Peer recovery coaches provide authenticity, credibility, and hope that medicine alone cannot. Dr. Lauren Grawert argues that threatened cuts to SOR and SAPT funding could dismantle an essential link between clinical care and real-life recovery.

Content Warning: This article discusses opioids, overdoses, and substance-related harms. Nitazenes are a highly potent class of synthetic opioids often mixed—unknown to users— into other drugs. They pose extreme overdose risk, can be difficult to detect on standard tests, and may require multiple naloxone doses. With commentary from Subject Matter Expert Arun Gupta, MD

John Makohen—author and counselor with lived experience—details why people who are unhoused face steep barriers to SUD treatment (IDs, phones, insurance, transportation,rigid abstinence-first rules) and calls for Housing First, person-centered MOUD, and compassion over compliance.

Content Warning: This article discusses drug use, heroin addiction, and trauma. John Makohen, a seasoned substance use counselor and author of *A Heroin User’s Guide to Harm Reduction*, shares his lived experience of life on the streets, the risks of drug use, and the lessons that shaped his journey toward recovery.

In Part II of her Substance Use Disorder Series, counselor Belinda Morey shares her deeply personal journey through addiction, suicidal ideation, and the fight for recovery. Drawing from both lived experience and her work in the field, Belinda highlights how even in the darkest moments, hope can emerge through resilience, community, and compassion. This powerful story invites readers to reflect on the struggles of addiction while offering a message of healing and renewal.

Discover how telehealth recovery coaching breaks barriers—bringing private, flexible, stigma-free addiction support into the home.

Homeless people and substance use disorder addiction often co-occur, and, unfortunately, many people struggling with both issues are unable to get the help they need. Substance abuse can develop due to the stressors associated with homelessness. On the other hand, addiction can also contribute to homelessness. Additionally, many homeless people have an addiction as well as other co-occurring psychiatric disorders, which can further complicate their living situations.

Wes Arnett, Author September 9, 2025 Wes Arnett, Author  Tom O'Connor, Publisher Author Wes Arnett  is a regular contributor to our Vital...

Multiple Pathways to Substance Use Disorder Recovery is a highly personalized approach that focuses on strength building, individualized coping skills development, and utilizing resources. Helping the person with a SUD find their path increases buy-in tremendously.

Critics continue to question substance use harm reduction. Advocates persist in fighting for it. But the data is precise: harm reduction saves lives. As patterns of drug use shift and risks increase, strategies such as overdose prevention centers, fentanyl test strips, and naloxone access offer a proven path forward. This isn't theory; it's survival. 

The phrase "Lived Experience" represents a growing movement in the field of substance use disorder (SUD) recovery, emphasizing the powerful effect of individuals sharing their journeys to inspire hope and foster healing in others.

Author Nicole (Nikki) Currivan recounts her difficult path to overcoming a substance use disorder, ultimately achieving lasting remission. Nikki encountered many challenges with substance abuse as her Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) repeatedly moved her from one treatment center to another.