In the previous article, which was the first of this three-part series, we explored how rampant substance use disorders are in the United States. As many as 21 million people are currently affected by substance-related addiction, but only 10 percent of those seek treatment.
We also discussed the idea of addiction as a brain disease. A relapsing condition similar to diabetes, which has strong roots in genetics. And while this may be true to an extent, the environment—both at home and in the wider context of society—poses just as much, if not more, of a risk to an individual’s risk of addiction.
