Two non-profits, Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust, published a report earlier this year which paints a heartbreaking picture of the reality of many millennials with an addiction in the United States. According to the report, which is an analysis of data from the CDC, millennials are the age demographic who are most likely to die from alcohol and drug abuse. Millennials are most often defined as people who were born between the years 1981 and 1996, although some definitions expand the category to include those who were born up through the year 2000.
The tragic death toll which drugs and alcohol have inflicted upon millennials isn’t a mere coincidence. The report suggests several factors that are leading the age group into the kind of hopelessness and despair which typically sparks substance use disorders. Generally, millennials are struggling with a variety of hardships, including:
- Overwhelming student loan debt
- Unemployment
- Difficulty establishing a career
- High housing costs
- Expensive healthcare and health insurance
- Loss of potential income and savings stemming from the Great Recession
- Raising young children on low wages
The Report’s Recommendations to Help Millennials With Addiction
The Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust report offers multiple recommendations for how healthcare centers, governments, and communities all over the country can help millennials enjoy better mental health, obtain easier access to health care, and obtain support for overcoming drug and alcohol addiction. The recommendations are meant to lower the number of people who develop addictions and die from substance abuse.
Some of the report’s recommendations include:
- Preventing and addressing childhood trauma
- Removing barriers to treatment in rural areas
- Offering behavioral health screenings at colleges and universities
- Increasing Medicaid coverage and health insurance for addiction treatment
- Expanding and continuing suicide prevention programs within the healthcare system
- Creating mental health and drug courts in every state
- Strengthening policies to prevent underage adults and teenagers from buying alcohol
At Asana Recovery, we understand how difficult recovering from these addictions through our daily work to help those struggling most from this disease. While some may believe they can make it alone, rehabilitation programs are essential in the fight to break the dependency. The road ahead is not a smooth or easy one, but you can traverse it if done so with the support of the right team. Counseling and aftercare processes can assist you by addressing the psychological facets that led you to addiction and help you build a structure from which to better cope with life without succumbing to addiction.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
