the age of 23. Since 2008, Blake has dedicated his life and career to the field of addiction. He has experience in all aspects of addiction treatment including direct care, admissions, marketing, and administration.

Blake feels that the greatest reward of working in the recovery field is being part of the transformation that a person goes through from the time they arrive and begin treatment, through the hard work and the Miracle of recovery, and ultimately the change into a confident and capable person ready to carry the message of recovery.

“My career has focused on serving others. I have accepted ownership of my responsibilities as that is the key to working at the highest level of professionalism. I have worked to be positive and offer solution-based suggestions in my work and personal life.”