Substance Use & New Paths to Recovery

Addiction is at an all-time high in the United States and the results are deadly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, binge drinking increased by 21 percent and drug overdoses claimed more than 100,000 lives in just a 12-month period.   

But what causes a person to develop an addiction? Why are substance use disorders so complicated to treat? And what new treatments are giving people hope that recovery is possible?  

MPR News shares “Substance Use & New Paths to Recovery,” a special broadcast from Call to Mind, American Public Media’s initiative to foster conversations about mental health.

Through in-depth interviews and reported stories, we hear firsthand from individuals who have recovered from substance use disorders, clinicians leading research to transform the treatment field, and experts who work to decriminalize substance use disorders.  

Call to Mind specials are hosted by Kimberly Adams, senior correspondent for APM’s Marketplace who covers mental health, politics, business and the economy from Washington, D.C.

Guests:

• Scott Edwards is an associate professor of physiology at LSU Health Sciences Center and the associate director at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) a T32 Program. 

• Yasmin Hurd is the director of the Addiction Institute within the Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System and the Ward Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience. She is also a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. 

• Carrie Kappel is a registered nurse and the board co-chair of the Minnesota Nursing Peer Support Network (NPSN), manager of operations of addiction services at Allina Health. 

• Dr. Joji Susuki is the director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

Useful resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline  
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential phone & text crisis support. Call or text 988 to get started. 

Alcoholics Anonymous  
A free meeting based 12-step program for people looking for support with alcohol use disorder. 

Faces & Voices of Recovery  
A nonprofit dedicated to organizing and mobilizing the over 23 million Americans in recovery from substance use disorders.  

Hushabye Nursery 
A non-profit base in Phoenix, Arizona offering a safe and inclusive trauma-informed recovery model for substance exposed babies and their caregivers with compassionate, evidence-based care that changes the course of their entire lives.

JED Foundation 
A nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults.  

Mental Health America 
Helping all people live mentally healthier lives through advocacy, public education, and service. 

Minnesota Nurses Peer Support Network  
A Minnesota based organization for nurses living with substance use disorders and seeking peer support in recovery and/or during professional re-entry.  

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 
The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by mental illness. 

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)  
As part of the NIH, the NIAAA aims to understand the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being.

NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator  
An tool to help adults find alcohol treatment resources for themselves or a loved one.

TOGETHER FOR RESILIENT YOUTH 
Using a public health model to address the underlying issues that result in behavioral health challenges such as substance use, chronic disease and violence among youth. 

Rethinking Drinking 
A resource for anyone who drinks and wants more research-based information looking at drinking patterns and how they may affect a person's health.

SMART Recovery  
A recovery community lead by peers and professionals, offering mutual support meetings, recovery plans and resources.  

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)   
An agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with the mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

Voices of Hope Lexington  
A peer led, recovery community in Lexington, Kentucky providing no-cost recovery support services, conducting research, and educating and advocating for people seeking and experiencing long-term recovery from alcohol and other substance use disorders.  

The Women’s Home 
A Houston, Texas organization strengthening women and supporting families as they reclaim stability. The Women’s Home has a range of programs: residential treatment and transitional housing program, permanent supportive housing programs, and a collaborative service center that offers support services to help prevent and end homelessness in our community.