Co-occurring disorders, also known as dual diagnoses, refer to the presence of both a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health condition in the same person. This combination is much more common than most people realize. More than half of those with a substance use disorder will also experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, and vice versa.

It sounds radical, but what if substance use isn’t a disorder but a survival strategy for coping with trauma, poverty, or pain? The real issue isn’t in the brain or body but what’s happened to and around them. Recovery doesn’t require another diagnosis, but rather understanding, support, and meeting people where they are. Are we ready to have that conversation?

Author Dr. Saba Riaz will explore how trauma and emotional stress from early life experiences can disrupt the neurochemical balance in the brain. According to Dr. Riaz, “Addiction strongly affects neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin that regulate mood, reward, and impulse control. Chronic stress and trauma cause changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that create a biochemical environment that increases the probability of addiction.”

Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. Pain is a natural part of life, but it does not have to rule it. Our thoughts and perceptions about pain cause suffering. People needlessly suffer for many years with substance abuse addiction. Unfortunate events, problems, and disappointments are the first arrows that cause pain. The second arrow may be self-deprecating thoughts, self-blame, or getting down on yourself. The key is not to grab a substance, alcohol, or drugs to heal t

Effective treatment of addiction is paramount to saving lives. We must collectively strive to end the opioid crisis in America.

War zones might be closer than you realize, with 25% of children growing up with a father, mother, or both who have a substance use disorder

Effective treatment isn't about adhering to a single methodology - it's about meeting clients where they are and crafting approaches that ..

Substance use disorder is the most stigmatized health condition in the world. It is one of the most significant barriers to recovery.

This Vital Voyage "Next Generation" Issue will describe how to change the narrative on substance use disorder.

Next Generation: Special Issue Thomas O'Connor. Author September 25, 2024 Case Study. College sweethearts, each 40 years old, have been...