The United States Department of Human Services measures treatment options found across the nation every year. Just below alcohol are opiates like heroin on the list of the most abused drugs landing individuals in treatment centers across the country. On the list after heroin are marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Not only will you find illegal drugs on the list of drugs mentioned in treatment centers, but pharmaceutical drug abuse is also on the rise.

At the time of this report, around sixty percent of all admissions to drug rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and other treatment centers were due to these drugs. It may be hard to believe, but in America, it is estimated that there are 20 million drug abusers in the nation. The sad news is that forty percent of the individuals admitted to drug rehabilitation centers were placed there by the criminal justice system.

As you cross the country you will find a variety of private and public drug rehabilitation centers with the majority of the facilities being private nonprofit and private for profit centers. Private only means that the centers are privately owned instead of being owned by the state. However, even these centers usually receive some type of public funding which helps them be more available to the general public. At last count in 2007, there were 13,000 drug and alcohol treatment centers in the United States including drug rehabilitation centers.

There are several different type of drug rehabilitation programs and centers all offering a wide range of methods and treatments. Some programs offer outpatient care, while other offer residential care or inpatient care such as in medical facility. In 2007, around two million individuals were treated for drug or alcohol abuse in the United States, with sixty two percent as outpatients, eighteen as residential care, and twenty percent inpatient drug detoxification.

Drug detox is for individuals that are need extra help with the life threatening withdrawal symptoms. In these cases, the individuals need medicine in order to detox without ending in a fatality. Drug detox is not enough to stop a person from using drugs again and counseling alone is not enough to help a person recover from an addiction. A quality drug rehabilitation program will benefit the whole person meaning it will address the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of a person’s life.

Today, drug rehabilitation is not just for the gangs on the street. Drug addiction crosses all society lines and is a major problem in the United States. An increase of fifty percent usage of tranquilizers between 1999 and 2000 was noted by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. No matter the reason, prescription drug abuse is on the rise, seniors over the age of 60 are 17 percent of the abusers.

If you or a loved on is having problems with drugs, you should talk with your doctor about a drug rehabilitation program. The only way to live drug free is by seeking help through a drug rehabilitation center or program.