Feeling stuck and hopeless
SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA
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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.
The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.
In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid.
If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.
No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.
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Suggested Resources
What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families
Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems. Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery.
Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative's suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
Explores the role of family therapy in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse. Explains how family therapy sessions are run and who conducts them, describes a typical session, and provides information on its effectiveness in recovery.
For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.
Last Updated: 08/30/2022
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
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Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
Alcohol
Data:
- In 2020, 50.0% of people aged 12 or older (or 138.5 million people) used alcohol in the past month (i.e., current alcohol users) (2020 NSDUH)
- Among the 138.5 million people who were current alcohol users, 61.
6 million people (or 44.4%) were classified as binge drinkers and 17.7 million people (28.8% of current binge drinkers and 12.8% of current alcohol users) were classified as heavy drinkers (2020 NSDUH) - The percentage of people who were past month binge alcohol users was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (31.4%) compared with 22.9% of adults aged 26 or older and 4.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
- The 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 139.7 million Americans age 12 or older were past month alcohol users, 65.8 million people were binge drinkers in the past month, and 16 million were heavy drinkers in the past month
- About 2.3 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in 2019 drank alcohol in the past month, and 1.2 million of these adolescents binge drank in that period (2019 NSDUH)
- Approximately 14.5 million people age 12 or older had an alcohol use disorder (2019 NSDUH)
- Excessive alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of stroke, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, cancer, and other serious health conditions
- Excessive alcohol use can also lead to risk-taking behavior, including driving while impaired.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver daily
Programs/Initiatives:
- STOP Underage Drinking interagency portal - Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Talk. They Hear You.
- Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts
- Talking with your College-Bound Young Adult About Alcohol
Relevant links:
- National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
- Department of Transportation Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance
- Alcohol Policy Information Systems Database (APIS)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Tobacco
Data:
- In 2020, 20.7% of people aged 12 or older (or 57.
3 million people) used nicotine products (i.e., used tobacco products or vaped nicotine) in the past month (2020 NSDUH) - Among past month users of nicotine products, nearly two thirds of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (63.1%) vaped nicotine but did not use tobacco products. In contrast, 88.9% of past month nicotine product users aged 26 or older used only tobacco products (2020 NSDUH)
- Data from the 2019 NSDUH reports that 58.1 million people were current (i.e., past month) tobacco users. Specifically, 45.9 million people aged 12 or older in 2019 were past month cigarette smokers (2019 NSDUH)
- Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other serious illnesses. The CDC reports that cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States
- The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health reports that more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking cigarettes
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use data:
- Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Among both middle and high school students, current use of e-cigarettes declined from 2019 to 2020, reversing previous trends and returning current e-cigarette use to levels similar to those observed in 2018 - E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, or pregnant women, especially because they contain nicotine and other chemicals
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Tobacco
- Tips for Teens: E-cigarettes
- Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings
- Synar Amendment Program
Links:
- Truth Initiative
- FDA Center for Tobacco Products
- CDC Office on Smoking and Health
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: E-Cigarettes
Opioids
Data:
- Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 3.4% (or 9.5 million people) misused opioids in the past year.
Among the 9.5 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 9.3 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 902,000 people used heroin (2020 NSDUH) - An estimated 745,000 people had used heroin in the past year, based on 2019 NSDUH data
- In 2019, there were 10.1 million people age 12 or older who misused opioids in the past year. The vast majority of people misused prescription pain relievers (2019 NSDUH)
- An estimated 1.6 million people aged 12 or older had an opioid use disorder based on 2019 NSDUH data
- Opioid use, specifically injection drug use, is a risk factor for contracting HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. The CDC reports that people who inject drugs accounted for 9 percent of HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2016
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Understanding the Epidemic, an average of 128 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose
Resources:
- Medication-Assisted Treatment
- Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
- TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings
- Opioid Use Disorder and Pregnancy
- Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants
- The Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction
- Pregnancy Planning for Women Being Treated for Opioid Use Disorder
- Tips for Teens: Opioids
- Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants
- Tribal Opioid Response Grants
- Provider’s Clinical Support System - Medication Assisted Treatment Grant Program
Links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioids
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Heroin
- HHS Prevent Opioid Abuse
- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
- Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
- Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network
Marijuana
Data:
- The percentage of people who used marijuana in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (34.
5%) compared with 16.3% of adults aged 26 or older and 10.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH) - 2019 NSDUH data indicates that 48.2 million Americans aged 12 or older, 17.5 percent of the population, used marijuana in the past year
- Approximately 4.8 million people aged 12 or older in 2019 had a marijuana use disorder in the past year (2019 NSDUH)
- Marijuana can impair judgment and distort perception in the short term and can lead to memory impairment in the long term
- Marijuana can have significant health effects on youth and pregnant women.
Resources:
- Know the Risks of Marijuana
- Marijuana and Pregnancy
- Tips for Teens: Marijuana
Relevant links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana
- Addiction Technology Transfer Centers on Marijuana
- CDC Marijuana and Public Health
Emerging Trends in Substance Misuse:
- Methamphetamine—In 2019, NSDUH data show that approximately 2 million people used methamphetamine in the past year.
Approximately 1 million people had a methamphetamine use disorder, which was higher than the percentage in 2016, but similar to the percentages in 2015 and 2018. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Data shows that overdose death rates involving methamphetamine have quadrupled from 2011 to 2017. Frequent meth use is associated with mood disturbances, hallucinations, and paranoia. - Cocaine—In 2019, NSDUH data show an estimated 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were past users of cocaine, including about 778,000 users of crack. The CDC reports that overdose deaths involving have increased by one-third from 2016 to 2017. In the short term, cocaine use can result in increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability. In the long term, severe medical complications of cocaine use include heart attacks, seizures, and abdominal pain.
- Kratom—In 2019, NSDUH data show that about 825,000 people had used Kratom in the past month. Kratom is a tropical plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia with leaves that can have psychotropic effects by affecting opioid brain receptors.
It is currently unregulated and has risk of abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that health effects of Kratom can include nausea, itching, seizures, and hallucinations.
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Methamphetamine
- Tips for Teens: Cocaine
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
More SAMHSA publications on substance use prevention and treatment.
Last Updated: 04/27/2022
Feeling stuck in life? How to change direction and live your dream / My life
Do you feel completely lost and aimless? If you're feeling stuck in life, here's what you need to do to get out of your rut.
When we are children, we all have big dreams. Someone wants to get into the NFL, someone wants to be a movie star, someone wants to start a business, and someone wants to get married and live happily ever after..
Then life happens.
One way or another, many people wake up one day feeling stuck in life.
They wonder, "How did I get here?" And they may not even know where "here" even is. All they know is that they are not where they want to be.
Have you ever felt this? Maybe otherwise you wouldn't be reading this.
It can be hopeless to be stuck in life. You may be depressed and want to give up on your dreams or ever find happiness. But don't be afraid! You can get out of your rut and feel inspired and alive again. It may not be easy, but it is definitely something you can achieve!
What to do if you feel stuck in life
I personally know many, many people who have been there - stuck in life. Some of them are still at the bottom of their abyss, but that's only because they haven't taken any action to improve their lives. However, others have taken action and not only have they made their lives better, they are happier than ever before.
You must be wondering what they did to get rid of the feeling of being stuck in life. Well, here are some ideas for you to try.
Journal No. 1. Most people don't write down their thoughts. Instead, they just have a ton of beliefs and other negative things running through their heads. So, if you think that one of the reasons you feel stuck in life is all your negative thoughts, well, write them down.
Write in your diary every day. Then come back and read it. When you do this, you may find that you were too dramatic when you wrote it, and this may give you a point of view that you need to be more positive and outspoken. [HelloGiggles.com: 10 things to remember when you feel lost in your 20s]
# 2 Write down the pros and cons of your life. Let's face it - we live in a very negative world. Hell, everything in the news these days is nothing but assassinations, terrorism, wars and negative politics. Therefore, it is no wonder that you are stuck only thinking about what is bad in your life.
You can do this exercise in your journal. But write down all the good and bad things about your life.
The purpose of this is twofold. First, you should think about what is good in your life - what you may not be used to doing. And secondly, when you look at your problems, you can look at them more objectively and find a way to fix them..
# 3 Write down the essence of your life's work. Perhaps one of the reasons you feel stuck in life is because you hate your job or career. I know way too many people who just go through the motions and are afraid to go to work every day.
If you are one of them, try this. What is the essence of what you want to do? Non-specific features such as: "I want to be a lawyer." But questions like... Do you want to teach? Do you want to sell things? Own business? What's this? Once you figure this out, consider a career change.
# 4 Try things out of your comfort zone. Some people are better at this than others. But if you feel stuck in life, why not do something wild and crazy?
Maybe try skydiving or bungee jumping.
It will probably scare the hell out of you, but what he will also do will make you feel excited and alive. After all, isn't that what you're trying to find? liveliness?
# 5 Join new clubs to meet new people. You can also try to meet new people. Join a professional networking group, or maybe try an indoor sport as well. Whatever you do, the point is to get out of the house, meet people you've never met before, and try to be inspired by them.
# 6 go out more often. Some people feel stuck in life simply because they are introverts and do not seek out social activities. If you are one of these people and tend to be a stay-at-home type, try changing that. Being cooped up in your house for too long is depressing. So, go there!
# 7 Move to a new city. Yes, I know it sounds a bit radical. I mean, you can't just get up and quit your job, throw a dart at a map, pack your bags and head out into the sunset. But you can look for a new job in another city or state and plan your move carefully.
Maybe a scene change is all you need to get inspired again.
# 8 Back to school. Perhaps you never graduated from college and now you are stuck in life because you have a bad job. Well, why not go and get that diploma?! If you have this piece of paper in your hands, new possibilities will open up for you. Plus, learning new things and meeting fellow students will help you feel alive and grow as a person.
#9 Try online dating. If you've been single for a long time, that's probably why you felt stuck in life. Online dating isn't for everyone, but it can be fun! If nothing else, even if you don't find your Mr. or Mrs. Right, at least you can have some funny stories to tell someday. It's kind of win-win.
# 10 Start exercising. Many people just let themselves go with time and don't take care of their bodies. When your body feels like shit, you will feel like shit too. So why not join the gym? Not only will you feel better physically and mentally, you will also be able to meet new people to make friends or even meet.
It is not uncommon to feel stuck in life. But really, do you want to feel like this forever? Of course not! What are you waiting for? Why don't you try to make your life better? Exactly. Come out and grab life by the hand!
Darko Bodul: "We have already beaten Zenit - Spartak is next!" | Articles
"Amkar" was one of the discoveries of the first part of the Russian Football Premier League (RFPL), but after the break the results of the team deteriorated. Permians increasingly began to lose points in matches with not the most formidable opponents. A home triumph against the richest club in the league, Zenit (1:0), was overshadowed by a defeat from Tom, hopelessly stuck in last place (0:1), due to financial problems, playing almost entirely with a youth team. However, in the last round, the Permians achieved a draw, which is more expensive than many victories. Losing during the match 1:3 to Lokomotiv Moscow, Amkar managed to level the score and save the game (3:3).
The hero of the meeting was an Austrian striker of Croatian origin Darko Bodul. The 28-year-old striker scored a brace and participated in the third goal of his team, and after the match he talked with an Izvestia correspondent.
— How did Amkar manage to pull out an almost dead game with Lokomotiv?
— The match turned out to be very difficult, but we understood that it would be so, because we were opposed by a strong team. We managed to do a good job in this game and take away a draw from Moscow.
Tell us about your goals scored.
— I am very happy that I managed to excel, but this is not only my merit, but the actions of the whole team. Of course, it is especially pleasant that I participated in all three goals scored by our team.
- In the spring part of the season, you personally improved your performance. What is it connected with?
— Yes, I'm getting better, especially lately.
Prior to that, due to injury, I had to miss some matches. It's a pity that we didn't manage to play against Zenit and Krylia Sovetov. However, now I feel great, I am happy with the goals scored and I hope to add more.
- Due to such performance, did you have any options to move to another team?
- Amkar is the club that is in my heart. He helped me to enjoy football again after a difficult stage in my career. I am very grateful to Amkar for the chance to play in their ranks, and every match I try to fight for the emblem on my chest. I am happy to be part of this team. And I will play for Amkar as long as I am useful to this club. At the moment I'm not interested in moving to any other club. I only think about how to complete the season with Amkar as successfully as possible, to score as many points as possible. And what will happen next - let's see.
— On the other hand, Amkar's results generally worsened in the second part of the season.
..
— We play differently on the road and at home. Away, we pay more attention to defense and play on counterattacks, while at home we just show our game, we are better at controlling the ball. Matches in Perm are much better for us, after all, we have not lost a single match at home. It's always harder in away games. For example, the match against Lokomotiv showed that we defended a lot.
— Two leaders left the team in winter: goalkeeper Alexander Selikhov and defender Georgy Jikia moved to Spartak. Maybe this was also one of the reasons for the regression?
- Without a doubt, we have lost two important players. But I think that even now we have a wonderful composition, a real team. We will try to achieve better results with the selection of players that we have now. I am very happy with our current "gang".
— You still have to play against Spartak this season...
- Spartak is a good team with more experience than Amkar.
But we will play against the red-whites at home. I think we have good chances to succeed in our field. Because, as I said, we have not lost a single match at home. We even beat Zenit - now it's Spartak's turn. Let's try to beat him. If we continue like this, we can become one of the best teams in the Premier League.
— Do you think Amkar still has a chance to get into the Europa League at the end of the season?
— We will be very happy to get into European competitions. However, even if we fail to do this, we will still rejoice at the results of this season. I think it worked out well for us. But we can’t relax yet: the championship is still going on, there are six rounds ahead and we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.
— How would you rate Amkar's chances in the next match against Krasnodar?
— Krasnodar is the same serious club as Zenit and Spartak. This is a very difficult opponent. But the home field factor should play for us, where we feel stronger.
