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.
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.
Tobacco
Tobacco is a plant that contains nicotine, a drug that speeds up activity in our central nervous system but has relaxing effects too. Tobacco is available in many forms, including cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and snuff or snus (a powder that is sniffed or put between the lower lip or cheek and gums). Nicotine also is available in non-tobacco products, including gum, patches and other smoking cessation aids.
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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.
Tobacco
Tobacco is the plant used to make cigarettes, cigars, and other products. It contains nicotine, a stimulant.
