As autumn rolls around and the cold starts to creep in, October reminds us about a common and important subject: substance abuse. Substances are prevalent in every human’s day to day routine. For example, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. These substances, although creating effects on our brain and the way our body functions, are predictable in their results. Substance abuse is derived from the drastic effects some substances can have on our body, and the repeated exposure and use of these substances even when our lives are impacted greatly.
The most common substance abuse cases are with alcohol and drugs, affecting around fifty million people in 2024. Families and individuals are impacted by addiction every year. Some adults navigate simultaneous addictions, such as with both drugs and alcohol, as well as mental health issues at the same time. Specific factors can contribute to substance abuse disorders, such as genetic influences, accounting for high rates of addiction; environmental factors, like chaotic homes, parental drug use, and community attitude; as well as the effect of mental health disorders.
Substance abuse is brought into existence by exploiting the brain’s reward system, flooding the dopamine receptors and engraving the use of the drug chemically into the brain’s receptors. Tolerance develops with continued use of substances, and creates the need for a higher dosage or a strong substance in order to gain the same effects. With this, withdrawal is bound to occur due to the high levels of fluctuation of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in between usages. Alcohol, cannabis, opioids (like heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone), stimulants (cocaine, meth), hallucinogens, and inhalants are a few of the main types of substances that lead to substance abuse disorders.
But substance abuse is far from uncommon and there are many local and national resources to provide help with dealing with this condition. Ithaca has institutions such as Ithaca Community Recovery, Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services , and the Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County. Additionally, SAMHSA’s National Helpline for Substance Abuse is a free and confidential 24/7 service at the press of a button by calling 1-800-662-HELP. The Recovery Research Institute also provides science based recovery services and helps educate about the recovery and prevalence of substance abuse. Never hesitate to reach out—it is never a sign of weakness. Your life matters, struggles are real, and there are people ready to help. The worst thing you can do when you are struggling is close the doors for others to help you during hard times.
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