My Why

I was inspired to start BSAN after having taken an honors course on drug addiction. Being a neurobiology major piqued my interest in learning more about addiction, something I mainly knew about vaguely through the general media and relatively distant relationships. I did not realize going into the course just how eye opening it would be and how it would pave the path for my future work. 

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We examined addiction, also known as substance use disorders (SUD), beyond just the surface level in this class. I learned about how the root causes of SUD are incredibly complex and vary from person to person, the significant role of socioeconomic factors in SUD, and above all, SUD’s classification as chronic brain disease.

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Despite all of the nuances of this disorder and its incredibly widespread nature, however, I recognized that beyond this course, I had rarely experienced conversations about SUD before. SUD seemed to be a topic to be often avoided, relinquishing the unspoken problem to be dealt with by those directly affected. The few conversations I had encountered regarding SUD before focused on the character of those affected, labeling them as ‘addicts’ and as subjects of poor self control, and casted palpable doubt on the possibility of recovery. 

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This takeaway stuck with me after this course. It was only months later when I had begun talking with the faculty who would become the mentors for BSAN that I realized what this invisible yet prominent barrier to understanding was - stigma. 

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I wanted to share what I had learned through this course to others, in hopes they would have a similar experience to me, one that increased understanding of the ‘real’ details of the disorder and replaced common misconceptions with empathy and a willingness to support affected individuals in whatever way possible.

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I conducted more research on the topic to better understand the state of SUD in the United States, leading me to feel more equipped to serve as an educator on matters of SUD. I identified certain fundamental information to share on SUD that I believed would help break down strong misconceptions. I would bring up SUD in conversations with friends and family, sharing what I had learned, but I quickly realized my personal discussions would probably not be enough to break down such large and evasive misconceptions - I needed to find a way to amplify my educational impact. 

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I saw the Lead Forward fellowship grant advertised and viewed it as an optimal opportunity. Through the grant, I hoped to assemble a team passionate about the cause of SUD and establish a structured campaign to deliver fundamental information about SUD on a large scale, thus, allowing people to understand SUD as a larger medical and societal issue rather than as an individual failing.

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I talked with two of my friends about my idea and they were enthusiastic, both having their own connections to the cause. I also began discussing the matter with pharmacy faculty, BSAN’s future mentors, who agreed on the need for some sort of educational resource. From there, the BSAN journey began.