Understanding Substance Use Disorder

At first I was going call this post "Back To Basics." But I decided to be more direct, so I went with "Understanding Substance Use Disorder." Let me explain...

I've worked in the addiction field for a long time—like over 30 years. But I've actually been around the addiction field longer than I've been a professional in it. You see, I was one of those “early bloomers,” and my first introduction to the addiction field was when my parents put me in drug rehab when I was 17. That was the first time I learned about the disease of addiction. But I wasn't ready to hear the message, and it took me five more years to find out that what they were saying was true: It doesn't go away, it gets worse over time, and so on.

So I ended up checking myself into rehab, and that began my own personal journey of recovery.

Fast forward 32 years and I'm a seasoned addiction professional who has helped thousands of young people recover from Substance Use Disorder. I've even written my own book about how to treat addiction! And despite having enjoyed a reputation for being somewhat of a maverick in the addiction field due to my creative approach using music, creative drama, and storytelling, the one thing I keep coming back to is the importance of paying attention to the basics of substance use disorder education. 

So that's why I created a course called Understanding Substance Use Disorder.

Because when it comes down it, this is where any successful prevention or intervention must begin:

•  For the substance user: Understanding the nature of the condition is where one becomes motivated to change.
•  For those around the substance user: Things fall through the cracks when everybody's not on the same page with regard to understanding what the problem is, and that's how treatment efforts end up being sabotaged.

Truth be told, I was little hesitant about creating this particular course—I thought it might be a little too basic given all the incredible advancements we have made in the substance use field. However, the response has been just the opposite. From the moment I started previewing this with colleagues, and then using it with my own clients, there was a resounding “This is SO needed!” 

I began to recognize the value of this "back to basics" approach. Wonderful work is accomplished in treatment these days with regard to complex issues such as trauma and dual-diagnosis circumstances. But the truth is, successful recovery begins with being clear about what it is that we're treating: Substance Use Disorder. And I've found that putting some extra attention on making sure that everybody's on the same page about this goes a long way towards improving prevention and treatment outcomes.  

I am glad now to be sharing this "back to basics" course in the hope that it will have a positive impact in many people's lives. 

To learn more CLICK HERE