What Do the Most Recent Overdose and Addiction Statistics Show?
In the United States, drug overdoses are one of the leading causes of death in adults and have risen over the past several decades. The National Center for Health Statistics recently released the latest 2024 report on drug overdose deaths in the United States between 2002 and 2022. While overdose numbers remain significantly higher than in previous decades, the annual death rates have stabilized in more recent years.
Key findings from the report include:
- Between 2002 and 2022, the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased from 8.2 deaths per 100,000 people to 32.6.
- Between 2021 and 2022, the age-adjusted overdose rate did not significantly change.
- The overdose death rate decreased between 2021 and 2022 for people aged 15 to 34
- The overdose death rate increased between 2021 and 2022 for people 35 and older.
- Between 2021 and 2022, the death rate of synthetic opioids other than methadone jumped by 4 percent, while the rates for cocaine and psychostimulants with abuse potential also increased.
How Many People Die From Drug Overdoses Each Year?
The report provides the number of people who die each year due to overdoses, with the most recent data from 2022:
- 2022: 107,941 deaths
- 2021: 106,699 deaths
- 2020: 91,799 deaths
- 2019: 70,630 deaths
- 2018: 67,376 deaths
Age Groups With Overdose Deaths on the Rise
Among specific age groups, key findings included:
- Overdose death rates increased by 10% for adults aged 65 and older between 2021 and 2022. Despite the increase, this age group still had the lowest overdose death rate at 13.2 deaths per 100,000.
- Adults aged 35 to 44 were the group with the highest overall death rate at 62 deaths per 100,000 between 2021 and 2022.
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The Most Recent Addiction Statistics and Overdose Trends
Recent Trends in Opioid Overdoses
Across age groups, synthetic opioid overdoses remained relatively stable between 2002 and 2013. The brief includes fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and tramadol in the total but excludes methadone. The number began to rise at different rates of change between 2014 and 2022.
Other opioid-related findings were:
- The heroin overdose death rate decreased by 35.7 percent between 2021 and 2022.
- The overdose death rate involving natural and semisynthetic opioids, such as morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, decreased by 12.5% in 2022.
Recent Trends in Cocaine Overdoses
- The age-adjusted overdose death rate for cocaine increased slightly between 2002 and 2006, decreased to its lowest point in 2010, then started climbing until hitting a peak in 2022.
- The overall cocaine overdose death rate increased from 7.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 to 8.2 in 2022.
Recent Trends in Psychostimulant Overdoses
The brief lists methamphetamine, amphetamine, and methylphenidate as psychostimulants with abuse potential.
- Between 2002 and 2022, the age-adjusted overdose death rate involving psychostimulants increased by more than 3400%, rising from 0.3 deaths per 100,000 to 10.4.
- The psychostimulant overdose death rose by 4% from 2021 to 2022, from 10.0 per 100,000 to 10.4.
Key Terminology To Know About Addiction Statistics
The brief includes helpful terminology to offer a better understanding of the complex nature of overdose deaths and addiction. It’s important to note that not all deaths counted in the data were the result of addiction.
- Drug poisoning (overdose) deaths: Includes deaths resulting from unintentional or intentional overdose of a drug, being given the wrong drug, taking a drug in error, or taking a drug inadvertently.
- Natural and semisynthetic opioids: Includes drugs such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.
- Psychostimulants with abuse potential: Includes drugs such as methamphetamine, amphetamine, and methylphenidate.
- Synthetic opioids other than methadone: Includes drugs such as fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and tramadol.
What To Do When Rehab Isn’t Realistic
If your loved one is struggling with substance or alcohol addiction and conventional residential rehab hasn’t been effective, please know there are other options to help. While residential rehab offers a structured environment and resources like therapy and addiction education, it doesn’t work for everyone. Busy lives, family responsibilities, and the need for personalized care can make it hard for some people to fit into the rigidity of residential treatment.
Consider a more creative recovery path with at-home addiction treatment. The ALYST approach combines the benefits of residential and outpatient care, offering resources like 24/7 Certified Recovery Agents and holistic case management in the comfort of your home. We craft a flexible, personalized treatment plan that helps your loved one learn to cope with daily life while staying in a safe, familiar environment.
The road to recovery requires a strong support system. Building a team of recovery professionals, preparing for detox if necessary, and helping your loved one integrate coping skills into their daily routine are crucial steps. Your support and encouragement can make all the difference.
Addiction Recovery That Starts Right at Your Doorstep
ALYST Health delivers the peer guidance and clinical resources needed for sustainable sobriety right to your doorstep. Reach out to our experts to discuss how our compassionate, concierge treatment options can help you take the next step in supporting your loved one towards sobriety and preventing them from becoming another addiction statistic.
