Awareness and Education: Substance Use Disorder

Awareness and education are crucial to understanding ways to prevent and effectively treat substance use disorders.

What Is Substance Use Disorder?
SAMHSA has created a Family Brochure for family members of people living with substance use disorders. It answers questions about substance use disorders, their symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. The brochure also addresses concerns of children of parents living with substance use disorders.

Not sure if you have a problem with substance use? Review these 12 key questions to determine whether you or a loved one would benefit from seeking medical treatment.

What types of treatments are available?
Treatment options can vary depending on the severity of addiction and the specific needs of the individual. It is recommended that you seek professional guidance on treatment from your doctor, a treatment provider, or a treatment referral service such as our Substance Use Resource Center Helpline. A clinical assessment is typically used to determine the recommended treatment option, but for general information, the following are some examples of potential options that may be considered.

• Withdrawal Management (Also referred to as Detoxification) – Involves a process with three essential components, which include evaluation, stabilization and fostering readiness for and entry into a substance use treatment and recovery program.

• Interim Care – Involves delivery of daily medication and emergency counseling from a facility in situations where an individual is unable to get directly admitted to a facility due to lack of availability/waitlist.

• Outpatient Care – Involves treatment and counseling for individuals that attend appointments at a treatment facility, but continue to live at their own home.

• Inpatient Care – Involves 24/7 treatment in a hospital or clinic where the individual is admitted and may stay for multiple days or multiple weeks.

• Residential Care – Involves an individual living at a facility and receiving treatment that runs over a longer course of time such as a month or a full year.

• Sober Living Home – Involves an individual living temporarily in a home/facility as a means of transitioning from intensive treatment to being ready to live independently.

• Telemedicine – Involves treatment and counseling services delivered remotely (over phone or the internet) to an individual, especially when local treatment resources are not readily available.

• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) – Involves the use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.  Click here for more information about medications used to treat Opioid Use Disorder.

What Can I Do To Prevent Opioid And Substance Use Disorder?

• Don’t share your medications or use someone else’s.
• Ask your doctor about alternative pain treatment options. Refer to our conversation starter above or use this checklist provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for questions to bring with you and ask your provider before taking opioids.
• Stop taking opioids if you don’t need them. Opioids can become addictive in as little as 5 days.
• Turn in your old medications. View this map to find a location with a drug disposal kiosk near you.