Substance Use Disorders

Common Myths about Substance Use Disorders

Myth: You can't help or change someone with an addiction.

Reality: There are actually many things you can do to have a positive impact on the person you care about. You can learn to change interactions with your loved one including practicing self care to place yourself in the best space to help others and developing positive communication and reinforcement strategies and learn problem-solving skills.

All these actions have been proven to motivate a person at risk to accept help. People with addiction have often become very disconnected from healthy activities and relationships. Helping them reconnect to these vital aspects of a healthy life can be pivotal in their wellness journey. These strategies almost always make you feel better, too!

While we’re firm believers in the power that comes with education and setting boundaries, we never want loved ones to feel shame or as if it’s their sole responsibility to get someone well.

Myth: Using alcohol or other drugs is a choice, so if someone gets addicted, it’s their fault.

Reality: No one would choose to become addicted, any more than they'd choose to get cancer. Addiction is a consequence of many contributing factors, including genetics, upbringing, trauma and other influences.

Myth: If someone just uses willpower, they should be able to stop.

Reality: Alcohol and other drugs can lead to profound changes in the brain. These changes alter the natural “reward pathway” of the brain. In nature, rewards usually only come with effort and after a delay. But addictive substances shortcut this process and flood the brain with chemicals that signal pleasure.

When addiction takes hold, these changes in the brain erode a person’s self-control and ability to make good decisions, while sending highly intense impulses to take drugs. These are the same circuits linked to survival, driving powerful urges no different from those driving the need to eat or drink water.

These overwhelming impulses help explain the compulsive and often irrational behavior around addiction. People will keep using even when terrible things happen

Myth: If someone has a stable job and family life, they can’t be suffering from addiction.

Reality: Many people live in denial because they’re successful in their professional lives, or because they don’t drink until after 5 p.m. or because they come from a “good” home. The reality is that anyone can be vulnerable to addiction. Many people hide the severity of their use or don’t get help because of stigma and shame. If drinking or using drugs is causing any kind of conflict or problem in your personal or professional life, it’s worth seeking help.

Myth: Addiction is treated behaviorally so it must be a behavioral problem, not a disease.

Reality: Human behavior begins in the brain. Advanced brain studies show that different types of treatments, such as psychotherapy and medication, can change brain function. This is true for depression and other illnesses, including addiction. Sometimes behavioral treatments, like counseling, are enough. Sometimes medication may be required as well. But the fact that behavioral treatments can be effective does not mean addiction isn’t a real illness.

Myth: Going to treatment will fix the problem.

Reality: Treatment can be the first step toward wellness, but it’s often just the very beginning. Many people need more than one treatment visit to get on a stable path to wellness. Staying well requires a long-term commitment to new coping skills and seeking the necessary support.