Many people view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem. Parents, teens, older adults, and other members of the community tend to characterize people who take drugs as morally weak or as having criminal tendencies. They believe that drug abusers and addicts should be able to stop taking drugs if they are willing to change their behavior.

These myths have not only stereotyped those with drug-related problems, but also their families, their communities, and the health care professionals who work with them. Drug abuse and addiction comprise a public health problem that affects many people and has wide-ranging social consequences. It is NIDA’s goal to help the public replace its myths and long-held mistaken beliefs about drug abuse and drug addiction with scientific evidence that addiction is a chronic, relapsing, and treatable disease. According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health there are now 22.5 million Americans suffering from drug addiction and/or alcohol addiction. .

Without proper treatment, the prognosis is poor for those suffering from alcohol and drug addiction: the body deteriorates, the mind is damaged, and families fall apart.

Identifying and treating the disease are critical to the process of addiction recovery.

Luxury residential addiction treatment centers, or drug and alcohol treatment programs offer hope to men, women and their families suffering from the devastating consequences of chemical dependency.