Addiction is one of the most misunderstood problems facing our society today. It is often reduced to a moral failing, a weakness, or even a flaw that needs to be overcome. As a witness of this terrible disease, I hope act as an advocate to change this narrative—to help people understand addiction for what it truly is: a disease that requires treatment, compassion, and understanding.
My journey began my sophomore year, when I first became interested in the study of neuroscience. As I delved deeper into this field, I became much more aware of the high incidence of substance use disorders and the stigma associated with these diseases. Further inspiration came from observing physicians in an emergency room. I have witnessed how patients were dealing not only with the physiological effects of drug addiction but also with a heavy emotional weight resulting from the societal stigma they were subjected to.
Those were the experiences that instigated my research in addiction and mental health, particularly in the intersection of substance use and psychiatric disorders. My most recent project examines how nicotine influences alcohol consumption in rodent models of schizophrenia. It’s very challenging, painstaking work, but it could eventually help develop treatments that could strike at the very roots of addiction.
Outside the walls of the lab, my efforts have been focused on disseminating the knowledge gained. I find myself driven to teach and help others develop a more compassionate view of addiction. It’s personal, not just about the science. Addiction has touched people I know and care about, and I have watched as the stigma can deepen the pain. I want to help create a world where people struggling with addiction are met with empathy, not judgment.
It transcends a mere solutions-based approach; it fundamentally concerns restoring humanity to the discourse. Addiction represents a struggle rather than a deficiency. Furthermore, I am dedicated to standing in solidarity with those impacted, addressing the issue one step at a time.