By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Healthcare Costs Involved in Treating Drug Addiction
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > Healthcare Costs Involved in Treating Drug Addiction
BusinessFinanceGlobal HealthcareHome HealthHospital AdministrationMedical InnovationsNewsPublic HealthWellness

Healthcare Costs Involved in Treating Drug Addiction

viabrain
viabrain
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

What is Addiction Costing You?

Contents
  • The Cost of Recovery
  • The Cost of Illness
  • The Cost of Lost Trust

Drug abuse costs our nation almost $500B a year. The type of expenses range from the obvious to the surprising to the gross. Among the more expected expenses are:

What is Addiction Costing You?

Drug abuse costs our nation almost $500B a year. The type of expenses range from the obvious to the surprising to the gross. Among the more expected expenses are:

More Read

medical research and the cloud
The Future of Medicine: How Cloud Computing Is Paving the Way to Better Medical Research
Why a “Switzerland Approach” Might Become a Key Part of Wearable Health Platforms
Are All Dental Crowns The Same?
BioPharma Beat: We Want Healthcare at Any Price – Until We Have It
Raising Healthier Kids: How to Get Them to Play Outside
  • Prison
  • Rehab
  • Loss of productivity

In a sense, the true costs are incalculable. How do we calculate the cost of incompetence in the public and private sector? How many people are late to work due to one drug-related accident? How many of those people will be fired as a result of being late one too many times?

How many families are left without an income earner? How many children are left without reliable parents, and have to be relocated into foster care? Like the butterfly effect, one drug user incurs costs on society that go well beyond the dollars and cents.

But the real question has nothing to do with society as a whole. It is about the cost to you and your family. How much is addiction costing you? Here are some possible costs you may not have considered:

The Cost of Recovery

Recovery from addiction is a lot like open-heart surgery. It is the cure for a very serious problem. But it is not without its costs. The money is just one part of the equation, most of which is covered by insurance for those who have it. For those who don’t, it is a serious medical expense for which there is almost certainly no budget.

Even if the addiction is to prescription medication as opposed to something illicit, medical treatment may still be required, as in the case of Suboxone. According to the information on this page:

A person should not try to discontinue the drug alone due to the potential withdrawal effects and other unforeseen medical issues that may arise, such as increased physical pain that was controlled by using the drug. Physicians are best equipped to handle these issues.

If you are already addicted to a drug or alcohol, treatment is the best outcome. But before taking your first taste, be sure to add the cost of treatment.

The Cost of Illness

Recovery is just one of the many costs of illness (COI). Experts have this to say about the matter:

The method for determining the costs associated with alcohol addiction is a metric known as the Cost of Illness (COI). The COI includes the costs of healthcare services as well as loss of productivity from illness or injury, and other expenses or loss of resources as a result of an injury or health condition.

It is easy to forget that the addictive substance of choice tends to be quite expensive. If it is an illicit, highly addictive substance, the cost of acquisition can turn the wealthy into paupers.

Then, there are the missed work days that lead to a smaller paycheck, which leads to eventual unemployment. In turn, that leads to taking out ever more risky, high-interest loans that turn your molehill of debt into a mountain.

Healthcare costs include doctor’s visits, emergency room visits, medication, and all other expenses associated with increased injuries and decreased health.

The Cost of Lost Trust

At the end of the day, one of the greatest costs of addiction is the loss of trust. Love is not enough to conquer all. Relationships cannot survive without trust. The one thing common to all addicts, regardless of the substance, is that they cannot be trusted.

Everything about them is compromised, from their financial judgement, to their performance of basic responsibilities. You wouldn’t knowingly leave your kids in the care of an addict. You wouldn’t have an addict watch the house for your while you are away. Yet you are often forced to do just that when a family member is addicted to drugs.

Trust is particularly expensive because, once lost, it is almost impossible to fully recover. That, along with cost of illness and cost of recovery, make addictive behavior among the most expensive things you can engage in.

TAGGED:cost of illnessdrug addictionrehabilitation
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Correct Use of Tables in PowerPoint Presentations

February 15, 2015
NHS-hospital_0
BusinessNews

Rising Healthcare Cuts Raises the Debate for Private Care in the U.K.

April 27, 2012
Business

5 Effective Strategies to Help Grow Your Physical Therapy Business

February 2, 2020
Wellness

3 Ways To Stop Long Term Whiplash Pain And Start Healing

October 10, 2018
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?