Many student submissions chose to focus on the availability of resources to ‘Make an Impact’ reducing the terrible cost of addiction in America.

1. P.M. (Western Governor’s University, California)

Addiction is a huge problem in our world, unfortunately it does not get as much attention or dedication to resolution as it should. Coming a background of a family with an addiction, I have a huge passion in seeing people become free of their addiction.

My mother was a heroin addict and has been in and out of prison. My sisters and I where eventually taken away by Child Protective Services because we had been to 13 different schools in a 2-year span. It was extremely difficult for my sisters and I; we were separated from each other and had a further difficult life after that.

My mother eventually got out of prison when I was a young adult, I was working on my pre-requisites for the Nursing program. I see the many struggles my mother has gone through and in turn affecting her kids.

Coming Together as Communities to Address Addiction

My belief is that if we can come together as a community and provide support at the level of the home, family structure we have a shot at improving family difficulties. I think the number one cause of a struggling home starts with relationship problems, many of these steams form the way people grow up and not knowing how to communicate and work together, a family building group/ resource center would benefit families in a huge way.

Another major issue is finical concerns. Most families struggle to get by, and this is a stressor that some feel that can’t handle, giving in to addiction.

If communities would offer more resources financially and emotional this would provide huge strides in the right direction. People getting help usually to those people wanting to help others. This domino effect is what we need to change our world.

2. L.H. (University of Arizona)

Addiction is the most stigmatized and neglected disease in America. As drugs are beginning to become more accessible to ages young and old, people turn a blind eye to the issue and shame the victim for their involvement.

I have grown up in a generation that has normalized drug use, with new legalization and decriminalization being passed in recent years, and unfortunately, I have had people close to me suffer from addiction.

Responding Appropriately to Addiction

Whether it be young college students looking to have a fun time or homeless people on the street with nothing else to turn to, drug addiction isn’t something someone can simply walk away from and can lead to irreparable damages, even death. So, what do I believe can be done to reduce the number of people struggling with addiction? Honestly, I can’t give an educated response to correct such a terrible wrong.

The Perception of Invulnerability and Addiction

The hardest thing I have ever encountered in my life thus far is watching my friend get addicted, go through denial, try to quit, relapse, get sent to a rehab facilitation, relapse again, and listen to through the sobs that they will never get to be the same person again.

I don’t think any drugs should be legal, besides those strictly prescribed and monitored by doctors and physicians, for start. People my age believe themselves to be invincible, claiming, “It’s okay! We are young and having fun!”, but the fun stops when someone has overdosed upstairs.

Sadly, I believe people only begin to take drugs and addiction seriously when they have experienced addiction, or someone they know has been a victim of this illness, in which they then have a psychological bad connection to drugs.

Increasing Resources and Reducing the Terrible Cost of Addiction

Additionally, it has come to my attention that my generation has stigmatized rehab centers to be ineffective and others are honestly afraid of what they would encounter, whether it be more like therapy or a psych ward. I believe that it will be hard to stray from the path of drugs norms that are already in action, but I also believe that there are preventive measures that can be taken to put the risk into actual reality, moving deeper past “Just Say No”.

Tours of rehabilitation centers, online consultations of those seeking treatments, and most importantly we need to stop victim-shaming. Victim shaming barriers people struggling and makes them believe nothing can be done, in which they are in danger of further abuse and even death. Yes, responsibility needs to be taken at some point, but support and resources come first.

3. S.P. (Utah Valley University)

A Preemptive Strike Against Addiction

I’ve never met my grandpa because of his addictions, and he spent most of my life in prison. While living with him as a teenager, my uncle also fell into poor substance abuse habits which have affected his health long-term.

Even though he quit smoking and has cut back on alcohol, he ends up in the emergency room nearly every month. My grandpa’s addiction started when he returned from the war as he was suffering from PTSD. That was the example my uncle had of how to cope, and therefore, that’s how he coped with the many hardships he’s encountered in his life. I believe that the best way to reduce the number of people struggling with addiction is to promote healthier ways to cope and make resources more readily available.

Online Resources and Developing Coping Strategies

In the Rehabs Of Armerica Blog, the articles titled “Prevention of Substance Abuse” and “5 Ways to Prevent Drug Abuse” describe different life circumstances or events that increase risk of substance abuse. These include genetics and physical health, family environment and social exposure, mental illness, trauma, times of transition and feelings of stress/sadness.

Most of these risk factors can be summarized as trials that require coping. Everyone needs to know and use healthy coping strategies on a daily basis for any variety of struggles they may encounter. Kids are taught in school not to do drugs, but they are not taught how to cope with life’s challenges. While antidrug assemblies and posters are great, they are not enough.

Students in the United States spend an average of 4,780.8 hours throughout 720 days at school from 9th -12th grade. As they are taught science, math, and history to prepare them for the world and their further education, there must be time to also teach them how to manage the struggles they will encounter later in life.

Increasing Substance Misuse Education Resources

That preparation will make them less likely to feel a need to turn to drugs and alcohol. Rather than just telling them what not to do, we need to tell them what they should do instead. This would limit many future behaviors that begin as unhealthy coping and lead to addiction, such as use of drugs, alcohol, pornography, binging, gambling, and self-harm.

Implementing healthy coping and mental health management into the school curriculum would be immensely helpful for students in their current lives and on throughout the rest of their lives. These basic skills are so important to an individual’s well-being, yet it’s often overlooked in the education of youth. These coping strategies are often discussed in therapy and rehab, but they’d be beneficial and possibly more effective if people know them before they develop addictions in the first place. The best way to limit addiction is to break the cycle and take a more powerful preemptive role in the battle.

4. S.D.F. (University of Phoenix)

Way of Reducing the Terrible Cost of Addiction

In the U.S., we have few strategies that are designed to affect addiction. Prevention, which aims to stem addiction by stopping it before it begins; Treatment, which attempts to rehabilitate the ailing individual; and law enforcement, which attempts to identify those that need help.

Unfortunately, law enforcement in the U.S. criminalizes drug use/possession, and in my opinion, has a negative impact on the rehabilitation of addicts. It makes it nearly impossible for an addict to smoothly transition into society as a functioning member, essentially isolating that individual from society. One of the most promising strategies being implemented across the country are drug/sobriety courts. These courts recognize addiction as a disease and help addicts to address the core causes of their addiction and mental health struggles. Community and family help to heal the hurt soul.

Personal Knowledge for Sobriety

I have been sober since October 19, 2015, and I had a long road to recovery. Each misstep along my path was done alone, I did not want to share my problems with others, nor did I want anyone to help me fix my problems. When I enrolled the help of fellow addicts and when I was open and honest with my loved ones, the path became easier to navigate. Awareness of the issue and the SOLUTION, promoting the self-help programs and therapy, are essential in reducing this epidemic.

When I reflect on my addiction and my ‘using career’, I realize that even though I had drug prevention classes in school (D.A.R.E.) and I had real life examples of what addiction was at home, I still didn’t understand it enough to either a.) fear it, or b.) respect it. In my opinion, attacking this epidemic starts with reforming prevention. We can do this by educating them about the realities of substance abuse and how susceptible human beings are to it. Honestly and without censorship.

Attacking an Epidemic with Effective Addiction Treatment

Nevertheless, prevention only works on those who are not addicted. Treatment of addicted individuals in this country is poorly structured and funded. I have been admitted into rehabilitative institutions on eight separate occasions. I have seen the difference in the level of care for a person with insurance and one without. The level of care from one facility to the other was illuminating and depressing.

My recovery was sparked in the lower funded facility. There was more NEED for recovery there. I have always believed that this was because the staff was underpaid. They obviously did what they did because they were good people. Perhaps there is a problem when we reward institutions for recidivism?

It’s been my experience that where the real growth, healing, and recovery happens is after you have left the safety of that institution. ¾ housing and other transitional housing being available, in conjunction with support meetings and therapy, are other ways we can attack this epidemic and help to treat those suffering from the ailment today.