Addiction is a serious issue in the United States, whether it’s a drug addiction, alcohol addiction, or other type. Drug addiction has gotten worse in recent years, due to prescription opiate use, though alcohol abuse also remains a concerning issue. The effects of alcohol addiction can often be seen in broken up marriages or families, car accident fatalities, bankruptcy, and feelings of depression or isolation. In 2014, there were over 130 million people in the United States who drank alcohol regularly — and this counts minors who drink. Indeed, over 90% of people who have an addiction started smoking, drinking, or doing drugs before they turned 18. And almost three million people who have an addiction have a dependence on both alcohol and illegal drugs. Sadly, millions of people wind up in the hospital because of their addiction — and thousands more end up in the hospital due to actions (accidental or intentional) of those under the influence. Addiction treatment seems to be fairly normalized these days, with many celebrities entering rehab.
How Bad is the Drug Addiction Problem?
Most people will do drugs for the first time during their teenage years. In 2013, there were almost 8,000 new users of drugs every day (almost 3 million annually) and over half of these were minors (under 18 years old). Almost 9.5 million people said they drove under the influence of illegal drugs in 2011 and over 5 million emergency room visits that year were related in some way to drugs. In 2014, almost 50,000 people died from fatal drug overdoses.
Interestingly, many drugs that are now illegal, like cocaine, meth, and heroin started out fairly innocent before the negative effects were proven. Meth was first synthesized in 1919 from ephedrine and during the 1950s and 1960s was widely prescribed by doctors in the United States. It was used to treat obesity and used as a weight-loss aid. Heroin was actually synthesized way back in 1874 and was a product of Bayer A.G.!
Now, cocaine addiction, methamphetamine addiction, and other opiate addiction are huge problems in almost every sector of American society.
Today, the landscape of addiction has been significantly altered, even over the last ten years. In 2012, there were over 250 million painkiller prescriptions written — 400% more than ten years ago.
What’s Being Done For Addiction Treatment?
There are plenty of ways for users to seek addiction treatment, with focus groups like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), rehab centers, painless detox centers, and other cleansing and holistic places of treatment offering addicts a chance to sober up and get clean.
A fascinating new form of addiction treatment is that of ibogaine detox. Ibogaine is a psychoactive substance found naturally in plants known as tabernanthe iboga . Research has proven that it can help interrupt addiction for substances like heroin, meth, cocaine, alcohol, and other substances, reducing cravings for these substances. In terms of opiate addiction, ibogaine treatment has been shown to get rid of as much as 98% of opiate withdrawal symptoms and reduce post-acute withdrawal syndrome.
Why Do People Like Ibogaine Treatment So Much?
For one thing, ibogaine treatment is a relatively painless form of detox, as the ibogaine helps alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal, which can be one of the most painful parts of getting clean. Most centers are also very expensive and so patients are treated in the lap of luxury, which certainly is a draw for many patients. Ibogaine’s track record also seems to be fairly successful, which is appealing for both patients and their families.
Naturally, you want to make sure that the facility you’re visiting is licensed, fully certified and registered, clinically managed and medically based. Staff should be present at all times to monitor your treatment and recovery. Doing your research before entering such a facility is very important.

If you’re struggling with addiction, don’t let take over your life. Even if you’re a “high-functioning” addict, addiction only goes one way: downhill. Take action now and find a treatment that will get you clean and sober. Commitment is half the battle as well. Alternative treatments like ibogaine might also be worth looking into.