US Substance Disorders Fall to 15.3%, but 84% Still Miss Treatment
Updated
Updated · Medscape · Aug 13
US Substance Disorders Fall to 15.3%, but 84% Still Miss Treatment
3 articles · Updated · Medscape · Aug 13
Summary
NSDUH data for 2025 showed past-year substance use disorder fell to 15.3% from 16.7% in 2021, while alcohol use disorder dropped to 8.9% from 10.6%.
Only 16% of people who needed substance-use treatment received it, leaving about 39 million untreated; the most common reason was believing they could manage on their own.
Marijuana use still climbed over the period and helped push illicit drug use higher overall, while hallucinogen use rose, prescription opioid misuse fell, and illicit fentanyl use was unchanged.
Among adolescents and young adults, most behavioral health indicators improved, including declines in alcohol and marijuana use and in suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts.
Adults 26 and older moved the other way on suicide measures: 13.9 million had serious thoughts, 4.9 million made a plan, and 2.3 million attempted suicide in 2025.