The federal government’s newest national survey has two headlines, and they pull in opposite directions. The measured share of Americans with a substance use disorder is lower than it was a few years ago. However, only about one in six people who needed treatment received it. Both numbers matter to anyone looking for addiction treatment in Panama City, because the second one explains why so many families wait so long. It is also important to note that widespread addiction numbers could be hard to measure, and with the treatment gap so wide, some could be skeptical about a huge drop in substance abuse.

What Numbers Went Down

The 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released by SAMHSA this summer, estimates that 44.6 million people age 12 and older, or 15.3 percent, had a substance use disorder in the past year. In 2021 that figure was 16.7 percent, or 46.8 million people.

Alcohol drove much of the drop. About 25.7 million people had an alcohol use disorder in 2025, or 8.9 percent, down from 10.6 percent in 2021. Drug use disorders were different. About 26.0 million people had one, and the rate showed no change from 2021.

The survey is based on interviews with a nationwide sample, so it reflects what people are willing to report. It is still the best national date we have right now. It is also believable that things could have slightly improved since Covid.

One in Six

Among people who needed substance use treatment, 16.0 percent, or 7.6 million people, received it. Teenagers did somewhat better than adults on this measure: 22.8 percent of those ages 12 to 17 who needed treatment got it, compared with 17.1 percent of adults 26 and older. Young adults ages 18 to 25 fared worst, at 9.6 percent.

That leaves most people who met the criteria for a disorder without treatment, in every age group.

Most People Don’t Think They Need Help

The most interesting part of the survey is why the gap exists. Among adults with a substance use disorder who did not receive treatment, 94.5 percent, or 34.9 million people, did not seek it and did not think they should. Only 5.0 percent, or 1.9 million adults, wanted help and did not get it.

The pattern among teenagers was nearly the same. Of the 1.6 million adolescents with a disorder who did not get treatment, 95.1 percent did not seek help or did not think they needed it.

So most of the gap comes down to recognition rather than waiting lists or insurance, though those problems are real and we talk about them all the time here. Many people don’t see their own use as something that needs treatment, and families often notice it first.

The survey decides who “needs” treatment by applying clinical criteria, and the person answering may honestly see their situation differently. That difference is exactly what a family runs into when discussing drug and alcohol rehab and treatment in Florida.

Recovery Is Common

There is encouraging news in the same data. About 30.6 million adults, or 11.6 percent, said they do not have a drug or alcohol problem. Of those, 73.0 percent, or 22.3 million people, considered themselves in recovery or recovered. In this survey, most adults who had ever had a problem considered themselves in recovery. Very unclear if that is true in those types of numbers, but it is fair to say that millions of people are in recovery in the United States.

Florida’s Picture

SAMHSA’s state-level estimates are published separately and lag behind. Florida’s most recent figures, covering 2021 to 2023, put past-year substance use disorder at 15.2 percent of people 12 and older, a little below the 17.0 percent national average for those years. They did not report how many Floridians who needed treatment received it. We don’t have a Bay County number, but the national pattern may be a reasonable guide for the Panhandle: most people who struggle may not think they need treatment.

Starting the Conversation at Home

If someone you love seems to be struggling, the survey suggests they may not see it that way yet. That does not mean you wait. A calm, specific conversation works better than a confrontation. Pick a quiet moment, describe what you have noticed without labels, and ask what they think is going on. Offer to help them find a doctor or a counselor, and expect that the first conversation may not go anywhere.

If you want advice on how to approach it, our residential program for drug and alcohol rehab in Panama City takes calls from families as well as from people who are struggling themselves. You can call without a plan and without knowing whether the person is ready.