Understanding Addiction
NCADD is the leading advocacy organization in the world addressing alcoholism and drug dependence. Since its founding in 1944, NCADD has raised public awareness about addiction throughout the United States and increasingly across the global community.
Addiction Resources
Call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
For Emergencies call 911
Am I an Alcoholic Quiz
Am I Addicted to Drugs Quiz
Substance Abuse Quiz for Teens
Find a rehab near you
Find an AA or NA Meeting Near You
Support Groups for Friends & Family of Addicts
Addiction Education
Frequently Asked Questions From Young People
Why is age of first use of alcohol so critically important? Kids who start drinking alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol abuse or dependence than people who first used alcohol at age 21 or older. A study published in the Archives...
Family History and Genetics
Why do some people become addicted to alcohol and drugs and others do not? Whether a person decides to use alcohol or drugs is a personal choice, influenced by multiple biological, familial, psychological and sociocultural factors. But, once a person uses alcohol...
Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace
Alcohol and drug use among employees and their family members can be an expensive problem for business and industry, with issues ranging from lost productivity, absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, theft and low employee morale, to an increase in health care, legal...
Alcohol, Drugs, and Crime
The use of alcohol and drugs can negatively affect all aspects of a person’s life, impact their family, friends and community, and place an enormous burden on American society. One of the most significant areas of risk with the use of alcohol and drugs is the...
Driving While Impaired – Alcohol and Drugs
FACT: An estimated 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian. (NHTSA) FACT: 3,952 fatally injured drivers tested positive for drug involvement. (FARS) FACT: Over 1.2 million drivers were arrested in 2011 for driving under the...
Alcoholism, Drug Dependence, and Co-Occurring Disorders
When a person has both an alcohol/drug problem and a mental health issue such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, it is called a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis. Dealing with alcoholism or drug dependence is never easy, and it’s even more difficult...
For Parents: What to Look For
Do you suspect that your child is abusing alcohol or using drugs? Are you worried? Have you noticed some changes with your child? As a parent, it is normal to be concerned. Here are some of the warning signs to look for: Physical and health signs of...
Signs & Symptoms
The use and abuse of alcohol and drugs are serious issues that should not be ignored or minimized. If left untreated, use and abuse can develop into drug dependence or alcoholism. As a result, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug...
Alcoholism, Drug Dependence, and Veterans
Members of the armed forces are not immune to the drug and alcohol problems that affect the rest of society. According to a Department of Defense Health Behavior Survey, while illegal drug use has declined, prescription drug abuse and heavy alcohol use have increased....
Marijiana
Marijuana is the most commonly used and abused illicit drug in the U.S., particularly among adolescents and young adults. In fact, teens’ perceptions of the risks of marijuana use have steadily declined over the past decade, possibly related to increasing public...
Prescription Drugs
Taking prescription drugs not prescribed for you by a doctor or in a way that hasn't been recommended by a doctor, can be more dangerous than you think. In fact, it can be fatal. Prescription drugs are the third most commonly abused category of drugs, behind...
What is Treatment?
What is treatment — and does it work? The good news is that no matter how severe the alcohol or drug problem may seem, most people with a substance use disorder can benefit from some form of treatment. In the past, society viewed alcoholism and drug addiction as a...
Understanding Drug Addiction
What Is Drug Addiction? Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. Although the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary...
Wine for Your Health: Truth and Myth
Cutting through the Clutter about Heart Health The following outline formed a webinar that NCADD presented in August 2015 as part of Cigna’s Alcohol and Drug Awareness Series. The presentation focused on the impacts of wine as it relates to cancer and cardiac health,...
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can disrupt fetal development at any stage during a woman’s pregnancy -- including the earliest stages before she even knows that she is pregnant. Whether it is a wine cooler, a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, any kind or amount of...
Alcohol Energy Drinks
Alcohol energy drinks (AEDs) or Caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) are premixed beverages containing not only alcohol but caffeine and other stimulants. Sold in tall, narrow cans similar to non-alcoholic energy drinks, they are very popular among young people...
Facts About Alcohol
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol...
Understanding Addiction
What is Addiction? What You Need to Know About Addiction in Four Minutes: Addiction Policy Forum Releases Dramatic, Understandable Video on Opioids' Brain Impact, Prevention, and Treatment. Want to better understand the brain science of #addiction? Watch this short...
Facts About Drugs
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 20 million Americans aged 12 or older used an illegal drug in the past 30 days. This estimate represents 8% percent of the population aged 12 years old or older. Illicit drugs...
Alcohol, Drug Dependence, and Seniors
There are many reasons elderly people may turn to alcohol or drugs in later life. Children grow up and leave home. It becomes necessary to give up a job or move to a smaller home. Friends grow fewer and farther apart. Physical health fails. A partner of many years...
Ten Tips for Prevention for Youth
As a young person, you are faced with many challenges. However, very few have the potential to affect your life in a more significant way than the decisions you make about alcohol and drugs. The decisions you make about alcohol and drugs will influence your health,...
The Real Story About Alcohol and Other Drugs
As a young person, you’ll hear everything there is to hear about alcohol and other drugs from friends, your brother or sister or other young people. Unfortunately, much of what you hear from them is based on myth and misconception and, as a result, it may not always...
Alcohol, Drugs, and Youth
There is no single age group of people more affected by alcohol and drugs than young people. In some ways it feels like it is an issue everywhere: for you, your family and your friends. Plain and simple, try as you might, you cannot escape the issues...
Underage and College Drinking
FACT: Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth. More kids try alcohol than try cigarettes and a substantial number of young people begin drinking at very young ages. FACT: Adolescents drink less frequently than adults, but...
Alcoholism, Drug Dependence, and Women
Women are the fastest-growing segment of alcohol and drug users in the United States. In fact, up to 4.5 million women over age 12 in the U.S. have a substance use disorder, 3.5 million misuse prescription drugs, and 3.1 million regularly use illicit drugs. Each year,...