Just as there is a constant debate over the idea of which came first, the chicken or the egg, there has been a constant debate over the correlation between addiction and poverty or income levels. For a long time, it was believed that all addicts were or would eventually be under the poverty line or homeless, while those who were in middle and even upper classes had very little to worry about. Even now certain states and legislations have passed laws asking for a drug test from those who receive federal and state funding. Drug use and therefore addiction has always been attributed to the poor or criminals who generally lived in poorer conditions. However, over the years there has been more and more research into the homeless and drug epidemics happening throughout the United States and different correlations are coming to light. Statistics are starting to show that drugs have moved into the suburbs and even into the CEO’s offices around the nation. Drugs are no longer thought of as just being associated with poverty.
Income and Type of Substances Abused
One of the biggest differences noticed is the kinds of drugs that people in poverty are doing compared to those who are above the poverty line. Teenagers and adults alike living in middle and upper-classes tend to abuse prescription pills instead of illicit street drugs. They have easier access to medical care, prescriptions, and see less of a stigma attached to the prescription label, even though they are just as, if not more, addictive. Those who live under the poverty level tend to abuse the illicit street drugs because they are cheaper. Another difference is that those under the poverty level tend to abuse their substance more regularly than those above the poverty line.
There are many other factors that are more directly related to substance abuse than poverty, but also tend to impact the level of income as well, such as education. People who are more educated tend to abuse substances less than those who only graduated high school or never went to high school. Also, people who are more educated tend to receive better jobs with more growth and upward promotions, that allow them to make more money than those who received less education. Other links are parental substance abuse, mental health issues, abuse and neglect, and even genetics. While all of these things can happen to anyone, they are more likely to occur in households below the poverty line. So with these circumstances happening more likely in a poverty household, the cycle tends to continue. Those who grow up in a poverty household, with parents abusing substances, parents abusing or neglecting them, who can’t finish high school because they have to contribute to the household income, who may have depression or some other mental disorder, are more likely to use substances and remain in their poverty household than someone who grew up in a upper-class home with parents who didn’t abuse substances, parents who were present, went to college, and have no mental health issues. It is not to say that all families in upper and middle classes never suffer from abuse, neglect, mental health issues, or substance abuse, it is just statistically more prevalent in poverty households.
How Poverty Affects Those Seeking Addiction Treatment
Another big difference is that those in poverty are less likely to get help for their addiction because they either don’t know how or don’t think they can afford it. When people in the upper and middle classes discover they or someone in their family has a substance abuse problem they are more capable of finding the funds they need for treatment. Those who are in poverty may not have insurance or the money for treatment and therefore think that it is unavailable to them and just continue using because they think that’s their only option.
In Utah, in 2016, the population was 2,947,861 and 331,854 were in poverty. Of those 331,854 people in poverty only 12, 487 people were treated for substance disorders according to the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Annual Report for 2016. The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the 2015 Student Health and Risk Prevention Survey indicated approximately 146,252 adults and youth are in need of, but not receiving, substance abuse treatment services in Utah. Even if all those 146,252 people were in poverty, that would still mean there were hundreds of thousands of people in poverty who didn’t need substance abuse treatment. So you can be in poverty and not need treatment for addiction and you can also be in the upper-class and need addiction treatment. The 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, of National findings, found that even though the illicit drug use percentage was higher among unemployed individuals than those employed full time, part time, and other, the most users were employed. Out of 22.4 million illicit drug users, 18 or older in 2013, 15.4 million (68.9 percent) were employed either full or part time. This means that nationally, more employed people use illicit drugs than those who are unemployed.
The issue is not which came first, the addiction or poverty, the problem is that so many people still need help with their addiction and they aren’t getting it. Talking to one of our admission coordinators at 1-888-986-7848, may be the most beneficial ways to understand what options you have available to you, no matter what your financial situation is. Or you can learn more about cost for addiction treatment here. The important thing is to get yourself or your loved one the treatment they need so they can begin their road to recovery.
