Two decades ago, when National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month)
first began, the world was a different place. The Internet had not yet emerged as a common resource for information on any topic, much less about substance use disorders. Additionally, barriers such as a lack of transportation in rural areas were more likely to keep people from accessing treatment services than they are today, thanks in part to the emergence of the Internet.1
With this in mind, this guide will help you, your friends, family, and members of your community take better advantage of the resources available online. The following sections outline how the Internet can be a helpful tool, the steps you can take to use it most effectively to find support, and the challenges it presents – and what you can do to help.
This information is provided as part of Recovery Month, which is supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Each September, Recovery Month encourages communities nationwide to encourage improved access to treatment services, support people with substance use disorders and their families, and celebrate those in recovery, along with their families, friends, and treatment providers.
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The Opportunities: How the Internet Can Help People in Need
As you use the Internet as a resource to help yourself or someone in need, remember that:
- Addiction is a disease that should be treated like any other health problem, and recovery can come in many forms.2, 3
- The Internet can help foster a holistic and recovery-oriented approach to overcome substance use disorders that uses a wide range of age-, gender-, culturally, faith-based, and drug-appropriate services to help people recover physically, mentally, and spiritually.
- However, many people who need treatment do not receive it, sometimes because they are afraid others in their community or workplace would have a negative opinion of them.4 Yet in reality, less than one-fifth of people said in a recent survey that they would think less of a friend or relative if they discovered that person is in recovery from addiction.5
In light of these misconceptions, many people find comfort in the anonymity of the Internet:
- Approximately five times more people look for information online about alcohol and drug problems than those who receive in-person specialty treatment.6,
7
- Research suggests that treatment satisfaction is the same whether treatment is provided via Internet-based counseling or through on-site group counseling. In fact, some people prefer Internet-based services because of convenience and increased confidentiality.8
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How to Use the Internet to Get Help
Ask yourself the following questions before jumping into a particular online community or recommending
it to others:
- What kind of information is required to join the community? Carefully review a Web site’s privacy policy to ensure that information is not distributed to third parties.
- Can I see my loved one or myself fitting in? Look at the types of responses and support provided by others in the group.
- What kind of oversight does the group have?
Check to see if licensed treatment and recovery counselors actively oversee the conversation and participate in it.
- Does the Web site offer additional, offline resources?
Some sites offer helplines or other resources where you can interact with people offline as well.
Online resources to help cope with a substance use disorder can be found at the end of this document.
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The Challenges of the Online World for People With Substance Use Disorders
Although the Internet can be a positive resource, some people are using it to share new trends and methods of substance use and to obtain drugs; prescription drugs are among the most popular substances discussed online. In 2008, 365 Web sites advertised or offered controlled prescription drugs for sale online; 85 percent of these did not require a prescription.9
Videos and other online resources specifically draw attention to how to misuse over-the-counter (OTC) medicines:
- In 2006, about 3.1 million people aged 12 to 25 (or 5.3 percent of the population) said they had used OTC cough and cold medications to get high during their lifetimes.10
- People use social networking sites, such as MySpace, YouTube, LiveJournal, and Facebook, to post detailed instructions, conversations, and videos of youths misusing cough medicine.11
If you suspect that someone you know has a problem with alcohol and/or drugs, talk with that person about any online habits. If you share a computer, look at your Web browser’s history to find out if the sites visited include ideas about how to misuse various substances. Even if you do not share a computer, raise the subject and encourage them to be open with you about their experiences. Do your part to help them get the treatment and support they need.
At the same time, if you are planning Recovery Month events, use the Internet to help
you promote this initiative. Add a link to the Recovery Month
Web site at http://www.recoverymonth.gov to your electronic “signature,” use online forums to organize Recovery Month
events, and link to the Recovery Month site from your
own.
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Online Treatment and Recovery Resources
Another important resource is SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP, for toll-free
information and treatment referrals in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day.
Click here for a longer version of this guide. Information on treatment options and special services in your area can be found at http://www.samhsa.gov/treatment, a portal that includes a database of more than 11,000 U.S. treatment facilities and additional treatment resources, as well as by calling 1-800-662-HELP.
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Sources
1 Torres, I., et al. “Accessing Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Online.” Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Road to Recovery Webcast Series, August 6, 2008.
2 Pathways of Addiction: Opportunities in Drug Abuse Research. National Academy Press. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine, 1996.
3 Venner, K.L., Matzger, H., Forcehimes, A.A., Moos, R.H., Feldstein, S.W., Willenbring, M.L., et al. “Course of recovery from alcoholism.” Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 30, 2006, pp. 1079-1090.
4 Results From the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. DHHS Publication No. (SMA) 08-4343. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, September 2008, pp. 80, 82.
5 Summary Report: CARAVAN® Survey for SAMHSA on Addictions and Recovery. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Communications, 2008, p.1.
6 Fox, Susannah. Online Health Searches 2006. Pew Internet and American Life Project, October 29, 2006, pp. i, 4.
7 Results From the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, 2008, p. 77.
8 King et al. “Assessing the effectiveness of an Internet-based videoconferencing platform for delivering intensified substance abuse counseling.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, September 2008, e-publication.
9 You’ve Got Drugs! Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet. National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, July 2008, pp. 1, 2.
10 The NSDUH Report: Misuse of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications Among Persons Aged 12 to 25. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, January 10, 2008, p. 1.
11 “Learn About Cough Medicine Abuse.” Five Moms: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Web site: http://www.fivemoms.com/learn-about-cough-medicine-abuse. Accessed September 18, 2008.
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