Addiction

Experts believe the availability of life saving drugs may be responsible for the fall in overdose deaths

America’s health care leaders have spent two decades searching for a way to keep costly, complicated patients from cycling in and out of the hospital dozens of times a year. What have they learned?

About 40 million Americans have a substance use disorder, according to federal data. And while there’s no shortage of heartbreaking news on the topic of addiction, there are bright spots that tend to be overlooked by the media.

Side Effects Public Media will be hosting virtual listening sessions on substance use, addiction and recovery.

More than $50 billion in opioid settlement dollars from drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies is starting to flow to state and local governments, and they need to figure out how to spend it.

The launch of 988 is something that’s been celebrated as a long-time need by mental health advocates and law enforcement agents. But rolling out the service is proving to be complicated.

America’s new national mental health crisis line — 988 — is going live on July 16. The new 3-digit hotline is supposed to make it easy for people struggling with addiction, suicide and mental illness to get help fast. But with just weeks to go, hundreds of positions remain unfilled.

A new study shows alcohol use increased during the pandemic for those 21 and older, but finding treatment can be a challenge.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Barbara Allen’s life became more complicated overnight.Allen, 39, lives in Springfield, Illinois, where she cares for…

Christopher has been struggling with addiction since he was 14. He uses heroin, and he says things have been hard since the COVID-19 pandemic began."We…