The range of medical, psychological, and social services designed to help individuals reduce or stop substance use and manage substance use disorders. Treatment may include assessment, counselling and behavioural therapies, medication-assisted treatment, withdrawal management, and support for co-occurring mental or physical health conditions. Effective treatment is typically person-centred and evidence-informed, and may be provided in outpatient, community, or residential settings. Treatment aims to improve health and functioning, reduce substance-related harms, and support individuals in moving toward recovery and long-term wellbeing.
Treatment
A Deeper Look into the Roots of Substance Use Disorders
Addiction is often seen through the lens of poor choices or lack of willpower, but this view oversimplifies what is, in reality, a highly complex mental health condition. Through my academic journey in addiction counseling, I’ve come to...
BENEFITS OF ALLY AND PEER COLLABORATIONS IN RECOVERY WORK
Recovery Allies and Peer Recovery Support Specialists are highly resourceful individuals who can work collaboratively through actions that align with recovery principles. By working together from a science-based position and incorporating...
Beneath the Surface: Unraveling Childhood Trauma’s Role in Drug Addiction
Childhood is often painted as a carefree canvas, but for too many, it’s a battleground where unseen wounds are carved and wounds that echo into adolescence and beyond. In my project, Understanding the Impact of Childhood Trauma on Drug...
How Childhood Trauma Rewires the Brain: New Insights and Hope for Healing
Childhood trauma leaves an indelible mark not just on a person’s memories, but on the very structure and function of their brain. A groundbreaking study from the University of Essex, led by Dr. Megan Klabunde, has shed new light on how...
Resources for Building Compassionate and Responsive Recovery Systems
Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process—it is dynamic, multifaceted, and deeply individual. To truly support individuals on their recovery journey, practitioners must access tools, systems, and knowledge that reflect the realities of those they serve.
Women’s Substance Use Treatment and Recovery
This report from the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health reviews what we know about women’s substance use treatment and recovery in Canada. It highlights the need for trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and family-focused care. Since...
The Use of AI in the Treatment of Addictions
AI is helping improve addiction treatment in many ways. It creates personalized treatment plans based on a person’s history and needs, and can even detect early signs of risk before addiction develops. AI also analyzes large amounts of data...
World Drug Report 2025
On July 2nd, 2025, ISSUP had the privilege of hosting a webinar outlining highlights from the 2025 edition of the World Drug Report (WDR), presented by Ms. Giovanna Campello, Chief of the Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section at...
A Call for Trauma-Informed Justice Reform in Nigeria: Breaking the Cycle of Substance Use, Mental Illness, and Incarceration
By Seye Omiyefa Across Nigeria and many parts of the world, thousands of individuals, particularly youth and economically marginalized people, are trapped in a revolving door of arrest, incarceration, and reentry. Much of this cycle is...