Opioid and substance addictions are results of what health officials call “diseases of despair.”

When circumstances are desperate, or life’s just too much to cope, people sometimes turn to drugs and alcohol for a way to escape.

The misuse of prescription meds and the opioid crisis are alarming. Choosing to use drugs to self-medicate for mental illness, trauma, depression, or despair leads to chronic addiction. We see it day-in and day-out at Avivo.

Addiction and mental illness pay no attention to social status. And social inequities for accessing healthcare and treatment exist for individuals and families living in poverty and homelessness. That’s why Avivo matters.