Mental Health Awareness: Addiction

Michelle MachenOur Stories

At Mauser Packaging Solutions, our most valuable assets are our people and your safety. That includes your safety and wellbeing at work and in your personal life. The Mental Health Awareness Series aims to raise awareness around common mental health issues and connect with available resources.
Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by the craving and use of substances that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. While people can become addicted to a wide variety of behaviors or substances, alcohol and drug addiction are the most prevalent and have the most severe consequences.
Overview

The initial decision to use alcohol or drugs is often voluntary for most people, but repeated use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges.

Substance Use Disorder is a growing crisis, impacting millions across age groups, gender, income levels and other demographics.

  • Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from Substance Use Disorder.
  • 18–25-year-olds are the most vulnerable. There has been a recent increase in new users in this age demographic.
  • Two-thirds of adults (65%) know someone who suffers from addiction, including more than 70% of millennials.

No one is sure why some people get into trouble with alcohol or other drugs. There are signs, however, when substances are taking control of someone's life. Some of these signs are easy to see while others are not.