Findings suggest that combined national data from 2006 and 2007 show that an annual average of 5 million persons aged 12 or older attend a self-help group because of their use of alcohol or illicit drugs. Among those persons, 45.3 percent attended a group because of their alcohol use only, 21.8 percent attended because of illicit drug use only, and 22.0 percent attended because of both alcohol and illicit drug use; 45.1 percent abstained from substance use in the past month of monitoring; and 32.7 percent also received specialty treatment for substance use. Recovery from problem substance use and abuse is an ongoing life event that requires long-term support and treatment. Research has found that attendance at self-help groups improves substance use outcomes, mainly in the form of reduction in the amount used and increases in rates of abstinence. Self-help groups often are used in conjunction with specialty treatment and also continue beyond treatment as people go through the recovery process. Table, figures, and notes