As the patient gets sober and is doing well in their sobriety, there is always a cloud looming as long as there is craving for the drug. It is so easy to have a bad day, a reminder of past use that triggers relapse. It is relatively unique to patients to be unable to learn from or recall the terrible consequences they lived through while addicted and how hard they fought to be sober. There needs to be a therapy that can be taken regularly like insulin, or a statin, that could work on lessening this craving by getting the brain to turn off that constant reminder of using.

With buprenorphine, patients must wait nearly 24 hours after their last opioid dose—enduring worsening withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, and chills. This fear of intense withdrawal keeps many people from even attempting sobriety. For alcohol, withdrawal can be life-threatening without proper medical supervision.

Imagine a therapy that could be taken immediately after stopping drugs, easing withdrawal symptoms and saving lives. Giving people the power to begin recovery on their own terms would be a game-changer—offering independence, hope, and a real chance at lasting sobriety.

Identifying the genetic factors that predispose individuals to substance use disorder (SUD) is crucial. Equally important is understanding how environmental influences interact with these genes to trigger addiction. By uncovering the precise neurobiological changes in the brain and how to reverse them, we can work toward a true cure.

When SUD takes hold, it radically rewires the brain—creating overwhelming physical and psychological cravings that dominate a person’s life. A once logical individual may become irrational, willing to do anything to obtain drugs.

To develop lasting treatments, we need a deeper understanding of these brain changes. Additionally, existing FDA-approved medications for other conditions should be explored for their potential to be repurposed as effective therapies for SUD.

Substance use disorder carries an immense burden of shame, failure, and perceived weakness—not only for those suffering but also for their families. This stigma often drives people into hiding, afraid to seek help for fear of losing friends, jobs, or respect.

SUD is a disease, and those affected deserve care and compassion—not criminalization. Just as cancer was once whispered about but is now openly recognized and treated, we must change how society views addiction.

The war on drugs has become a war on people with SUD. It’s time to replace punishment with support, and to invest in innovative, effective treatments that can truly make a difference.