Other Drugs, Prevention, and Addiction
Prevention stops problems (such as substance use or misuse) before they start. Prevention promotes health, wellness, and well-being. There’s a science to what works in prevention ― including SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (PDF | 3.3 MB), prevention planning manuals, prevention toolkits (PDF | 2.7 MB), and registries of proven interventions.
Drug addiction is a complex disease. Drugs change the brain, in ways that make it hard to quit.
There are treatments (including counseling and medications) that help people recover from addiction. And for some, medications can help sustain recovery.
Visit FindSupport.gov ― to find support for issues with mental health, alcohol, or other drugs.
Resources
Individuals and Families
- Addiction Science
- Understanding Drug Use and Addiction
- Drugs, Health, and the Developing Brain
- Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs?
- Know the Risks of Using Drugs
- Families Supporting a Loved One: Resources for Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders
- Kratom
- Methamphetamine
- Psychedelics
Parents and Caregivers
Teens
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Cocaine (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Hallucinogens (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Heroin (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth about Inhalants (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Methamphetamine (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Sedatives (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Steroids (Available in Spanish)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth About Stimulants (Available in Spanish)
Older Adults
Community Members and Practitioners
- Focus on Prevention
- A Guide to SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (PDF | 3.3 MB) (Available in Spanish)
- Selecting Best-fit Programs and Practices: Guidance for Substance Misuse Prevention Practitioners
- Registries of Proven Interventions
- Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center
- Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth
- Prevention Intervention Resource Center
- "Communities Talk about Prevention" Podcast
- Substance Misuse Prevention for Young Adults
- Community Engagement: An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable Substance Use Prevention System
- CADCA
Workplaces
Need Help?
For mental or substance use disorders, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889, or text your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U), or use the FindTreatment.gov to get help.