A NEW KIND of Addict

We’ve all heard about people who are addicted to alcohol, drugs or even gambling–but the NEW kind of addict get his stash from his physician, in the form of prescription drugs. Sometimes these addicts O.D., as in the cases of Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson.

A new report shows that while the overall rate of substance abuse treatment admissions among those aged 12 and older in the US has remained nearly the same from 1999 to 2009, there has been a dramatic rise (430%!) in the rate of treatment admissions for the abuse of prescription pain relievers during this period. The rate of treatment admissions linked to these drugs rose from 10 per 100,000 in the population in 1999 to 53 per 100,000 population in 2009.

This occurred in every region of the country, but was highest in the states of Maine, Vermont, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Arkansas, Rhode Island, and West Virginia, places not known for drug abuse of the ORDINARY kind. Are the residents of those places smug because they don’t have streets teeming with addicts, while they have SECRET addicts popping pills in their bathrooms at home?

Researcher Pamela S. Hyde says, "While some aspects of substance abuse treatment admissions have changed–meeting the overall need remains an essential public health priority. The increasing numbers of people entering treatment for prescription drug abuse is the latest indicator of the severity of the problem. Concerned family members or friends who think a substance abuse problem may exist should seek help. Treatment is effective and people recover."

People recover from addiction but unknowncountry.com may NOT recover, and if we’re gone tomorrow, you’ll know why–it can be summed up in one word: NEGLECT. Have Whitley and Anne fended off so many attacks over the years, only to die from neglect today? Only YOU can change that: Subscribe today!