SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

Also visit the online treatment locator.

Frequently Asked Questions

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SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

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Suggested Resources

What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families
Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems. Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.

It’s Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, “It’s not your fault!” and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative’s suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.

Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
Explores the role of family therapy in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse. Explains how family therapy sessions are run and who conducts them, describes a typical session, and provides information on its effectiveness in recovery.

For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

Last Updated

Last Updated: 06/09/2023

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

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Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.

The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. NSDUH estimates allow researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health. These reports and detailed tables present estimates from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Alcohol

Data:

• Among the 133.1 million current alcohol users aged 12 or older in 2021, 60.0 million people (or 45.1%) were past month binge drinkers. The percentage of people who were past month binge drinkers was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (29.2% or 9.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (22.4% or 49.3 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (3.8% or 995,000 people). (2021 NSDUH)
• Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 15.1% (or 5.9 million people) were past month alcohol users. Estimates of binge alcohol use and heavy alcohol use in the past month among underage people were 8.3% (or 3.2 million people) and 1.6% (or 613,000 people), respectively. (2021 NSDUH)
• In 2020, 50.0% of people aged 12 or older (or 138.5 million people) used alcohol in the past month (i.e., current alcohol users) (2020 NSDUH)
• Among the 138.5 million people who were current alcohol users, 61.6 million people (or 44.4%) were classified as binge drinkers and 17.7 million people (28.8% of current binge drinkers and 12.8% of current alcohol users) were classified as heavy drinkers (2020 NSDUH)
• The percentage of people who were past month binge alcohol users was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (31.4%) compared with 22.9% of adults aged 26 or older and 4.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
• Excessive alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of stroke, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, cancer, and other serious health conditions
• Excessive alcohol use can also lead to risk-taking behavior, including driving while impaired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver daily

Programs/Initiatives:

• STOP Underage Drinking interagency portal – Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
• Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
• Talk. They Hear You.
• Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts
• Talking with your College-Bound Young Adult About Alcohol

Relevant links:

• National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
• Department of Transportation Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance
• Alcohol Policy Information Systems Database (APIS)
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Tobacco

Data:

• In 2020, 20.7% of people aged 12 or older (or 57. 3 million people) used nicotine products (i.e., used tobacco products or vaped nicotine) in the past month (2020 NSDUH)
• Among past month users of nicotine products, nearly two thirds of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (63.1%) vaped nicotine but did not use tobacco products. In contrast, 88.9% of past month nicotine product users aged 26 or older used only tobacco products (2020 NSDUH)
• Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other serious illnesses. The CDC reports that cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States
• The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health reports that more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking cigarettes

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use data:

• In 2021, 13.2 million people aged 12 or older (or 4.7%) used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. The percentage of people who vaped nicotine was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (14.1% or 4.7 million people), followed by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (5.2% or 1.4 million people), then by adults aged 26 or older (3.2% or 7.1 million people).
• Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 11.0% (or 4.3 million people) used tobacco products or used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. Among people in this age group, 8.1% (or 3.1 million people) vaped nicotine, 5.4% (or 2.1 million people) used tobacco products, and 3.4% (or 1.3 million people) smoked cigarettes in the past month. (2021 NSDUH)
• Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among both middle and high school students, current use of e-cigarettes declined from 2019 to 2020, reversing previous trends and returning current e-cigarette use to levels similar to those observed in 2018
• E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, or pregnant women, especially because they contain nicotine and other chemicals

Resources:

• Tips for Teens: Tobacco
• Tips for Teens: E-cigarettes
• Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings
• Synar Amendment Program

Links:

• Truth Initiative
• FDA Center for Tobacco Products
• CDC Office on Smoking and Health
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: E-Cigarettes

Opioids

Data:

• Among people aged 12 or older in 2021, 3. 3% (or 9.2 million people) misused opioids (heroin or prescription pain relievers) in the past year. Among the 9.2 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 8.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers compared with 1.1 million people who used heroin. These numbers include 574,000 people who both misused prescription pain relievers and used heroin in the past year. (2021 NSDUH)
• Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 3.4% (or 9.5 million people) misused opioids in the past year. Among the 9.5 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 9.3 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 902,000 people used heroin (2020 NSDUH)
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Understanding the Epidemic, an average of 128 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose

Resources:

• Medications for Substance Use Disorders
• Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
• TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
• Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings
• Opioid Use Disorder and Pregnancy
• Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants
• The Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction
• Pregnancy Planning for Women Being Treated for Opioid Use Disorder
• Tips for Teens: Opioids
• Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants
• Tribal Opioid Response Grants
• Provider’s Clinical Support System – Medication Assisted Treatment Grant Program

Links:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioids
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Heroin
• HHS Prevent Opioid Abuse
• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
• Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
• Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network

Marijuana

Data:

• In 2021, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug, with 18. 7% of people aged 12 or older (or 52.5 million people) using it in the past year. The percentage was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (35.4% or 11.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (17.2% or 37.9 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (10.5% or 2.7 million people).
• The percentage of people who used marijuana in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (34.5%) compared with 16.3% of adults aged 26 or older and 10.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
• Marijuana can impair judgment and distort perception in the short term and can lead to memory impairment in the long term
• Marijuana can have significant health effects on youth and pregnant women.

Resources:

• Know the Risks of Marijuana
• Marijuana and Pregnancy
• Tips for Teens: Marijuana

Relevant links:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana
• Addiction Technology Transfer Centers on Marijuana
• CDC Marijuana and Public Health

Emerging Trends in Substance Misuse:

• Methamphetamine—In 2019, NSDUH data show that approximately 2 million people used methamphetamine in the past year. Approximately 1 million people had a methamphetamine use disorder, which was higher than the percentage in 2016, but similar to the percentages in 2015 and 2018. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Data shows that overdose death rates involving methamphetamine have quadrupled from 2011 to 2017. Frequent meth use is associated with mood disturbances, hallucinations, and paranoia.
• Cocaine—In 2019, NSDUH data show an estimated 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were past users of cocaine, including about 778,000 users of crack. The CDC reports that overdose deaths involving have increased by one-third from 2016 to 2017. In the short term, cocaine use can result in increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability. In the long term, severe medical complications of cocaine use include heart attacks, seizures, and abdominal pain.
• Kratom—In 2019, NSDUH data show that about 825,000 people had used Kratom in the past month. Kratom is a tropical plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia with leaves that can have psychotropic effects by affecting opioid brain receptors. It is currently unregulated and has risk of abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that health effects of Kratom can include nausea, itching, seizures, and hallucinations.

Resources:

• Tips for Teens: Methamphetamine
• Tips for Teens: Cocaine
• National Institute on Drug Abuse

More SAMHSA publications on substance use prevention and treatment.

Last Updated

Last Updated: 06/20/2023

Quotes from Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Drinking📚 – best aphorisms, sayings and catchphrases – MyBook.

Quotes from Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Drinking📚 – Best Aphorisms, Sayings and Catchphrases – MyBook.

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1. Home
2. Health
3. ⭐️Allen Carr
4. 📚The easy way to quit drink
5. Quotes from the book

Alcohol never gave you courage or confidence, it only seemed so to you. In fact, he has been stealthily and systematically destroying your will and dignity for years.

March 2, 2018

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The more you pay attention to the reasons for giving up alcohol, the more deprived and unhappy you feel during periods of abstinence (forbidden fruit effect) and during periods of binge (guilt complex).

February 16, 2017

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The same with alcohol – you don’t like the drink itself, but the cessation of irritation from the desire to drink

July 5, 2019

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ears is to exaggerate the so-called advantages and downplay the disadvantages.

February 14, 2017

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If people could see the true essence of alcohol, not a single person, even the most complete idiot in the world, would drink a drop.

August 29, 2016

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The fact is that the main effect of alcohol is to dull the ability to perceive and evaluate. Therefore, alcohol seriously hinders your ability to experience true pleasure.

June 3, 2019

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Because with physical and moral depression, any bump becomes an impregnable rock, small difficulties seem like a disaster, and the slightest problem can be the last straw that overflows the cup.

November 20, 2018

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It’s hard for people who don’t drink to understand how you can deliberately pour real poison into yourself in liters, then vomit everything out of your body and fall off your feet, drunk to a dead state. At the same time, the victim explains: “Why am I drinking? Because I like it, it helps to communicate. ”

November 20, 2018

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The first attitude is that the human mind and body are physically very weak and defective. To enjoy life and overcome stress, they need outside help. Hence the belief that additional chemicals are needed to compensate for our inferiority. The essence of the second attitude is that alcohol compensates for imaginary weaknesses and shortcomings, although in fact it only creates new ones. The third setting is that we are smarter than the forces that created us. Isn’t that arrogance!

March 31, 2018

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I quickly realized that discussing a problem with a drinker who doesn’t know they have the problem is a waste of time. I am only interested in helping people like you who are aware of their problem and are looking for a solution.

December 26, 2017

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Read the book: The Easy Way to Stop Drinking

Allen Carr

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Quotes from Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Drinking – Litres

Quotes 75

Remember well: alcohol does not relieve stress. On the contrary, it is one of its main causes.

“you can fool all the people some of the time, or you can fool some people all the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time!” “I’ve known him for years, but I didn’t even know he was drinking until I saw him sober one day.” It is the variety of drug “habits” that prompts some “experts” to single out different types of drunkards. But that makes no more sense than trying to analyze the types of mice that get caught in a mousetrap. “I don’t smoke, so why don’t I have a drink?”

It’s like saying “I didn’t cut off my leg, so why not cut off my arm?” It’s like buying a new car – the turn signal switch will be where the old one had a horn: I’m sure the manufacturers do it on purpose . For a while, instead of turning on the turn signals, you will honk. The rest of the drivers will think in bewilderment: “And why is he buzzing? This idiot is turning right, but he didn’t turn on his turn signal.” I pride myself on keeping my cool on the road. The one-only time I was cut off, I gave a signal, but there was no sound – instead, jets of water flooded the windshield. There was nothing wrong with that, but now every time I get cut, I have to put up with Joyce’s words: “Pour it on, Allen.” Four things are never too much: time, energy, love and money. Alcohol destroys it all.

First of all, I want you to reduce your dose or stop drinking altogether, not because alcohol kills you, ruins your life and costs a fortune. Most importantly, I would like you to do this for selfish reasons, because

YOU CAN HAVE MUCH MORE PLEASURE FROM LIFE!

The worst thing that can happen is failure. In this case, your situation will not become worse than the one from which you started.

Over the years of alcohol and nicotine abuse, I practically did not get sick, but I managed to completely forget that state when energy is in full swing: to overflow with joy from life itself! It seemed to me that it was lost forever along with youth.

AA clearly contradicts itself. On the basis of what scientific data do they declare with such confidence that this disease is incurable, even if they cannot give an exact definition of the disease itself and determine whether you are alcoholic or not? There is no cure, but recovery is possible. What is the difference between a cure and a cure? Why does a person who has not taken a drop of alcohol in his mouth for 20 years and has no intention of drinking again begins his monologue with the phrase: “I am an alcoholic”? And a person who collapses drunk after six liters of beer is not considered an alcoholic – he just relaxes on the weekends. On the other hand, an office worker who occasionally drinks his flask during work hours is automatically labeled an alcoholic.

Old age does not exist. If you are lucky with your health and you can enjoy life, what difference does it make whether you are 2 or 92 years old? The main thing is not the number of days lived, but the age that you feel. At 46, I considered myself a deep old man, and now, when I am over 70, I feel like a boy again. Moreover, without any anxiety, I look forward to many more happy and exciting years ahead. The only significant difference between “then” and “now” is that I stopped poisoning my body every day. It was like a breakthrough from a black and white nightmare, saturated with fear and gloom, into the world of sun, color, trust, health and freedom.

It doesn’t matter if your work is full of stress or you are languishing from the monotony, because alcohol creates the illusion of getting rid of both stress and boredom. Whatever your story is, it all comes down to one. You, like a fly in a plant trap, have only one way: down. The cumulative consequences of poisoning are a constant increase in the dose, premature aging and loss of shape

Let’s see what the experts say. There are few doctors in the world as famous as cardiac surgery pioneer Dr. Christian Barnard.[6] Let’s consider his point of view: “The process of becoming an alcoholic can take from 2 to 60 years, although on average it takes from 10 to 15 years.