Many people entering substance abuse treatment have both substance use and mental health problems. The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) is a national data system of annual admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities. In the 2012 TEDS, psychiatric status was reported for about 1.3 million admissions. Of these admissions, about one-third (32.5 percent) had a psychiatric problem in addition to a substance use problem. Among admissions with a psychiatric problem, alcohol was the most commonly reported substance of abuse (56.7 percent), followed by marijuana (39.4 percent) and opiates (37.9 percent).1 Most admissions with a psychiatric problem reported multiple substances of abuse. These admissions included 35.2 percent of admissions that abused two substances and 29.3 percent that abused three or more substances.2
Untreated mental illness can reduce the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment.3 Because of this, it is important for people with both substance use and mental health problems who enter treatment to receive services that address both problems. To find treatment and services to treat both problems, visit SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator at http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.
Substances of Abuse | Percent |
---|---|
Alcohol | 56.7% |
Marijuana | 39.4% |
Opiates | 37.9% |
Cocaine | 26.9% |
Methamphetamine | 10.1% |
Tranquilizers | 8.0% |
Sedatives | 0.9% |
One substance | 35.1% |
Two substances | 35.2% |
Three or more substances | 29.3% |
NOTE: The percentages of the number of substances of abuse do not sum to 100 percent because no substance of abuse was reported for 0.4 percent of admissions. |