Drug dependency is a disease that has long been ignored by many Americans. Pop culture, media coverage, and an inordinate amount of rock star deaths, have solidified the American image of the stereotypical drug addict. This causes many to turn a blind eye to a problem that is all around them.

Drug dependency affects people of all ages, races, and financial standing. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the number of American teenagers abusing prescription drugs and painkillers has gone from 6.3 per 1,000 users to 32.4 per 1,000 users. The numbers for those between 18 and 25 have undergone a similar climb. These numbers do not take into account the rise in the use of drugs such as Ecstasy, DXM, GHB, and Crystal Meth.

Treating Drug Dependency

Drug dependency treatment methods have a history of low success rates. Most programs in the United States see only 10 percent of their patients quit using a drug for good after they've undergone therapy. Discouraged by the numbers, many doctors have and scientists have sought new treatments including, but not limited to, Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR). A clinic that employs the use of ANR has reported a 64% rate of patient success.

As technology advances, more doctors are viewing drug addiction as a chemical imbalance that can be overcome with proper medical techniques. The problem of drug addiction will continue to affect millions of Americans, but as new treatments are developed and specified, the medical community hopes that those who do seek treatment will only have to do so once.