This is something that we have been taught through very well meaning programs that aim to reduce substance misuse in our communities. These programs create a black and white narrative around substances. Any therapist will tell you, when black and white frameworks come in to play, that's a sure sign that someone is seeing things through a non-realistic filter.

Can we misuse substances? ABSOLUTELY. Substance misuse is a big issue globally and in the US. So many of us use substances to avoid feelings or experiences that are distressing to our nervous systems. We don't have other tools to cope and so we use substances to cope.

Have substances also helped us make incredible gains as a society. For sure! Technology connects us to people who live on the other side of the world. Substances have made recovery from major surgeries less debilitating.

In many cases, the substances have useful qualities. If we misuse them, then problems start to arise.

The question is really how are you using substances? Why are you using substances?

So many of us have a challenging time with substances. Whether it's coffee, tech, alcohol, or anything else, substances are built into our every day lives. It makes sense that what starts off as casual use can easily turn into something malevolent.

Many of use use substances because our lives are not set up to succeed without them. This is the behavior part of changing substance use. If I want to have different behavior around substance use, I have to set myself up with circumstances that make it less likely I'll "need" that substance.

For example, if my schedule is so full that I'm running around for 14 hours and have to drink 5 cups of coffee just to make it through my day, it will be very challenging for me to decrease my coffee use without changing my schedule.

So, if we want to change our use, we must look at the lifestyle we've set up for ourselves that created the use in the first place.