Schuylkill Youth Summit

In Episode 1- "The Hijacker," learn about how substance use disorders (SUDs) affect tissue function in two main parts of the brain: the limbic system (responsible for basic survival instincts) and the prefrontal cortex (where decision-making and impulse control live). Substance use activates the dopamine process in the survival center much more powerfully than natural rewards like food or sex.

Not everyone who uses alcohol or drugs develops a substance use disorder (SUD)-why is that? People have different risk factors that make them more vulnerable to developing SUDs. These can be environmental-such as poverty or exposure to trauma-or individual-such as genetics or the age of first use.

Like other chronic illnesses, substance use disorders (SUDs) get worse over time. As SUD progresses, mental and physical health problems tend to get worse and overall quality of life goes down. Most importantly, the risk of death increases as the disorder progresses, which is why starting treatment as soon as possible is key.

The concept of "rock bottom" can help people describe their experience of recovery from addiction by turning it into a narrative with a clear event that helped turn their life around. But the idea that we should wait for the disease to get worse before seeking treatment is dangerous.