First-Time and Repeat Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment

In 2006, nearly one-quarter (22 percent) of all individuals admitted to substance abuse treatment were aged 18 to 25, according to a new report from the Drug and Alcohol Service Information System (DASIS). Relapse to substance use after a period of abstinence is a common pattern among substance abusers. Many are admitted to substance abuse treatment multiple times before they achieve long-term abstinence. Individuals who are re-admitted to treatment (i.e., repeat admissions) often exhibit different substance use and socioeconomic characteristics than individuals admitted to treatment for the first time.