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.

Trauma is not merely an event that fades with time; it etches itself into the very fabric of our being, demanding acknowledgment and resolution. Though my experience happened in 2017, it took me four years to give the pain the acceptance and acknowledgment it needed. I got a text from someone wishing me "Happy Mother's Day," and it broke me four years later. It was at that point that I realized that our body keeps the score of every experience we go through.

Author Wes Arnett outlines Five Ways Working with a Recovery Coach Can Be Helpful. He shares that he is in recovery from substance use disorder and mental health challenges and is passionate about offering hope and inspiration to those in recovery or exploring recovery. He supports multiple pathways of recovery as he walks alongside his peers and advocates for a profession that profoundly impacts individuals in our community.

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?

Substance use disorder (SUD) recovery is a complex, lifelong process requiring coordinated support across health care, social services, and community systems. Unlike other chronic conditions, SUD is episodic and has uniquely high stakes due to the lethality of the current drug supply. The lethality of today’s drug supply means that a gap in care or a recurrence of symptoms can quickly become fatal. 

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.”

The Role of Inner Child Healing in Overcoming Adult-Child Syndrome explores the importance of reconnecting with the inner child to address Adult-Child Syndrome (ACS).Stephanie Watterson is our author. Stephanie grew up in a home affected by mental illness, with a mother who struggled with mental health issues and an emotionally unavailable workaholic father.

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

In Part I of The Power Of Recovery, Chad shared how his addiction began and what changed his life.  In Part II, Chad will share details about his present life and ongoing recovery. His wife, Christy, will share her life story and the factors that brought them together. 

The Power of Recovery is rooted in the life story of our co-author, Chad Perdue, as he faced his substance use disorder.

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

Did my Depression isolate me, or did my unrealized Autism isolate me and lead to worsening Depression?