drugs and alcohol facts week

Typically, a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder doesn’t require any other type of diagnostic test. There’s a chance your doctor may order blood work to check your liver function if you show signs or symptoms of liver disease. Symptoms of alcohol use disorder are based on the behaviors and physical outcomes that occur as a result of alcohol addiction. Alcohol use disorder develops when you drink so much that chemical changes in the brain occur. These changes increase the pleasurable feelings you get when you drink alcohol.

What should I avoid while receiving Vivitrol?

We recognize that prevention happens every day, not just during the second week of May. As such, National Prevention Week is shifting to celebrate and promote your year-round prevention initiatives. SAMHSA created a new, ongoing virtual series to showcase, elevate, and celebrate the important prevention ideas, events, news, and activities that impact communities how to detox from marijuana in 2023 across the country. Throughout the year, the series will spotlight prevention organizations that are creating positive social impact, fostering collaboration, and effectively responding to the changing substance use landscape. Ultimately, enhancing the health and well-being of our communities. Many people who seek treatment are able to overcome the addiction.

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Some people may become addicted quickly, or it may happen over time. Whether or not someone becomes addicted depends on many factors. They include genetic, environmental, and developmental factors. Drugs are chemical substances that can change how your body and mind work. They include prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. People with alcohol use disorder will continue to drink even when drinking causes negative consequences, like losing a job or destroying relationships with people they love.

National Prevention Week

In an evolving public health landscape, it is critical that we prioritize data-informed prevention strategies when responding to the misuse of drugs and alcohol. In addition, individuals can overdose on alcohol, and alcohol can cause death. Over time, binge drinking can cause long-term complications, body changes, and mental health challenges. If you are considering tapering off alcohol or another substance, contact a medical doctor for support as you detox to have medical intervention during any potential withdrawal symptoms.

Partner With NIDA for NDAFW

drugs and alcohol facts week

If your event is not displayed within that time period, please send an email to Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any opioid-containing medicines for pain, cough or colds, or diarrhea. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist, which works by blocking mu opioid receptors. It also suppresses the amount of alcohol you feel like drinking by changing how your hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland work together.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW), an annual health observance, connects youth with resources about drugs, alcohol, and related health topics. Recent research tells us that how youth and young adults perceive harm from drugs and alcohol is often wrong. SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health the dangers of drinking and driving (NSDUH) from 2020 shows that 57 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 did not think there was great harm in having five or more drinks once or twice a week. Even more concerning is that as many as 62.6 percent of those in that age group did not think it was very harmful to smoke marijuana once or twice a week.

View the NDAFW Events Map

drugs and alcohol facts week

Data sources include Micromedex (updated 4 Jun 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 3 Jun 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Jun 2024) and others. You must be opioid-free before receiving Vivitrol unless your healthcare provider decides that you don’t need to go through detox first. Instead, your doctor may decide to give your injection in a medical facility that can treat you for sudden opioid withdrawal. The risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol is consumed. This drinking pattern is responsible for the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women, with the highest burden observed in countries of the European Union (EU). In the EU, cancer is the leading cause of death – with a steadily increasing incidence rate – and the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths are due to different types of cancers.

By communicating the long-term, harmful effects on the brain from using alcohol and drugs, NIDA educates teens on the importance of prevention. National Drug Abuse Awareness Month, also known as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, is an annual observance in the United States that takes place in October. The purpose of this month-long campaign is to raise awareness about the impact of substance abuse on individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. 12 step programs for addiction recovery It also aims to promote prevention efforts and encourage individuals to make informed choices about substance use. Send the proclamation to local health organizations and local government officials, including the mayor or governor and encourage them to display the proclamation, especially on their websites. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) is a week-long national health observance highlighting the science-based facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction.

Here are three steps to help guide you in working with the press. Various studies have confirmed online therapy’s effectiveness in treating those living with substance use disorders. In a literature review of 50 studies on telemedicine approaches, researchers found that most studies fully supported these interventions and that participants were enthusiastic supporters of the delivery method. Substance use disorders comprise a category of mental illnesses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This category includes several mental illnesses, including alcohol use disorder, tobacco use disorder, opioid use disorder, and others.

Teens that are interested in hosting events must partner with an adult who meets this criterion (including your parents!). NDAFW is supported by many partners, including federal agencies such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Office of Safe and Healthy Students in the U.S. Department of Education; the Health Resources & Services Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Drug Enforcement Administration in the U.S.

  1. As such, National Prevention Week is shifting to celebrate and promote your year-round prevention initiatives.
  2. Someone experiencing addiction meets at least six criteria for a substance use disorder.
  3. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) marks its 10th anniversary March 30 through April 5, 2020, encouraging communities around the country to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about substance use and addiction.
  4. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women shouldn’t drink more than one drink per day, and men shouldn’t drink more than two drinks per day.
  5. The institutes often work together on research and prevention initiatives.

As studies show the importance of destigmatizing mental health, learning more about the facts surrounding substance use disorders and addiction can help you make an impact in your community. Research shows that 60% of rural America has a shortage of mental healthcare providers. Rural America also tends to have less connection to diverse and specialized treatment options for substance use disorders. One of the ways to combat shortages and lack of diverse care is through telehealth options. Online therapists through platforms like BetterHelp offer up-to-date, evidence-based services to reach people with substance use disorders wherever they are, from the comfort of their homes.

Share this post on: