Latest Research and Statistics
Check out the linked articles and resources to find the latest research and statistics worldwide regarding heroin and opiod addiction, PTSD and trauma recovery and plant medicines.
Heroin & Opioids
An estimated 13.5 million people in the world take opioids (opium-like substances), including 9.2 million who use heroin.
The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported 153,000 current heroin users in the US in 2007. Other estimates give figures as high as 900,000.
Opiates, mainly heroin, account for 18% of the admissions for drug and alcohol treatment in the US.
Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is costly to our Nation, exacting more than $740 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work, productivity and health care.
Suicide
Anyone who is suffering from PTSD is at an incredibly high risk for suicide.
24% of individuals who were confronted with sexual assault as a child attempted suicide throughout their lifetime.
Data from the National Vital Statistics System, a collaboration between the National Center for Health Statistics of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and each US state, provides the best estimate of suicides.
From 1999-2010, the suicide rate in the US population among males was 19.4 per 100,000, compared to 4.9 per 100,000 in females.
Based on the most recent data available, in fiscal year 2009, the suicide rate among male Veteran VA users was 38.3 per 100,000, compared to 12.8 per 100,000 in females.
Chronic Stress
According to the American Psychological Association, one third of Americans are experiencing chronic stress, a condition of constant and prolonged stress that has a severe impact on health and livelihood if left untreated.
In America, nearly 50% of adults report that stress has a negative impact on both their professional and personal lives, as well as their relationships.
Stress is the #1 cause of chronic disease and the underlying factor in many health problems plaguing society today, including: depression, diabetes, coronary vascular disease, obesity, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, and cognitive impairment. Stress may enhance the risk of illness and age-related diseases.
PTSD, Anxiety & Depression
An estimated 8% of Americans − 24.4 million people − have PTSD at any given time. That is equal to the total population of Texas.
An estimated one out of every nine women develops PTSD, making them about twice as likely as men.
PTSD affects about 7.7 million American adults in a given year, though the disorder can develop at any age including childhood. Symptoms include strong and unwanted memories of the event, bad dreams, emotional numbness, intense guilt or worry, angry outbursts, feeling “on edge,” and avoiding thoughts and situations that are reminders of the trauma.
According to RAND Corporation, at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or depression. 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.
Breakthroughs in Treatment
In August 2017, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) announced that the FDA has designated MDMA as a “Breakthrough Therapy.”
This means that “preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies,” as per the FDA. Essentially, the evidence of multiple peer-reviewed clinical trials supports the use of this drug in treating PTSD.
New research using human minibrains has revealed that a hallucinogenic compound known as 5-MeO-DMT triggers changes in neuronal signaling pathways associated with inflammation, neural plasticity, and neurodegeneration. The discovery is critically important now, because various studies have found benefits from psychedelic use, but have been unable to parse out how and why these compounds have produced specific positive effects.