Understanding Substance Use
Health is a state of total well-being—physical, mental and social—helping us both survive and thrive in our everyday lives.
Evaluating Mental Health and Substance Use Information
If you've been looking online or in the media for information to help yourself or a loved one, you may be frustrated by some the conflicting information you've found. With all of the information out there, how do you know what information you can trust?
Media
With all of the information coming at us these days, it can be hard to filter out what is good information and what information isn't so good. This is especially true when it comes to information about mental health and substance use.
The Language We Use to Talk About Mental Health and Substance Use
Words matter. They impact the assumptions we make about others, the way we understand someone else’s experiences, and the value we place on others.
Treatments: What Works?
It seems like everyone has an opinion when it comes to treatments for mental health or substance use problems. To add to the confusion, it isn’t always obvious who is basing their opinions on real evidence and who is not. And while we often hear people talk about evidence-based treatments, it’s also clear that complementary and alternative medicine approaches are helpful for some.
Finding the Right Help - Navigating the System
While it's common to talk about the mental health system, the system isn’t a singular entity. The system might include primary care, mental health, substance use, housing, income assistance, and justice. They are not always accessed the same way, through similar gatekeepers.
Recovery
When we talk about mental illnesses and substance use problems, it’s easy to talk in clinical terms: that person has this symptom, or that person uses a certain drug. But recovery is so much bigger than a checklist.
Media
The media plays a big part in the way we understand substance use. However, not all information is good information. Poor-quality information can support negative biases while good-quality information can help us learn and support positive changes in our lives. In this section, you’ll learn more about the role of media and how to choose the best information for your situation.
