Addiction Statistics: Facts About Addiction to Drugs & Alcohol

Across the United States, approximately 48.5 million people ages 12 and older had an addiction to drugs or alcohol in 2023.¹ Known clinically as “substance use disorder”, addiction is defined as a chronic disease characterized by the compulsive use of drugs or alcohol regardless of the negative consequences that may occur.²

This page will cover several different addiction-related statistics, as well as offer insight on how to help a loved one who is struggling with addiction. 

What are the Main Risk Factors For Addiction?

There is no single factor that causes addiction, rather there are several risk factors that may influence that outcome.⁵ Research has identified these common risk factors, including:^1,5

• Genetics, such as gender, ethnicity, and prevalence of mental health disorders, which can account for approximately 40 to 60% of a person’s risk for developing an addiction. 
• Environmental factors, including peer pressure or bullying, lack of parental supervision, and community poverty.
• How the substance is consumed, as certain methods of administration (such as injection) can influence the potential for developing an addiction. 
• Misusing substances at a young age (nearly 9 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 had a substance use disorder in 2023).

Generally speaking, the more risk factors a person has, the more likely they become to developing a substance use disorder at some point in their life.⁵ 

Addiction by Region of the United States

Addiction and the misuse of addictive substances occurs in all corners of the United States. However, when broken down by region, it becomes clearer exactly where this occurs. 

Addiction and Different Age Groups 

The misuse of drugs and alcohol and the development of addiction can occur regardless of age. However, getting a closer look at the numbers can help offer a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses within each age group as they pertain to substance use disorders.

Addiction Statistics for Different Substances 

As previously mentioned, 48.5 million Americans had an addiction to drugs or alcohol in 2023.¹ While some are addicted to alcohol, others are addicted to illicit drugs, prescription medications, or other substances. Find out more about which substances are most widely used throughout the United States and among whom, plus much more by reading on.

Addiction and Mental Health Statistics

Addiction and mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, often occur at the same time. In many cases, one condition exacerbates the other and vice versa. When this happens, it is known as a co-occurring disorder. 

Among the 58.7 million people ages 18 and older with any mental illness, 20.4 million of them also have a substance use disorder.¹ Additionally:

• People with a mental illness are more likely to misuse illicit substances than those who do not have a mental illness. This is true for both marijuana (37.4% vs 18.6%) and opioids (6.1% vs 2.1%).¹
• Past year illicit substance use among those with mental health conditions and those without were 42.4% vs 21%, respectively.¹
• 63% of Veterans who served in Afghanistan and/or Iraq have co-occurring substance use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).¹¹
• 6.8 Americans have a co-occurring serious mental illness (SMI) and a substance use disorder.¹ 

How to Help Someone Struggling with Addiction

If you have a friend, family member, or loved one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, know that there is opportunity to take meaningful action and help. One way to do this is by offering to speak on their behalf to a treatment center that can offer guidance and support. At American Addiction Centers, we are ready and waiting for your call so we can help  determine which level of care is most appropriate for your loved one’s needs should they decide to accept help.

At AAC, we are proud to offer a variety of levels of care for those battling with substance use disorders in our brick and mortar facilities, including:

• Medical detox.
• Inpatient addiction treatment.
• Partial hospitalization programs for addiction.
• Intensive outpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs.
• Outpatient addiction treatment programs.

Additionally, we encourage continued recovery with rehab aftercare programs and, if applicable, sober living programs, to help solidify the hard work your loved one has achieved during treatment.

Start Your Recovery 

Do not wait any longer to get yourself or a loved one the care needed to overcome active addiction. Get in touch with us right now by calling to connect with one of our kind, informed rehab admissions navigators who can guide you through the process of determining what is best for you or your loved one.

Our admissions navigators are ready to answer all of your questions, including those about logistical details (like using health insurance to pay for rehab) and much more. Make the no-obligation call to our team right now to get started on the road to recovery.