William Stauffer argues that addiction care systems are becoming increasingly isolated from the people doing the work. He examines broken feedback loops, flawed metrics, shrinking treatment capacity, and the essential role of authentic face-to-face dialogue in long-term recovery outcomes.

Recovery from substance use disorder and mental health challenges is often misunderstood as a single transformation—like crossing a finish line or flipping a switch. But anyone who has been on the path of recovery, or walked alongside someone who has, knows the truth:

The phrase "Lived Experience" represents a growing movement in the field of substance use disorder (SUD) recovery, emphasizing the powerful effect of individuals sharing their journeys to inspire hope and foster healing in others.