September is National Recovery Month. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Recovery Month is a time to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders and celebrate people living in recovery.
Over 20 million Americans are currently in recovery from addiction, which is something to celebrate! Tragically, however, more than 20 million more Americans are currently facing addiction.
Have you ever wondered why some people become addicted to alcohol and drugs, while others don’t?
Many people believe those who are addicted to substances lack moral principles or willpower and make the conscious choice to continue to use. The truth is more complicated, however. While people may initially choose to use alcohol and other drugs, the brain changes over time from repeated drug use. These changes severely impact our students’ self-control and hinders their ability to stop using.
Just like any other disease, vulnerability to addiction is different for each person. No single factor determines if someone will become addicted to substances or not. What we do know is that the more
risk factors a person has, the greater the likelihood for abuse and addiction. And on the flip side, the probability for substance abuse and addiction decreases in people who possess more
protective factors.