Not many know that substance use was of high use, especially during the pandemic. This happened because of the various feelings that happened, such as anxiety, eating disorders, and these had big impacts on many people, due to these mental illnesses it caused them to feen for a drug so they wouldn’t have to feel that way, so in a way to heal the trauma COVID brought. 

I connected to this because this happened to my family and I myself. When I lost my grandma and many others to covid, but specifically my da’ow, I fell into an addiction that no one knew about, and it was the only thing that got me to eat, so I understand where this source is coming from. Many of my family members did the same thing, and some didn’t survive, or went so far it made them lose sight of themselves and family.

Medicine, School of Traditional Chinese. “The Impact of Substance Use Disorder on Mental Health... : Medicine.” LWW, https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2020/11130/the_impact_of_substance_use_disorder_on_the_mental.69.aspx.

PICTURE (Substance Abuse and Depression

Sep 14, 2022.Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC. )

With AI/AN (American Indian/Alaskan Native), it explains how there's mental/behavioral problems to those who don’t reside on the reservation, because they’re able to do what they want, so they are likely to have substance use treatment. Within this they found differences with mental health and substance use problems, that it’s more likely to happen more often off reservations than it is for those who reside on the reservation. 

This connects to my topic a lot, because moving out of the reservation, means you are on your own and in a way you have more freedom. So you can get yourself stuck into substance abuse and mental problems and this all around affects you and your family, but the article interprets that,but yes, there are those same problems on the reservation.

Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality CBHSQ Data ... - Samhsa. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/DRAIANTribalAreas2018/DRAIANTribalAreas2018.pdf. 

PICTURE ( 5 American Indian and Alaskan Natives Working to Improve Native Health by Maggi LeDuc. November 16,2019. )

An addict can interpret like a disease or “a cup of water” and you’re so thirsty you have to drink it. Sam Fowler explains that addiction is like more towards the family, than it  is  the addict itself, it creates vulnerability for your family out of being terrified and hurt for that addict . It is  scary, especially if you find the addict yourself, overdue it, it creates a fear, because you’re constantly terrified of losing that person, addiction affects your mental stability as well, and the addict itself. People think addicts come from bad families, but it’s not, because it’s your brain that wants it. 

I relate to this because this makes you feel like a burden, you don’t wanna be that person who puts the stress, because it’s the addict we should be worried about, but it does take a toll on you that nobody talks about. It makes you scared, isolated, and causes your family to remove themselves from social things, because you're terrified for your addict, or you’re ashamed of the addict affecting your own family, but in a way we accept it because there is only so much we can do, and this is a thing happening globally. 

TEDxTalks. “Wasted: Exposing the Family Effect of Addiction | Sam Fowler | Tedxfurmanu.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 Mar. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qI-Qn7xass. 

 Many teenagers are dying from overdoses. Especially with fentanyl, and how it has affected many kids. It mentions that each year, the use of fentanyl deaths has continued to increase. Yet, many don’t know that these drugs are being prescribed, in the wrong ways, and that many families aren’t aware. Many border eras also bring drugs into the U.S now you could ask how that’s happening, and that’s because it’s being described as prescription pills. The way drug dealers are also trying to get younger kids addicted is by saying it’s a form of ‘candy.’ Also how drug addiction can be brought back when you’ve become sober, being influenced by friends,

The way I can connect or my topic can is just how much youth is starting to get involved. That prescription to drugs is not being looked at the proper way, especially because doctors are just giving it without checking it. But also how addiction can be caused, and you don’t know how to cope. It’s not spoken about or has brought awareness, because you could do one drug and try another but that other drugs can twice more than what you take.

(Lin,Summer. More teenagers dying from fentanyl. ‘It has a hold on me, and I don’t know why’,November. 12, 2022

(https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-11-12/more-teenagers-are-dying-from-fentanyl) -Picture & Article

How mental is caused and how we can improve it. Therefore what causes this is the lack of communication, lack of engagement or lack of caring for yourself, but this was mostly in the 1980s, but I believe this is still mentioned today. It also mentions the deaths of despair, that we have had more of these, than we have had COVID-19 deaths. But because of health care failure, because they use drugs, or alcohol to help them cope, and because of this it’s causing a crisis, deaths and overdoses. But this article also emphasizes that mental illness can be treated, with therapy and medication, but to teach students who are involved around that field the needs to help this become successful.

This relates so much to my topic. But it’s just making me think about how this is such a big thing in many countries. That us as humans don’t speak up anymore or surround ourselves with engagement to get the help and resources we need. That we use drugs to treat us. Yes, the mental health care system has failed many, but they are trying to figure out new ways, especially with the thought of knowing many are turning to drugs because they don’t know how to cope. Yet, many are dying because of this. In my belief, therapy should be free, medication should be free, because it tends to bring more stress to mental health. We also need to remind each other that it’s okay to not be okay.

Balch,Bridget. From mental illness to mental health, November 14. 2022

(https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/mental-illness-mental-health) - Picture & Article

 Video it explains how the global pandemic really put a minor set back on a lot of people. There is an increase, especially in anxiety from the global pandemic. It mentions that anxiety is normal, as an emotional state, but it spiked a lot during the pandemic. Especially with the ruling that is happening, such as wearing masks, vaccinations, and so forth. The contagious omicron is causing anxiety to increase more than it should, and that it’s taking a hold on many people. They also mention we were in a National Mental Health crisis before covid. 

It’s connected to my topic because, when everyone went through that mental health crisis, a lot of people turned to drugs and alcohol. Now that we are at the rize of anxiety, people are not only going to depend on drugs, but pills for their anxiety so it keeps them calm. I don’t think many understand that depending on the drug it could become an addiction just because you’re so dependent on it to relieve your anxiety. I also believe that people like the ones that are speaking about it, only talk, but they don’t bring awareness to that situation. 

McPhillips,Deidre. Nearly 1 in 4 young adults in US treated for mental health during pandemic, CDC survey finds,September 7. 2022 

(https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/07/health/mental-health-treatment-pandemic/index.html)-Picture & Video

In Mexico, drug abuse has become a big growth since the early 2000s. In the past three years drug abuse increased from a 15.2% to a 17.8%. The main drugs that have increased throughout this is marijuana and inhalants drugs. For woman it has been increases for marijuana and amphetamines, and men it has been an increase for marijuana and inhalants. Mexico has alway had a higher increase in drug abuse than any other state and countries. Though they are trying to decrease it, it went up because of use from 7th through 12th grade students. 

The interception and connection is how our youth has been drawn into the cycle of drug abuse. My understanding is trying to get that cycle to end and though many drugs have surrounded us, you would want to decrease the problem of drug abuse. Itś also noting that other bigger drugs will start coming into our states and countries if we don talk about it more. Some drugs have been here for awhile and have stayed ¨stable¨ since the early 2000s. This connects with my topic a lot just because mines is about drug abuse and it has been affecting various communities for years and centuries now. 

“Drug Use in Mexico City Students: Trends and Evolutions.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 9 Sept. 2013, 

Through the many years, drug abuse has become a huge problem due to mental health problems for many teens. Its showed that many kids who are having mental disorders that aren't treated end up turning to substance abuse, a psychiatrist at the child mind institute said. Kids with mental disorders or have anxiety are prone to drugs because it allows them to stay calm through certain situations and activities. Alcohol is also a higher risk for teenagers because it works differently for adults when drinking it. Teenagers become more energetic and aggressive while having more risk behavior. Drug abuse also makes teenagers have a more impulsive suicidal behavior said Dr.Taskiran. Because of drug abuse, teenagers are likely to become addicted and because teens learn very quickly and when using drugs, it teaches the brain to drugs and alcohol use.

Through reading this, my interception is teenagers are at a higher risk of being addicted to drug abuse than an adult is because teenagers brains learn very quickly. It could also be a doctor fault if they do not treat mental disorders, but a teenagers if they don't get treated properly. This could be very bad, due to it causing self harm/injuries, or an increase in the mental health, such as anxiety and depression which could lead to suicidal attempts. Therefore, my topic could lean and provide awareness, something to be talked about more. Though many kids may not want to listen because of how drugs make them feel, this could be a risk factors to addiction by the time theyŕe 30, let alone many brain cells could be helpless to this.

“Mental Health Disorders and Teen Substance Use.” Child Mind Institute, 28 July 2022, 

In the following youtube video, it gave statistics from 2017. In the U.S 19.7 million people have had a substance use disorder, and only 1.4 million have been treated. Therefore 4%, have suffered from substance use. 992,000 have been 12-17 year olds. 1 in 25 or rather 741,000 have been from illicit pills and 443,00 have been from alcohol use. 1 in 7, 18-25 year olds have battled substance use disorder, which is 14.8%. 3.4 million young adults suffer from alcohol abuse, cannabis and prescription drugs. Therefore 13.6 million ages 26 and up have suffered substance use disorders in 2017. At the time Substance use in men was at 8.7% higher risk than a woman which was at 4.2%. Over 1 million elderly 65 and up have suffered substance use disorders. 

Therefore just like teenagers, a lot of young adults are a risk factor. In the U.S it is men that have a higher risk in abuse of drugs and alcohol. It mentions that many have really suffered so much from drug abuse and itś mostly cannabis and prescription drugs. Therefore my connection is how our statistics have continued to rise with substance abuse since 2017, but also understanding how big it already was for the U.S. Lastly drug abuse is a risk factor, and it cane cause abuse and neglect to yourself and family, but it could be a passed down family history. 

AACVideoChannel. “Addiction Statistics.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 Jan. 2019, 

A picture of my group along with the snacks that were provided. 

On February 25th, in the Pueblo of Acoma at the Tribal Auditorium was held a art therapy. I wanted to get a psychology experiment in art formation. Due to the lack of awareness, I wanted to get a little more feedback from tribal members on how drug abuse made them feel among themselves, an addict in there family or our overall communi

Expressions in art for some of the members that joined.