Resources

Like treatment for other chronic diseases such as heart disease or asthma, addiction treatment today is more a way of managing the condition than eliminating it entirely. Treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on their brain and behavior and regain control of their lives. There is promise that “managing” the disease will become more akin to “elimination” in the future.

It’s helpful to consider how cancer treatments evolved over the last 100 years and how this might apply to substance use disorders. Cancer was once thought of as a singular condition, seeped in stigma in the 1940’s. Today, there are over 120 recognized forms of cancer – each with distinct treatment protocols based on stage and an individual’s genetic and socio-economic situation. These treatments sprang from fundamental research, funded by government and independent organizations, such as the American Cancer Society.

We can do the same for substance use disorders. It will take time, money and dedicated research. We hope you join us on this worthy mission.

In short, donations fund research. Addiction Research Institute’s grants program is led by Dr. Scott Swartzwelder and includes top scientists in the fields of neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, behavior science and other related fields. Together, they assess applications and recommend grants to individuals and organizations in the field of addiction research.

While the majority of all donations go toward research, a part of your donation funds substance use disorder awareness to help drive similar investments into research through government programs and help eliminate the stigma attached to this disease. In addition, ARI is building a small operational staff to execute on its mission. Today, Board of Director members donate their time for operational support.