On Average 15.6 Years Elapses Between When Adults in Treatment First Used a Substance and When They Were First Admitted for Treatment
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA)Men in treatment on average go longer between first use and first admission for treatment than do women. A new report shows that among the 669,000 adults admitted for substance abuse treatment for the first time last year, an average of 15.6 years had elapsed since the first time they started using the substance they were primarily being treated for. The study, Length of Time from First Use to Adult Treatment Admission, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), indicates that while the average time between first use of a substance of abuse and first treatment for it may vary by type of substance and demographic groups, in almost all cases it involves a lag time of several years.