A new survey reveals that stress, rising costs, and limited access to support have made substance use a near-universal coping tool for getting through the day, not just unwinding from it.
- Content Written By:
- Andrew McKenna - JD
- SUD's treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- Key Takeaways
- Americans Are Using Substances to Function, Not to Unwind
- Many Americans Start Coping Before the Day Even Begins
- Substance Use Is Part of the Workday
- Economic Anxiety Is Driving Consumption
- Why Americans Need Their Substances
- Substances Are Replacing Healthcare for Many Americans
- Stabilizing in an Unstable System
Overview
Nearly half of Americans experience persistent daily stress nowadays. While the usual stress-busting advice is to log off, get some rest, and maybe even go to therapy, those methods of recovery are becoming more and more out of reach. When people cannot afford traditional coping mechanisms, sometimes, they turn to unhealthy options. In response to a never-ending news cycle and global stress, more Americans than ever are turning to drugs and alcohol to ease the pain.
To better understand how Americans are managing daily strain, Drug Rehab USA surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about their stress levels and substance use. Our survey examined generational and gender differences in substance use patterns, motivations, and spending habits. The findings reveal not only when and why Americans are turning to substances, but what that behavior signals about broader economic and emotional instability.
Key Takeaways
- Including prescription medications such as anti-anxiety or sleep aids, 99% of Americans report using at least one substance to manage daily stress.
- 53% say their substance use has increased over the past year, including 18% who say it increased significantly, signaling escalation rather than stability.
- 53% say they first use substances before 5 PM, including 18% who start before 9 AM, showing that coping often begins early and continues throughout the day.
- 68% report using substances in connection with their workday, with 30% using them before work, 20% during work hours, and 10% during meetings or work calls.
- 84% say financial stress influences their substance use, driven most often by higher grocery and living expenses (61%), utility costs (43%), and housing or rent (41%).
- 43% spend more than $50 per week on substances, including 15% who spend $100 or more, adding financial strain on top of existing cost-of-living pressures.
- 79% say substances feel more affordable or accessible than healthcare, with 37% citing the cost of therapy, 25% inadequate insurance, and 20% access barriers like wait times.
- 55% say they would leave or seriously consider leaving the U.S. due to stress, rising to 67% of Gen Z, highlighting how unsustainable daily life feels for many Americans.
Americans Are Using Substances to Function, Not to Unwind
Fewer and fewer Americans are going without substances every year. But modern substance use in the U.S. is overwhelmingly tied to stress management and day-to-day functioning rather than fun or leisure. The stress of constant news, demanding jobs, and rising prices leads people to self-soothe with their substance of choice.
Including prescription anti-anxiety or sleep medications, 99% of Americans use at least one substance to manage daily stress. Here’s how that breaks down:
- 57% use alcohol
- 54% use cannabis or THC products
- 48% use nicotine
- 26% use prescription anxiety or sleep medications
- 9% use prescription stimulants such as Adderall
- 9% use prescription painkillers or opioids
- 7% use non-prescribed or illicit drugs
The sheer number of Americans who turn to substances just to get through the day illustrates the fact that nowadays, distress is most people’s natural state.
Consumption was not equal between generations or genders. Gen Z was the most likely to turn to THC in times of stress at 62% — double the percentage of baby boomers who turned to cannabis (31%). Millennials were a close second at 57%, and Gen X middled at 47%. However, millennials were the most likely to self-medicate at the bar, with 62% of the generation saying they use alcohol to cope.
Similarly, men were more likely to drown their sorrows in a drink. While 70% of men admitted to drinking to deal with stress, only 44% of women said the same. In fact, fewer women on the whole turned to substances: the leading self-medication method for women was cannabis, at 49%. Men were more likely than women to turn to every substance except prescription anxiety and sleep medications: while 30% of women are getting help from the pharmacy, only 23% of men are following suit.
This may be connected to the historical overprescription of anti-anxiety medications to women. In many cases, physicians have attributed women’s genuine health concerns to “anxiety” and prescribed treatment based on that assumption. Conversely, men may be less likely to seek out the help they need due to the strong social stigma against men’s mental health care.
Many Americans Start Coping Before the Day Even Begins
Many Americans are juggling more responsibilities than they can handle. Among those who use substances, usage is happening earlier and earlier in the day. While substances may usually seem like an after-dark activity, more people than ever are turning to them during the day.
Over half (53%) of Americans are using substances before happy hour. Over a third (35%) use substances between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and 18% partake before 9 a.m., showing a considerable number of people unable to begin their days without substances. Less than a third (31%) only utilize substances after 5 p.m. Substance use is becoming part of the morning routine for many Americans, right alongside coffee and reading the news.
Millennials were the most likely to use substances in the morning. Nearly a quarter (22%) reported doing so before 9 a.m., compared to 14% of Gen Z, 17% of Gen X, and 18% of baby boomers. At the other end of the spectrum, boomers were the most likely to wait until the workday was over: 46% said they held off until 5 p.m., nearly double the share of Gen Z respondents who did the same (24%). Overall, younger generations appear more inclined to use substances during daylight hours, while older adults are more likely to abstain until the day is nearly finished.
But why are so many people turning to substances so early in the day? For many, it’s because they make it easier to function. One in three respondents (34%) said substance use makes them significantly less stressed and better able to manage their responsibilities. An even larger share (39%) reported feeling immediate stress relief, though they noted the effect was short-lived and stress eventually returned. A minority (14%) said they notice no meaningful difference before or after use, and 10% report feeling worse. While substances may provide temporary relief, they do little to address the underlying sources of stress that many Americans face.
Substance Use Is Part of the Workday
One in three American workers (30%) is “pregaming” their workday by using substances before clocking in, and an additional 24% reported sneaking off to their car or a bathroom to use while at work. Only 21% of respondents said they’re always substance-free at work.
Once again, millennials were the earliest partakers: 37% of millennials used substances before work, but they were closely followed by Gen Z at 35%. However, both generations were more than three times more likely than boomers to come into work inebriated (10%). This could reflect generational shifts toward substance use, and could illustrate that Gen Z and millennials are more stressed at their jobs than older generations.
Most prominently, though, 50% of respondents said that they use substances after work specifically to recover from job-related stress. This rose to 56% among Gen Z, which makes sense, as the youngest generation faces a hiring crisis and may be more likely to stay in an unsatisfying job. This can lead to a dependence on substances as Zoomers struggle to relax and “clock out” once their day is over.
Economic Anxiety Is Driving Consumption
Americans are living through historical times, and that isn’t always easy. In the age of shrinkflation and the K-shaped economy, many people are hard-pressed to find relief. When escaping becomes harder than ever, people find new ways to leave their worries behind.
When asked what pressures push them toward substances, the responses point squarely at financial strain. A striking 84% said money-related stress is influencing their use. The rising cost of groceries and everyday essentials led the list at 61%, followed by utilities at 43% and housing or rent at 41%.
It is not only current bills weighing on people. Four in ten cited anxiety about their long term future, while 36% pointed to fear of I.C.E. or other immigration authorities, and 35% to a lack of affordable healthcare. Personal debt rounds out the list, with 27% saying it contributes to their substance use.
In short, cost-of-living concerns dominate. The uncertainty of affording basic necessities creates sustained stress that many struggle to manage without substances.
However, drugs and alcohol aren’t free. Despite widespread financial anxiety, some people are including substances in their budget spreadsheet. Over a third (39%) spend $50 or more on substances each week, 15% of whom spend over $100 each week. That translates to roughly 10% spending over $400 per month. Men reported higher spending than women, with 19% of men spending more than $100 per week compared to 9% of women.
Still, most Americans report more moderate spending: 55% spend under $50 per week. Gen Z had the tightest budgets, with 61% staying below $50 weekly, followed by baby boomers at 57%. Millennials stood out as the highest spenders, with 51% exceeding $50 per week — an unexpected trend for the generation raised on D.A.R.E.
Why Americans Need Their Substances
Amid economic instability and constant upsetting headlines, it’s no wonder the country is more stressed than ever. While many Americans are turning to alcohol, drugs, and nicotine for an escape, the reality of this stress can be all too consuming once the high wears off. As a result, many people are looking for a more permanent escape from the country.
More than half (56%) of respondents believe that Americans today are expected to handle more stress than previous generations, and turn to substances as a result. Another 55% say that if cost weren’t a factor, they would leave America altogether. This sentiment was most common among Gen Z, with 67% of Zoomers being willing to leave the U.S.A.
Only 30% overall wanted to stay in America, but older generations led the pack: 41% of Gen X and 56% of baby boomers wanted to stay in the country, compared to 25% of millennials and 21% of Zoomers. Younger Americans are looking to the future and not feeling a lot of hope for their homeland.
How does this attitude affect people’s mental health long-term? When asked how they would describe their lives, only 11% said they were thriving — making it the least common description of modern American life. One in four (24%) say they’re getting by, but are constantly stressed or worried, and 20% are only surviving day to day.
Over half (52%) of Americans said their substance use has increased in the last year, suggesting that the increasingly frantic news cycle and political instability are leading to increased usage. Meanwhile, 45% admit that they would struggle to manage their daily responsibilities without substances, and a combined 21% would not be able to make it through the day without them.
Substances Are Replacing Healthcare for Many Americans
In an era where half of American adults struggle to afford healthcare, self-medication becomes a viable way to make it through the week. For those managing mental illness or chronic pain, using substances can bring more immediate relief than navigating insurance approvals, long wait times, and costly appointments. When Americans bypass traditional care, their reasons are pragmatic rather than reckless.
There’s an affordability crisis in mental health care, and Americans are feeling the pinch. Over a third (37%) said therapy or mental healthcare feels too expensive, and an additional 31% said substances feel like a more immediate way to manage mental health symptoms. One in five (20%) said that the long wait times and lack of timely access to care make them more likely to self-medicate. After all, when therapy has a three-month waitlist, but it takes three minutes to buy a new vape pen, citizens are choosing the quickest path to relief.
The insurance and pharmaceutical systems may be unintentionally pushing some Americans toward drugs and alcohol. One in four (25%) say their health insurance does not adequately cover mental health care, making substances a more affordable alternative. For many, substances feel like a way to manage emotions and continue functioning without having to dip into their savings.
Distrust of traditional pharmaceuticals is a significant factor in self-medication as well. A quarter (25%) cite cannabis as a more “natural” alternative to prescription medications, and another 20% say they use substances to manage chronic pain. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they’d support federal legalization of Cannabis if it could help reduce stress and emotional strain in the United States. For many users, the goal is not to get high, but to feel normal again.
Altogether, 79% of Americans view substances as more accessible, affordable, or effective than therapy. When formal systems fall short, people often turn to what’s within reach — even if it shouldn’t be a long-term solution.
Stabilizing in an Unstable System
When more than half of adults say their substance use has increased and only a small fraction describe themselves as thriving, that means something is systemically wrong. Americans are stretched thin, carrying stress that no longer feels manageable.
Coping mechanisms don’t develop in a vacuum. When wages lag behind living costs, work feels relentless, and mental healthcare remains financially or logistically out of reach, people look for relief that is immediate. Substances fill that gap. They don’t require appointments, insurance approvals, or time off. But this leads to a populace that needs substances to function.
When stability relies on chemical support — and few feel secure enough to call themselves stable — it points to a strain that goes beyond individual behavior. It raises a broader question about sustainability: what happens when “getting through the day” becomes the long-term plan?
Methodology
This study is based on an online survey conducted in 2026 of 1,000 U.S. adults (18+) who were screened for using substances to manage daily stress. The sample was stratified and post-stratified by age, gender, and region to reflect the U.S. population, and findings were segmented by generation (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers) and gender where relevant. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number, and multi-select responses may total more than 100%.
About Drug Rehab USA
Drug Rehab USA is a national resource dedicated to helping individuals and families find evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery support. The organization connects people with rehabilitation centers, detox programs, and mental health services tailored to their needs. By addressing both substance use and its underlying causes, Drug Rehab USA works to promote long-term recovery and healthier coping strategies.
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