Victor Torres understands drug addiction. By the time he was a teenager, he was addicted to heroin as a gang member on the streets of New York City.
He’s not alone. Self-medication is common in our culture. Whether it’s compulsive shopping, gambling, an unhealthy desire for sweets, sex, or drugs and alcohol, the number of people who seek an artificial escape from reality is staggering.
Millions of people in the United States are diagnosed with Substance Use Disorder each year.